Repairs to two of the Sewerage & Water Board’s main turbines are now set to take several weeks longer than previously expected according to utility officials, leaving New Orleans’ drainage system in a vulnerable state well into hurricane season.
The two turbines together account for more than half the S&WB’s in-house generating capacity. Without them, the public utility is left relying on two smaller turbines, a series of generators and electricity from Entergy New Orleans to power the city’s pumps.
Yesterday’s announcement from the S&WB represents a major setback for the utility, which had promised that repairs to Turbine 4 and Turbine 5 would be completed in time for the start of hurricane season.
