Assessing the damage in the wake of Hurricane Ida continued Tuesday, with the number of power outages and shut-in Gulf of Mexico (GOM) natural gas and oil production virtually unchanged. In fact, power outages for utility customers in the direct path of Ida may last three weeks or longer, Louisiana’s largest provider Entergy Corp. said.

Ida Aftermath

“The full assessment of damage could take several days, since many areas are currently inaccessible…by roadways,” according to Entergy New Orleans LLC. “Based on historical restoration times, customers in the direct path of a storm as intense as Hurricane Ida could experience outages for more than three weeks. 

“While 90% of customers will be restored sooner, customers in the hardest-hit areas should plan for the possibility of...