CenterPoint Energy assessing damage, beginning to restore service following Hurricane Nicholas
2021-09-14T05:00:00Z

​Houston – Sept. 14, 2021 – In response to Hurricane Nicholas' impact on its electric and natural gas systems in Greater Houston and surrounding communities, CenterPoint Energy has issued the following update:

As of 7:30 a.m. CT, there are approximately 440,000 customers without power. The storm intensified overnight with strong sustained winds that exceeded more than 75 miles per hour and gusts over 90 miles per hour, resulting in widespread outages throughout CenterPoint Energy's service area. The most significant impact has been on the company's southern, central and eastern service areas.

  • Keep phone lines open for electric and natural gas emergency calls only
  • Estimated electric restoration times will be provided once assessments are completed
  • Natural gas system in Houston area is functioning normally
  • Gas Operations crews have begun system assessment where the storm has passed

CenterPoint Energy's crews have begun their damage assessment and service restoration process. The restoration process begins with facilities vital to safety, health and welfare, such as hospitals, water treatment plants and public service facilities. After key facilities, the company follows its priority restoration process by making repairs to electrical facilities that will return power to the largest number of customers first, then continue the restoration process by prioritizing repairs to benefit the greatest number of customers, until power is returned to everyone.

"We are committed to restoring service to our customers as safely and quickly as possible. However, patience will be important as some areas of our system and equipment may be difficult to reach for our crews due to safety-related issues, such as downed trees," said Kenny Mercado, Executive Vice President, Electric Utility of CenterPoint Energy. "Customers do not need to call us to report outages, our smart meters tell us which customers are out. We ask that everyone to please keep phone lines open for electric or natural gas emergency calls only."

In addition, CenterPoint Energy is part of electric utility mutual assistance programs that provide access to thousands of linemen and tree trimmers from around the country to support restoration efforts during widespread power outage emergencies. The company has requested mutual assistance crews to assist with restoration efforts and is prepared to activate four or more staging sites across Houston.

Scott Doyle, Executive Vice President, Natural Gas, said, "Our natural gas distribution system in the Greater Houston area is functioning normally; however, crews are responding to natural gas leak calls primarily due to toppled trees which have uprooted gas lines.

"Customers need to call us if they smell natural gas or see a damaged line," he added. "Gas Operations crews have begun system assessment system where the storm has passed and it's safe to do so."

For latest information on power outages*:

*Please note that some outage notifications may be delayed. Due to the unpredictable nature of Hurricane Nicholas, estimated restoration times on Outage Tracker and Power Alert Service are not being provided at this time.

The company urges the public to follow these important electric and natural gas safety tips:

Electric  

  • Stay away from downed power lines. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden in flood waters and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.   
  • If you experience flooding and water has risen above the electrical outlets in your home, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker or trying to restore power.   
  • All electrical appliances and electronic equipment that have been submerged in water need to dry thoroughly for at least one week. Then, have them checked by a qualified repair person before turning them on. Attempting to repair a flood-damaged appliance could result in electrical shock or death. Attempting to restart it could result in further damage and costly repairs.  
  • If the outside unit of an air conditioning system has been under water, mud and water may have accumulated in the controls. Have the unit checked by a qualified air conditioning technician.  

Natural Gas  

  • Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines.  
  • Be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and tell others to leave, too.  
  • If you smell gas, do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.  
  • Do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off. Once safely away from the area, call 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 888-876-5786 and the company will send a trained service technician.
  • If your home was flooded, call a licensed plumber or gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint Energy to reconnect service. This includes outdoor gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights.
  • Before cleaning debris, digging on your property or to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines, call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number.
  • Be aware of where your natural gas meter is located. As debris is put out for heavy trash pickup, make sure it is placed away from the meter. In many areas the meter may be located near the curb. If debris is near a gas meter, the mechanized equipment used by trash collectors could pull up the meter, damaging it and causing a potentially hazardous situation. If this happens, leave the area immediately and call CenterPoint Energy at 888-876-5786.

 Recent News

 

 
Tropical Storm Bertha Update: CenterPoint Energy Continues to Prepare for Potential Impacts Across Greater Houston Area

​Additional CenterPoint preparations underway as the hottest temperatures of the year so far may impact equipment in some areas on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of any potential tropical impacts later in the week

Key actions taken to date: activating Emergency Operations Center, mobilizing approximately 1,050 frontline workers with an additional 1,100 available if needed, conducting outreach to customers, and coordinating with local emergency response partners​


HOUSTON — July 21, 2026 — As part of its overall response to prepare for the potential impacts of now Tropical Storm Bertha as well as the hottest temperatures of the year so far, CenterPoint Energy has activated its Emergency Operations Center as of Monday, July 20th at 12:00 PM CT. CenterPoint continues to take a series of readiness actions, including closely monitoring weather conditions and proactively mobilizing approximately 1,050 frontline personnel to respond to storm-related outages, conducting outreach to customers, and coordinating with local officials and emergency response partners. Additionally, the company has secured an additional 1,100 contractors to help support restoration efforts, if needed.

