MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Huggins, Gordon, Posey, Johnson (19th), Rayborn, Woodfield, Dearing, Kirby, Hamilton, Frazier, Horhn, Hawks, Burton, White (29th), Canon, Ferris, Smith, Simmons

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING ENTERGY MISSISSIPPI ON 75 YEARS OF SERVICE. 

WHEREAS, Entergy Mississippi and its 2,000 employees have been an integral part of life in Mississippi for 75 years, providing constant utility service to customers and building the economic base of the state and its communities; and

WHEREAS, on April 12, 1923, the Mississippi Power and Light Company, commonly known as MP&L, was chartered to bring central station service to the towns acquired, to acquire other towns having distribution systems and to interconnect them with transmission lines while serving the smaller communities between these towns; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Power and Light Company officially began operations by taking over the utility systems in Columbus, Greenville, Jackson and Vicksburg in 1924; and

WHEREAS, in 1925, to secure capital for expansion, Harvey Couch sold part of the shares of the Mississippi Power and Light Company to Electric Power and Light Corporation, a subsidiary of Electric Bond and Share Company; and

WHEREAS, heavily immersed in wartime efforts between 1943 and 1945, MP&L had more than 200 employees who served in the Armed Forces during World War II, and five lost their lives serving their country; and

WHEREAS, during the war MP&L set up victory programs such as Victory Hints for the Home and Victory for Health to help with the growth and rationing of food, and it also set up Victory for Industry which was geared toward helping industrial customers adapt existing equipment to war production and helping recruit government contracts to Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, in 1946, MP&L began construction of its first major generating plant, the Rex Brown Steam Electric Station, which was termed one of the largest generating stations in the South; and

WHEREAS, MP&L's second major generating plant, the Natchez Steam Electric Station was completed in 1951, and the third major plant, the Delta Steam Electric Station, was dedicated in 1954; and

WHEREAS, in 1963, Mississippi Power and Light became a Mississippi corporation, the first to be incorporated under the new laws passed by the 1962 Legislature; and

WHEREAS, the decade from 1963 to 1973 was one of phenomenal growth and expansion with 862 new and expanded industries located in the area, and residential rates were on a steady downward trend; and

WHEREAS, during this time of remarkable growth, new generating units were built, including the Baxter Wilson Plant in Vicksburg, the Gerald Andrus Plant in Greenville and the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station near Port Gibson; and

WHEREAS, in 1989, the shareholders adopted Entergy Mississippi as the new name of the former Middle South Utilities, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, Entergy Mississippi provided more than One Million Dollars to support community and nonprofit organizations that primarily focus on education and economic development programs; and

WHEREAS, Entergy Mississippi's economic development activities include domestic and international recruiting trips, conferences, Community Development Institute scholarships and grants; and

WHEREAS, providing electric service to more than 375,000 customers in Mississippi, Entergy Mississippi has repeatedly rebounded after such natural disasters as hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and floods; and

WHEREAS, tens of thousands of Mississippians are working at better paying jobs because of the efforts of Entergy Mississippi in helping bring industry to the state; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds it appropriate to pay special tribute to such an outstanding company as Entergy Mississippi for its 75 years of delivering electric service to communities and its commitment to being a good corporate citizen throughout the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do commend and congratulate Entergy Mississippi on its 75 years of service to communities around the State of Mississippi and extend to everyone who makes the company so successful our best of wishes in all their future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Entergy Mississippi and the Capitol Press Corps.