Entergy

Company: Entergy Corporation
Company Description: Entergy, with annual revenues of nearly $10 billion, is a major integrated energy company engaged in power production, distribution and related diversified services, with over 15,000 employees. Entergy owns, manages or invests in plants generating more than 30,000 megawatts, and delivers electricity to about 2.6 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Nomination Category: Team Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Communications Team

Nomination Title: Entergy Hurricane Response Communications Team

1. Tell the story of what this team has achieved in 2002 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

   Hurricane Isidore made landfall as a tropical storm south of New Orleans on September 26, 2002, interrupting electrical service to 95,000 Entergy customers. The following week, Hurricane Lili moved ashore near Lafayette, Louisiana, causing power outages to 243,000 Entergy customers.

   Entergy responded immediately, mobilizing a combined workforce exceeding 20,000. The company exceeded all expectations in quickly returning service and communications played a crucial role in managing customer expectations. Entergy’s news media coverage was outstanding, with virtually every news report being positive.

   The company’s emergency outage response plan was activated, rooted in Entergy’s cornerstone philosophy as a company that cares about its customers and communities, and thus one that works efficiently to restore service after a major outage. The 27 members of the communications team moved swiftly to coordinate efforts in advance and throughout the duration of the storms, providing accurate information to employees and the public in a timely fashion.

   Entergy communicators provided information to reporters, beginning even before the storms made landfall. Entergy spokespeople were available 24 hours a day throughout the duration of the storms and proactively developed and pitched story ideas. These proactive media efforts resulted in favorable reports in most newspapers in its service region.

   In total, more than 400 television news reports on 30 stations in 10 states promptly got out the message that Entergy was focusing on its customers, keeping them updated and informed on weather conditions. Entergy communicators provided outage updates to radio stations and B-roll footage of restoration efforts to television stations. Entergy also fared well before a national audience, including superb coverage from The Weather Channel, CNN and Fox News.

   The communications team also engaged in an extensive advertising campaign to disseminate key public information. Pre-production and distribution of emergency advertising materials allowed for minimum lead time to get messages on the air and in print.

   Over a period of fifteen days covering both Isidore and Lili, the team placed more than $780,000 in media including:

    Nine different radio ads on 60 stations airing more than 4,200 total spots  Nine different newspaper ads in 18 newspapers totaling 64 ad pages  Eleven radio station “Hurricane Updates” sponsored  Four different TV ads on 10 local network stations and 4 cable networks airing 292 total spots  A Red Cross Matching Contribution ad in 11 newspapers systemwide that generated more than $100,000 in contributions

   The communication team’s internal communication reflected the importance of keeping employees updated. Information on the storm's impact on employees and the progress of crews in the field was relayed in a timely manner by email and web- based articles. Information was shared with all areas of the company to build a sense of community and to let others take pride in the tremendous work done by utility operations.

   Overall, the team’s planning and successful execution of internal and external communication efforts during these back-to-back storms empowered the communities and employees of Entergy with the information needed to effectively manage and respond under emergency conditions, leaving them better prepared and more confident in Entergy.