Power
Southern University allocates funds to resolve campus outages
Southern University has reallocated $1.5 million to address campus power outages following a board meeting.
Key points
- University reallocated $1.5 million in deferred maintenance funds for emergency repairs.
- A temporary switchgear restored power during a planned weekend outage.
- A 14-week campuswide electrical study has been launched to assess grid components.
What happened
Southern University’s Board of Supervisors met to address recurring campus power outages and outline a timeline for permanent electrical repairs, WBRZ reported. Crews installed a temporary switchgear during a planned outage, which successfully restored electrical flow. This temporary unit will remain operational until permanent replacement equipment arrives in approximately 10 months.
To finance the emergency work, the university reallocated $1.5 million from Act 751 deferred maintenance funds. This capital will fund engineering and replacement designs for failed transformers and switches. Additionally, the institution initiated a 14-week comprehensive electrical study across the campus, involving field verification, infrared thermography testing, and equipment nameplate capture.
Stakeholder involvement
Representatives from Entergy Louisiana attended the board meeting to review ongoing progress. Seth Schilling, manager of regional customer service at Entergy, stated that the utility aims to be a strong community and utility partner throughout the process, according to WBRZ reporting. University officials also acknowledged contractors M&S and Ellis Electric for their rapid response in identifying grid failures during recent outages.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Grids decide whether generation becomes power that homes and businesses can rely on. Generation mix, transmission and distribution losses, and tariffs together shape reliability and the case for investment.
91.9% of people worldwide had electricity in 2024Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
