CenterPoint Energy provides update on Hurricane Nicholas restoration efforts
2021-09-14T22:00:00Z
  • Power restored to nearly 300,000 customers in less than 12 hours since hurricane’s landfall
  • Natural gas system in Houston area performing well; system assessment almost completed
  • Customers’ patience appreciated as company works to restore service as safely and quickly as possible

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 on its restoration efforts:

The company has restored power to nearly 300,000 electric customers over the last 12 hours, down from a peak outage count of more than 460,000 at 8 a.m. CT this morning. Of the 2.6 million CenterPoint Energy customers in the Greater Houston area, more than 93 percent currently have power. At this time, CenterPoint Energy is down to approximately 160,000 customers without power.

“We want to thank our customers for their continued patience. We remain committed to continue our safe and efficient restoration efforts until all of our customers are back in service,” said Kenny Mercado, Executive Vice President, Electric Utility, CenterPoint Energy. “Due to the extensive damage caused by the storm, impacted customers should anticipate some outages taking as long as four to five days, with the majority restored earlier as repairs are safely completed.”

In addition to the more than 3,200 Electric Operations employees and contractors focused on the restoration work, CenterPoint Energy has confirmed 1,800 linemen and tree trimmers from their mutual assistance network and will activate four staging sites across the impacted areas. The mutual assistance resources are expected to begin work on Wednesday, with the remainder arriving on Thursday.

The restoration process begins with facilities vital to safety, health and welfare, such as hospitals, water treatment plants and public service facilities. While addressing 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.

CenterPoint Energy’s natural gas system is performing well, and system assessment is almost complete.

“To help support our customers who were impacted by the storm, we have temporarily suspended disconnections for nonpayment throughout the affected region,” said Scott Doyle, Executive Vice President, Natural Gas. “Safety remains a top priority as we complete the damage assessment, customers need to call us if they smell natural gas or see a damaged line.”

For latest information on power outages*:

  • Sign up for Power Alert Service for information on individual outages; 
  • Follow @cnpalerts and visit Outage Tracker for general outage locations; and 
  • Visit CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter for electric and natural gas safety tips and other resources.

*Please note that some outage notifications may be delayed. Due to the ongoing system assessment of damage caused by 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. 

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 Recent News

 

 
Winter Storm Enzo poised to impact Gulf Coast and Greater Houston area; CenterPoint Energy crews and additional mutual aid workers mobilized and ready to respond

National Weather Service Winter Storm Warning to take effect Monday 6 pm as forecasts converge on freezing precipitation and accumulation across Greater Houston

Three staging sites set-up and approximately 1,200 additional mutual aid workers set to arrive today ahead of the storm to support potential restoration efforts

Company activating emergency operations center this afternoon ahead of the projected arrival of precipitation

CenterPoint urges customers to take public plea seriously to stay home Tuesday and avoid driving, be weather alert and have a plan to stay safe and warm through freezing temperatures

HOUSTON, Jan. 20, 2025 - Winter Storm Enzo is poised to impact the Gulf Coast and the Greater Houston area with bitter cold temperatures and freezing precipitation tonight. To meet this winter weather challenge, CenterPoint Energy is activating its emergency operations center today along with three staging sites to be prepared to respond to any power outages that Winter Storm Enzo may bring. The company has been closely monitoring the winter storm since last week and over the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. In the lead-up to the storm's arrival, CenterPoint has been executing its cold weather readiness plan. 

The company's three staging sites will host 1,200 additional mutual aid workers and help pre-position crews, vehicles, equipment and materiel needed for restoration across its service territory to be able to respond to service issues safely and as quickly as possible. CenterPoint crews and the nearly 1,200 mutual aid workers will address any weather impacts on the electric system.

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response, Meteorology and Operations teams will remain on alert through the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and continue to utilize in-house and third-party weather modeling and historical data from previous weather events to plan for all potential impacts to CenterPoint's system.

"Our CenterPoint teams are prepared and ready to respond to any impacts from Winter Storm Enzo. We're activating our emergency operations center, standing up three staging sites across the Greater Houston area and will be onboarding approximately 1,200 mutual assistance workers who are arriving today to support potential restoration efforts. Crews will be pre-positioned across our service territory before the precipitation starts this evening, and we will continue to diligently monitor the weather and our systems as we prepare for the storm's impact," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business.

