State utility regulators gave Entergy Louisiana the green light on Wednesday for its nearly $198 million Adams Creek–Robert 230 kV transmission project, brushing aside an administrative law judge’s recommendation to kill the deal. The 41-mile line and related substation upgrades on the North Shore would cut through Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Washington parishes as part of Entergy’s broader Amite South transmission buildout. Entergy’s filings estimate the project could translate into roughly $20.9 million a year in retail revenue requirements that might later be collected through customer rates.
As reported by New Orleans CityBusiness, the Louisiana Public Service Commission rejected Administrative Law Judge Joy Guillot’s recommendation to deny the application and instead backed Commissioner Eric Skrmetta’s motion to approve the project. The vote clears the way for Entergy to move ahead, even as opponents argue the build is unnecessary and too expensive for ratepayers.
What Entergy Is Building
Entergy describes the Adams Creek–Robert plan as a roughly 41-mile, 230 kV transmission line stretching from the Adams Creek Substation north of Bogalusa to the Robert Substation, plus upgrades at several substations in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Washington parishes. According to Entergy Louisiana, the project, listed at about $198 million on the company’s transmission project page, is intended to boost reliability, support future industrial growth and harden storm resilience across the North Shore.
Docket and Who Weighed In
The application moved through LPSC docket U-37563, which shows LPSC staff and multiple intervenors in the record, including the Louisiana Energy Users Group and Packaging Corporation of America, according to the LPSC. Opponents argued in filings that Entergy failed to prove both the demand forecasts and that this was the least-cost solution for a nearly $200 million investment. Administrative Law Judge Joy Guillot concluded the record did not demonstrate that the project was necessary.
Why Commissioners Approved It
Commissioner Eric Skrmetta pushed the motion to approve, arguing that the benefits outweigh the price tag and that the line would improve reliability and help prevent thermal overloads as new large power users tie into the grid. New Orleans CityBusiness reported that Skrmetta also claimed the new line would have prevented a May 2025 load-shed event if it had already been in service. Entergy’s filings put the estimated project cost at $197.7 million, with an annual retail revenue requirement of about $20.9 million.
Context: May 2025 Load-Shed
A May 25, 2025 load-shed in the New Orleans area triggered a formal after-action review and has become a central reference point in the wider fight over where to invest in transmission and generation. The LPSC’s document index includes Entergy’s after-action report on that event, which regulators say highlights the real-world reliability problems the Adams Creek–Robert line is meant to tackle, according to the LPSC.
Legal and Ratepayer Implications
The vote underscores that the commission can disregard an administrative law judge’s recommendation and still approve projects it views as being in the public interest. Approval, however, does not guarantee full cost recovery. Actual rate treatment will depend on future filings and regulatory review. Entergy Louisiana currently lists the Adams Creek–Robert work as an in-progress transmission project, and any construction schedule or final cost changes will surface as the utility seeks recovery and begins procurement.
For North Shore residents and businesses, the commission’s decision closes one regulatory battle and opens another over cost and who ultimately foots the bill. Formal orders and follow-up filings are expected to lay out timelines, cost details and how regulators plan to assess any rate impacts.