Based on current weather forecasts, the National Hurricane Center predicts Tropical Storm Bertha will weaken upon approach to the southeast TX coastline – arriving on Friday as a Tropical Depression or Post-Tropical area of low pressure. Minimal impacts include the potential for wind gusts of mainly 25-35mph, and rain totals of mainly 1-2" or below from isolated thunderstorms as most of the storm's impacts are displaced on the south side over open Gulf waters. To prepare for potential impacts of now Tropical Storm Bertha, CenterPoint Energy is once again urging all customers to immediately enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive important updates about their gas and electric service via text, email or phone calls, including service outages and estimated restoration times.

“Re-affirming our all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness, our team continues to take critical actions to prepare for the both the current Tropical Storm Bertha in the Gulf as well as the hottest temperatures of the season, including activating our Emergency Operations Center and mobilizing more than 1,050 frontline crew members to prepare for the impacts of these weather events. We are also in close contact with our emergency partners to be ready to respond and restore power safely and as quickly as possible. Finally, we are urging our customers and their families to take steps to stay safe, including signing up for Power Alert Service to get the latest updates on outages and restoration times," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint Energy's Vice President, Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander.

Actions CenterPoint Energy is Taking to Respond
As part of its continued preparedness efforts, CenterPoint Energy is taking the following actions to prepare for and respond to the potential impacts of Tropical Storm Bertha for its Greater Houston area customers:

  • Activated Emergency Operations Center: Coordinating local preparedness and response efforts.
  • Actively monitoring weather: Closely monitoring National Hurricane Center forecasts and evolving weather conditions that could impact Texas.
  • Secured crews and equipment: Additional crews and equipment to quickly respond to potential storm impacts once conditions have cleared.
  • Communicating with customers: Communicating directly to customers via email, phone, text or other channels to keep them informed and prepared, with over 980,000 communications sent to date.
  • Promoting Power Alert Service®: Urging customers to sign up for Power Alert Service® to receive important updates about their gas and electric service via phone call, text or email, including outage details and estimated restoration times.
  • Conducting outreach to critical care customers: Reaching out to identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Condition Residential electric customers by email, phone and/or text to make them aware of the potential for storm-related outages.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials regarding preparedness activities.

​Emergency Communications: Sign Up for Power Alert Service®
To receive important updates about gas and electric service via phone call, text or email, including outage details and estimated restoration times, CenterPoint Energy customers are strongly encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service®. As part of CenterPoint Energy's overall emergency communications efforts, customers can stay up to date on local outages with its cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages and restoration times by county, city and zip code.

Emergency Preparations: What Customers Can Do to Stay Safe
To help ensure their safety, CenterPoint Energy is encouraging all its customers and their families to follow their emergency plan during this event. Customers can find specific safety tips to help them prepare at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.  

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.


CenterPoint Energy Activates Emergency Operations Center to Prepare for Potential Impacts from Tropical Depression 2 as Early as Thursday

National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Depression 2 to potentially bring impacts to the southeast Texas coast later this week and weekend

Actions CenterPoint Energy is taking to prepare include monitoring weather conditions 24/7, inspecting power lines, clearing high-risk vegetation, and coordinating with emergency partners.

Customers urged to sign up for Power Alert Service® to get latest updates about their service, activate safety plans, and prepare now for heavy precipitation and high winds.​

​HOUSTON — July 20, 2026 — Today, CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center and is taking a series of actions to prepare for potential impacts of Tropical Depression 2, which is forecast to potentially bring impacts to the southeast Texas coast later this week and weekend. As of 12:00 p.m. today, Tropical Depression 2 is expected to bring winds of 30-40 mph and isolated locally heavy rainfall primarily along the coast.

With the storm approaching, CenterPoint is urging all customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive important updates about their gas and electric service via text, email or phone calls, including outage details and estimated restoration times. 

“Our CenterPoint Energy team is taking action and we are prepared to respond to potential impacts to our system from Tropical Depression 2. We have activated our Emergency Operations Center as we continue closely monitoring active weather along the Gulf Coast. With the storm forecast to reach Greater Houston by Friday, if any weather-related outages occur, our crews will be ready to respond and restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We urge customers to stay aware of evolving weather conditions and have a plan to stay safe," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President, Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander.