"We ask our customers and the public to take seriously the pleas from elected leaders and local officials to not travel on Tuesday. Weather conditions and roads are expected to be poor, and we want to keep our crews and our mutual aid partners safe while they are working to restore power or travelling to a location to do so. Additionally, we urge everyone to take steps and get prepared before the precipitation starts to keep themselves and their loved ones safe through the storm's impact. Customers should continue monitoring the forecasts, stay alert to changing weather conditions, follow guidance from local government and emergency officials and have an emergency plan in place, especially if they rely on life-sustaining equipment," said Carroll.

In preparation for the mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain anticipated to impact the region, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Southeast Texas beginning at 6 p.m. today through 6 p.m. tomorrow.

An Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Weather Watch is also in effect from today through Wednesday due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves. At this time, according to ERCOT, grid conditions are expected to be normal, but CenterPoint teams remain ready to respond if that should change.

Cold weather preparations
The company has a cold weather readiness plan in place and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its infrastructure across Texas, including inspecting and testing cold-weather critical equipment. In addition to securing an additional 1,200 mutual aid resources to assist with restoration efforts, additional call center resources have been secured in anticipation of call volume rising and support platforms have been load-tested to meet higher demand as customers seek information during and after the storm. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and natural gas infrastructure, coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials, and making plans to mobilize emergency response resources.

Stay informed before, during and after the storm with CenterPoint's Storm Center, Power Alert Service® and the CenterPoint Texas X account
CenterPoint is encouraging all customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during Winter Storm Enzo. Customers can read the latest news on CenterPoint's preparedness and response efforts, view important safety tips, and access the company's 2025 Winter Energy Guide by visiting CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter.

While CenterPoint continues to provide information around this weather event to its 2.8 million electric customers, including those designated as critical care, the company also encourages all electric customers to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text, or email.

Customers can also follow @CenterPoint_TX to receive the most up-to-date information on the company's operations in the Greater Houston area and across Texas.

For the latest weather information for the Greater Houston area, see updates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Houston/Galveston at www.weather.gov/hgx.   

For more information, contact
Communications
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy Prepared to Respond to Impacts of Winter Storm Enzo for Gas Customers in Louisiana

Lake Charles, La. – Jan. 20, 2025 – As Winter Storm Enzo and freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation are set to begin impacting the Gulf Coast region starting Monday night, CenterPoint Energy is actively monitoring the storm and preparing to respond to potential impacts on the company's natural gas system in Louisiana. CenterPoint continues to execute its cold weather readiness action plan, including coordinating with state and local officials; pre-positioning crews and equipment to respond quickly and safely to potential service interruptions; as well as proactively sharing safety and preparedness information with all customers.

“Since last week, our CenterPoint team has been mobilizing and preparing to respond as safely and quickly as possible to the impacts of this extreme weather event on our natural gas customers in Louisiana. Winter storms are unpredictable, and conditions like ice accumulation and road closures can affect our ability to quickly respond. To help ensure the safety of our personnel and customers, we encourage everyone to follow warnings from local officials, avoid unnecessary travel and plan ahead to stay safe and warm during this hard freeze. Working together, we will meet the challenge ahead," said Richard Leger, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Gas Business.

Preparing the natural gas system for winter weather
Ahead of Winter Storm Enzo, and as part of a suite of annual winter readiness actions to harden its natural gas system against extreme cold and winter storms, CenterPoint has completed the following preparations:

  • Testing and reinforcing gas infrastructure and verifying that all equipment is aligned with cold-weather settings.
  • Keeping gas technicians on standby to respond to the impacts of the storm and sub-freezing temperatures.
  • Strategically positioning compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system if needed.
  • Proactively communicating with customers to share important safety and preparedness information by phone call, text, email and on social media.

