Hurricane Francine, which made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane, spared major energy companies on the U.S. Gulf Coast from significant damage. Shell plc, a major oil and gas company, conducted inspections of its manufacturing sites in Geismar and Norco, Louisiana, and found no serious damage from wind, rain, or storm surge. The company emphasized its commitment to the safety of its employees, the environment, and its assets.
Meanwhile, Entergy Corp, a power company, reported 10,790 customer outages in the southern part of its Mississippi territory. They expect the number of outages to fluctuate throughout the day as the storm continues to move through their service area. Entergy has mobilized a team of over 1,500 workers to assess damage and restore power to affected customers.
Pipeline operator Enterprise Products Partners LP also reported no noteworthy damage to its assets in south Louisiana. However, some customers experienced power outages due to the storm’s impact. The company is working with electric service providers to prioritize power restoration efforts.
As the hurricane weakened on Thursday and moved inland, emergency crews in Louisiana began clearing roads, while utility workers focused on restoring electricity. At the peak of the storm, 450,000 people in Louisiana were without power, primarily due to fallen debris.
Hurricane Francine left behind a significant amount of rain, with up to six inches reported in parts of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia. Some areas of Alabama and Florida received up to 10 inches.
The stock market reflected the storm’s impact, with energy companies with facilities on the U.S. Gulf Coast trending upward on Thursday. Shell’s stock gained 1.16%, Entergy’s increased by 1.09%, and Enterprise Product Partners saw a 0.79% rise. However, Generac Holdings Inc., a manufacturer of generators, experienced a 1.76% decline.
