BATON ROUGE, La.— Baton Rouge General (BRG), in partnership with Entergy Louisiana’s Power Through program and Enchanted Rock, celebrated a major milestone today with the activation of whole-facility generators at its Bluebonnet and Mid City campuses. The new system significantly improves the hospital’s ability to deliver uninterrupted care during hurricanes, grid disruptions and other outage emergencies. With the addition of the Power Through service, BRG can now maintain all operations on both campuses, including emergency rooms, intensive care units, surgical suites and inpatient services, during long outages or major storms. Enchanted Rock’s natural gas-powered generators are far more dependable in emergencies than diesel systems, which are susceptible to fuel constraints when supply chains are disrupted. Unlike traditional generators that only support limited operations in a healthcare facility, BRG’s microgrid system delivers power to the entire campus. The full-facility power provided by the system includes lifesaving equipment, HVAC systems, lighting, and chilled water plants that support essential care, allowing patients to remain comfortably in their rooms and departments fully operational during an outage. The microgrid can also provide power to the grid when needed, supporting surrounding areas and further strengthening community readiness. Severe weather often increases demand for medical services, and the need for resilient power at hospitals is well documented. During Hurricane Ida, BRG cared for ICU patients evacuated from Port Fourchon and provided emergency care to displaced residents from across the region. The project, which was supported by State Capital Outlay funding, was completed in partnership with Entergy Louisiana’s Power Through program and utility-grade microgrid provider Enchanted Rock. BRG President and CEO Edgardo Tenreiro said the moment has been decades in the making. “For more than two decades, whole-facility generators have been our goal, and for a couple of years now Baton Rouge General, the State of Louisiana and Entergy have worked together to make this a reality,” Tenreiro said. “Bringing these generators online is not just an investment in infrastructure but in peace of mind, ensuring that our team can continue delivering safe, uninterrupted care to our patients no matter the circumstances.” Entergy Louisiana leadership said the BRG project reflects the purpose of the Power Through program. “This project showcases the best of what we aim to do at Entergy: provide solutions that strengthen critical infrastructure and support the well-being of our communities,” said Jody Montelaro, vice president of public affairs at Entergy Louisiana. Louisiana leaders praised the collaboration behind BRG’s new backup power system, highlighting the project as an example of innovation, reliability and resilience in action. “This project is a great example of what can happen when public funding and private innovation work together,” said Sen. Franklin Foil of Louisiana’s 16th District. “These new generators help ensure Baton Rouge General can provide continuous care for our community no matter what storms come our way. Reliable backup power at our hospitals means safety and peace of mind for families across Baton Rouge and the region.” Louisiana public service commissioners also applauded the collaboration. “Baton Rouge General’s participation in Entergy’s Power Through program is a great example of innovation and reliability working hand in hand,” said Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan of District 2. “By investing in backup power solutions, Entergy is helping critical facilities like hospitals stay prepared, protect patients and keep essential services running when our communities need them most.” Commissioner Davante Lewis of District 3 added that the project strengthens both resilience and equity. “Reliable energy isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline, especially for patients who depend on life-saving medical devices or refrigerated medication,” Lewis said. “Baton Rouge General’s Power Through project is a vital investment in both resilience and equity.” Enchanted Rock supplied the generators that power BRG’s upgraded energy system. The two BRG sites feature 3.6 MW and 5.8 MW microgrids that provide resiliency for the two healthcare campuses. The systems, which are integrated into the existing natural gas pipeline network, can seamlessly disconnect from the grid and operate autonomously to ensure clean, continuous power. “Reliable power means hospitals can focus on patients, not outages, and we are honored to play a part in keeping care continuous when it matters most,” said Jim Barbour, regional vice president of utilities at Enchanted Rock. Natural gas microgrids are becoming a national model for critical facilities seeking stronger reliability without depending on diesel, and this project places BRG among the leaders in healthcare energy resilience. With the new generators online, Baton Rouge General is better prepared than ever to deliver lifesaving care in any circumstance. About Entergy LouisianaEntergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers in 58 parishes and natural gas service to more than 94,000 customers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Entergy Louisiana is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR), an integrated Entergy company engaged in electric power production, transmission and retail distribution operations. Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy owns and operates one of the cleanest large-scale U.S. power generating fleets with approximately 24,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 5,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, Entergy has annual revenues of $10 billion and approximately 12,000 employees. About Baton Rouge General Medical CenterBaton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with over 600 licensed beds between three campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General is affiliated with several medical school programs, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, and Internal Medicine Residency Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter @BRGeneral and Instagram @batonrougegeneral. About Enchanted RockEnchanted Rock is a recognized leader in reliable, large-scale onsite power and microgrid solutions that help critical operations maintain uptime during grid outages caused by extreme weather, infrastructure failures, cyberattacks and other disruptions. Trusted by data centers, healthcare systems, utilities, manufacturers, and government, Enchanted Rock also supports overall grid reliability by providing dispatchable, flexible capacity. Its natural gas generators offer a lower emission, scalable alternative to diesel. All systems are monitored and optimized 24/7 through the company’s proprietary GraniteEcosystem™ software platform. Learn more at www.enchantedrock.com or follow Enchanted Rock on LinkedIn. Download high-resolution photos and videos of the site here Contacts EntergyJordyn Martin[email protected]504-576-4132 Baton Rouge GeneralKatie Johnston[email protected]225-715-5480 Enchanted RockAngela Stanley[email protected]919-480-7937 Source link