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness Actions

To support its Greater Houston customers and communities, CenterPoint continues taking the following actions to prepare for Tropical Depression 2:

  • Activating Emergency Operations Center: Preparing for potential storm impacts and coordinating local preparedness efforts. 
  • Inspecting and testing critical electrical equipment: Inspecting power lines and electric substations across the Greater Houston area and conducting repairs as needed.
  • Trimming and removing high-risk vegetation: Deploying crews and contract personnel to inspect and clear hazardous vegetation from power lines to prepare for potential high winds and precipitation.
  • ​ Keeping customers informed: Providing information directly to customers via email, phone, text or other channels to keep them informed and prepared.  
  • ​ Conducting outreach to critical care customers: Reaching out to identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Condition Residential electric customers by email, phone and/or text to make them aware of the potential for storm-related outages.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials regarding preparedness activities.
  • Providing operational updates for customers and communities: Sharing important information updates about CenterPoint's preparation activities and readiness posture daily.

Emergency Communications: Sign Up for Power Alert Service®

In preparation for Tropical Depression 2, CenterPoint is encouraging its customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text or email. As part of CenterPoint's overall emergency communications efforts, customers can stay up to date on local outages with CenterPoint's cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages and restoration times by county, city and zip code.

Emergency Preparations: What Customers Can Do to Stay Safe

To help ensure their safety, CenterPoint is encouraging all its customers and their families to prepare in advance for extreme weather by having a safety plan ready, especially those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment or medical needs. Customers can find specific safety tips to help them prepare at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter or at Ready.gov.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. 
As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

​

CenterPoint Energy Closely Monitoring Tropical Depression 2 and Taking Actions to Prepare Ahead of Potential Impacts across Greater Houston

​​To help keep its customers and communities safe, CenterPoint is actively monitoring evolving weather conditions and National Hurricane Center forecasts, taking action by deploying its hurricane/summer storm readiness plans, and coordinating with local officials

Customers urged to sign up for Power Alert Service® to get latest updates about their service, activate safety plans and prepare now for heavy precipitation and high winds which could impact parts of the Greater Houston area as soon as Thursday or Friday.​

HOUSTON — July 19, 2026 — To support its customers and communities, CenterPoint Energy is taking precautionary safety actions including closely monitoring weather conditions and deploying its hurricane/summer storm readiness plans to prepare for Tropical Depression 2. As of 12:00 PM today, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the weather disturbance to a Tropical Depression and expects further upgrades to potentially a Tropical Storm by Monday or Tuesday, with impacts to the Greater Houston area as soon as Thursday. With the storm approaching, CenterPoint urges all customers to register to receive important service-related updates via text, email, or phone call through Power Alert Service®.

“Our teams have been monitoring this weather system for several days and we are taking actions to support our customers ahead of the forecasted Tropical Depression impacts, including continuing to monitor conditions, deploying our readiness plans to be prepared to restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We encourage all customers across the Greater Houston area to prepare and stay safe in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President, Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander.

CenterPoint's Key Preparedness Actions
In preparation for the forecasted Tropical system, CenterPoint has taken a series of safety and readiness actions, including:

  • Actively monitoring weather: Closely monitoring National Hurricane Center forecasts and evolving weather conditions that could impact Texas.
  • Deploying hurricane/summer storm readiness plans: reviewing personnel and equipment needs based on potential storm impacts.
  • Inspecting and testing critical electrical equipment: Inspecting power lines and electric substations across the Greater Houston area and conducting repairs as needed.
  • Trimming and removing high-risk vegetation: Deploying crews and contract personnel to inspect and clear hazardous vegetation from power lines to prepare for potential high winds and precipitation.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials regarding preparedness activities.
  • Communicating proactively with customers: Providing safety and preparedness information directly with customers via email, phone, and text, across social media platforms and other channels to keep customers informed and prepared.

 
If the risk of landfall increases, CenterPoint will activate its Emergency Operations Center and stage additional frontline workers and mutual aid personnel in strategic locations to be ready to restore service to impacted customers safely and as quickly as possible.
 
Emergency Communications: Sign Up for Power Alert Service®
To help prepare for the impact of Tropical Depression 2, CenterPoint is encouraging its customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text, or email. As part of CenterPoint's overall emergency communications efforts, customers can stay up to date on local outages with CenterPoint's cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages and restoration times by county, city, and ZIP code.
 
