Community Lighthouse Project solar power initiative launching Monday

NEW ORLEANS —

The city of New Orleans alongside churches and nonprofits will launch a new solar power initiative called the Community Lighthouse Project on Tuesday.

The project has groups come together before the storm to make sure there is power after a storm.

The initiative hopes to create a communitywide network of nonprofit "resilience hubs" each powered by commercial-scale solar systems with backup battery capacity.

These will generate power to assist communities when power poles go down.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation is the lead investor and partner of the project with a goal of creating nearly 100 hubs.

Leaders from across Louisiana, including Congressman Troy Carter, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, and city council members will join 700 faith and community leaders at the Household of Faith Church on the I-10 service road for a public gathering on the project at 4 p.m.