NOLA Council to take next step in substation for drainage pumps

The New Orleans City Council is set to take the next step in building a power substation dedicated to the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans' Carrollton plant.

The Sewerage & Water Board continues to deal with a shaky power supply from century--old turbines backed up by diesel generators.

SWBNO Director Ghassan Korban says they currently can make just enough power.

"Multiple sources of power to generate enough power to drive all of our equipment," Korban explained to WWL's Tommy Tucker. But if one or more of those sources goes out, there would not be enough power to run all 99 of the city's drainage pumps at the same time.

Korban says the Entergy substation, projected to come online next year, will give them the breathing room they need.

"That all goes away by next year when he have one source of power, being the substation producing more than what we ever need in terms of peak demand," Korban said.

The cooperative endeavor agreement the council votes on Thursday would provide for an increase in available funds, as the substation project has grown in cost.