Emergency Preparations: What Customers Can Do to Stay Safe
CenterPoint urges the public to put their safety first and prepare in advance for extreme weather, including hurricanes, by having a safety plan ready, especially for those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment or medical needs. Customers can find safety tips to help them prepare at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter or at Ready.gov.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com


CenterPoint Energy Foundation awards $350,000 in energy efficiency grants to southwestern Indiana nonprofits to help reduce costs

Fourteen local grant recipients include the Tri-State Food Bank, Vanderburgh County CASA and the Vanderburgh County Humane Society, among others 

Grants are part of CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund, which to date has provided $2.5 million in funding to CenterPoint Hoosier customers

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – July 16, 2026 – Today, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded $350,000 in matching grants to 14 local nonprofit organizations across southwestern Indiana to support energy efficiency improvements at their facilities. The matching grants announced today are part of a series of Community Affordability Actions CenterPoint launched last year to support its southwestern Indiana customers, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund, which to date has provided $2.5 million in funding to CenterPoint Energy's residential, small business, local retail and restaurant and nonprofit customers.

"All of us at CenterPoint are committed to prioritizing affordability and supporting the local nonprofits at the heart of our communities. These grants will help empower these nonprofit organizations, to make upgrades that reduce expenses, improve operational efficiency and increase their ability to deliver critical services to our communities," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana.

In addition to the matching grant funds, CenterPoint Energy will provide each grantee with a facility assessment and a 10-year energy efficiency improvement roadmap, expert guidance and educational webinars to help staff manage energy use over time and further reduce costs for the organizations. By reducing energy usage and lowering operating costs, these improvements will help local organizations dedicate more resources to serving the communities that rely on them. The grants reflect CenterPoint's continued commitment to prioritizing affordability for the Hoosier customers it serves.

Supporting Southwestern Indiana Nonprofits
The nonprofit grantees – each awarded up to $25,000 in matching grants for critical facility improvements, such as HVAC replacements, lighting upgrades and building efficiency enhancements – include:

  • Ark Crisis Children's Center
  • Community Action Program of Evansville
  • Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc. (Hope Central)
  • Evansville Christian Life Center
  • Holly's House, Inc.
  • Joshua Academy Charter School
  • Lampion Center
  • Potters Wheel Inc.
  • Reitz Home Preservation Society, Inc.
  • The Salvation Army of Evansville
  • The Way of Rockport Indiana, Inc.
  • Tri-State Food Bank, Inc.
  • Vanderburgh County CASA, Inc.
  • Vanderburgh County Humane Society, Inc.

“As a nonprofit, reducing energy costs allows us to redirect resources to our family services rather than building operations. Every dollar saved is a dollar that can be reinvested into supporting children and families and expanding our capacity to make a positive difference in the community," said Sarah Reis, Executive Director of Vanderburgh County CASA. 

CenterPoint Energy Announces “Emergency Preparedness Week”

Week-long awareness effort to highlight emergency resources, tools and safety tips to help customers be ready throughout hurricane season

Customers will be encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® to stay informed during severe weather and emergency events

​

HOUSTON – July 14, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy today announced the launch of “Emergency Preparedness Week" to help raise customers' awareness of an array of vital emergency resources, storm safety tips and enhanced communication tools. As part of the week-long effort, which will include a social media campaign and direct outreach to customers, CenterPoint will also be encouraging its 2.9 million customers across the Greater Houston area to update their emergency plans, enroll in Power Alert Service® (PAS) to receive timely alerts about extreme weather, outages and restoration efforts, and visit the company's Action Center website to learn about other ways to be ready for emergencies.

“Extreme weather, hurricanes and emergency events can happen at any time, and we want all our customers and their families to be better prepared. Whether it is updating their emergency plan, enrolling in PAS or taking other safety steps, we all must work together to be ready before storms strike," said Raja Subramanian, Vice President and Chief Customer Officer.

Emergency Preparedness Week: Actions to Be Highlighted
During Emergency Preparedness Week, CenterPoint will be highlighting an array of tools, resources and tips available to help customers be prepared before the next emergency strikes, including:

  • Signing up for Power Alert Service: Enroll to receive free alerts by phone call, text or email about outages, restoration and storm response efforts. Customers can also add up to 15 family and friends to receive alerts for the customers' address.
  • Using CenterPoint's Outage Tracker: View the most up-to-date outage and restoration information by address and report outages.
  • Exploring Emergency Partner Resources: Find additional support through the United Way 211 Helpline, which connects customers with the help they need through a comprehensive database of social services, and the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program, a free registry to let local emergency responders know if you or a loved one require extra assistance in an emergency.
  • Preparing an Emergency Plan and Supply Kit: Create an emergency safety plan and prepare a week's worth of supplies for your home, including bottled water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit and extra batteries.
  • Avoiding Downed Lines: Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and always assume they are still energized.
  • Reporting Gas Leaks: If you smell gas, leave the area immediately on foot, and call CenterPoint at 713-659-2111.

For more information and emergency preparedness tips and resources, follow CenterPoint Energy on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. 

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.