Rep. Letlow prioritizes grid resiliency following winter ice storm

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Following the recent winter ice storm, Congresswoman Julia Letlow announced Tuesday she is prioritizing grid resiliency to prevent power outages across North Louisiana.

Rep. Letlow sent a letter to both the Department of Agriculture and Department of Energy requesting leadership at both departments to prioritize grid resiliency initiatives in disaster-prone regions, a press release said.

Both her letter and announcement comes one week after KNOE asked her about possible plans and federal funding to burry power lines in Northeast Louisiana following the storm.

More than 130,000 customers were without power during the winter ice storm, according to Entergy Louisiana.

KNOE asks Letlow about the power grid

Last week, KNOE’s Elijah Mangum asked Rep. Letlow if there were federal funds to improve and strengthen NELA’s power system. In the interview the Monroe native said there was money to bury power lines from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, something Rep. Letlow voted against.

“I’m a huge proponent of burying those lines. It’s going to take quite a bit of funds to move that across the finish line,” Letlow said.

The congresswoman is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, which is responsible for passing and approving federal funding.

Letter sent to federal departments

In a letter dated Feb. 6, 2026, Rep. Letlow wrote to both Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, asking their departments to prioritize grid reliability and resilience initiatives.

“Communities in Louisiana regularly experience severe weather that exposes vulnerabilities in above-ground power systems,” Letlow wrote. “While undergrounding is not appropriate or cost-effective in every setting, targeted deployment in high-risk areas can reduce long-term restoration costs, improve service reliability, and limit the financial and personal burden placed on consumers after major storms.”