Energy
| Sector | Infrastructure |
| Sub-sector | Utilities |
| Locations | United States |
Louisiana is one of the states most impacted by weather and climate-related disasters such as storms, floods and hurricanes, making its utilities infrastructure especially prone to disruption.2 Strong winds and heavy rainfall cause flooding and falling trees which can damage transmission lines and electricity substations, impacting critical customers, such as hospitals and emergency services, vulnerable communities, first responders and other essential services.2
Furthermore, Louisiana has one of the highest per capita electricity consumption rates in the US and its electricity grid suffers from congestion and faces growing demand from a broad range of residential and commercial needs.3
Following initial construction work to support the expansion of transmission capacity in South-Central Louisiana, Cleco entered a second and third phase of upgrades with the support of MAM. Investing over $US312m to improve the structural integrity and capacity of its network, Cleco constructed over 100 new steel transmission towers, four new substations, and installed high-voltage transmission lines capable of supporting increased electrical load and engineered to withstand hurricane-force winds.4
In November 2025, the Louisiana Public Service Commission unanimously approved the largest single grid resiliency investment in Cleco’s history. With efforts to begin in 2026, Cleco’s five-year resiliency plan is expected to include over 550 new projects that harden grid infrastructure by replacing electric equipment, undergrounding certain segments of the system, reinforcing utility poles and elevating substations above flood plains.2 This ongoing investment is expected to further strengthen systemwide resilience, reduce storm-related costs, lead to fewer outages and faster restoration times, and result in over $US400m in value for Cleco's customers.2
Outcome
By strengthening its distribution and transmission grid, maintenance teams can more quickly address and repair localised issues such as downed wires, broken poles, and damaged cross-arms following severe weather events. This has been made possible by the reduced need for extensive repairs to upstream lines and substations, which are now less likely to sustain damage due to the system's enhanced resilience.
Moreover, the recent upgrades have expanded the system's transmission capacity, offering a safeguard against overloads that can lead to uncontrolled power outages. Alongside supporting existing communities, this has also helped advance the growth of the Louisiana economy, with Cleco’s grid offering consistent, reliable, low-cost energy that high-demand operations, such data centers and high-performance computing, rely on.5
in equipment
to upgrade transmission system in a hurricane-prone region4
new projects to harden grid infrastructure2
in estimated value for Cleco customers from its five-year resiliency plan2
miles of transmission and distribution lines6
Our grid resiliency investments will reduce outages and lead to faster restoration times. In addition, a stronger, more resilient grid will help attract more business, jobs and economic opportunities for our Louisiana communities.”
Andre Guillory
Chief Customer Officer
Cleco
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