2025 Winter Energy Guide

CenterPoint recently launched its Winter Energy Guide, a comprehensive online resource hub that helps customers throughout the winter heating season. The guide features practical and important safety, energy savings and bill management tips to help customers stay safe and warm throughout the winter season. The company encourages customers to use this helpful resource to create their own cold weather plans so that they're prepared for winter weather ahead. To learn more about the Winter Energy Guide, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyForWinter.

CenterPoint Energy activates Emergency Operations Center as it prepares to respond to Winter Storm Enzo across the Greater Houston area

​Houston – Jan. 20, 2025 – CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center this afternoon in advance of Winter Storm Enzo's arrival to be prepared to manage its response and restoration efforts. The company is coordinating with state and local emergency partners as it prepares to respond to the potential winter impacts on the Greater Houston area. 

To aid in restoration efforts, CenterPoint Energy is mobilizing an expanded workforce of approximately 3,000 personnel, including 1,200 mutual aid resources, to help address potential outages across its service area. CenterPoint is also sharing proactive safety and preparedness information with customers via direct email, text and auto-dial voice messages as all as social media, and it will continue to provide regular updates on response and restoration efforts. 

“Winter Storm Enzo is poised to hit the Greater Houston area this evening and our teams and mutual aid partners are ready to respond. Our CenterPoint teams have been working for more than a week to prepare and are coordinating with government and industry partners to be ready to respond. We've mobilized 1,200 mutual aid workers, in addition to our own approximately 1,800 plus workers, set up three staging sites across our service area to quickly deploy crews and equipment, and prepared for freezing temperatures and precipitation. Even with this preparation, we know that storms like these can be unpredictable. Extreme weather, road inaccessibility and icy conditions may impact our ability to respond quickly. Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our customers, our workers and partners throughout this impactful winter storm," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business.

Preparedness actions ahead of Winter Storm Enzo 
As of 5 p.m. Monday, CenterPoint is taking the following actions to respond to the impacts of Winter Storm Enzo including: 

  • Deployed its winter weather readiness plan last week: The company has been tracking the storm since early last week and started completing critical cold weather actions for both electric cand gas systems.  
  • Deploying additional mutual aid frontline electric workers: Mobilizing 1,200 mutual aid personnel and our local frontline workers to three staging sites across Greater Houston to support winter storm response and address potential equipment damage and outages. 
  • Providing temporary generation to heating centers: Working closely with local government and community partners to identify locations to deploy four small temporary generation units to provide power to local warming centers amid freezing temperatures.  More units are staged and ready to deploy if needs arise. 
  • Keeping customers informed: Sharing safety and preparedness information and resources with CenterPoint customers through direct outreach, social media and other platforms. 
  • 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.  
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to government officials on preparation and response activities and to coordinate on customer support. 
  • Holding public briefings on operational updates: Conducting a press briefing on Monday afternoon to provide important updates related to CenterPoint's pre-storm activities; additional briefings may be held to provide operational updates on response and restoration efforts following the storm. 
  • Keeping up to date with ERCOT forecasts: An Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Weather Watch is in effect through Wednesday due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demands and the potential for lower reserves. At this time, according to ERCOT, grid conditions are expected to be normal, but CenterPoint teams remain ready to respond if that should change. 

 
Critical winter readiness actions completed 
CenterPoint's emergency preparations for Winter Storm Enzo build upon the annual winter readiness activities that it conducted over the past several months, including annual weatherization requirements from ERCOT and the Railroad Commission of Texas to prepare for winter storms. These actions include: 

  • Inspecting and testing critical equipment, including all 270 substations, to prepare for high demand and cold temperatures;
  • Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across the Greater Houston area, including by installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup; 
       
  • Maintaining freeze protection equipment and enclosures for cold-weather critical components;    
  • Repairing damaged or degraded thermal insulation and water-proofing materials; and   
  • Conducting emergency training for hundreds of operational personnel and contractors to prepare for, mitigate and respond to the impacts of severe winter weather. 

Important information for electric customers 
CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text or email. Customers can also stay up to date with CenterPoint's new and improved, cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code. 

In addition, customers can get the latest information on CenterPoint's preparedness and response efforts, view important safety tips and access the company's 2025 Winter Energy Guide by visiting CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter. Customers can also follow @CenterPoint_TX to receive the most up-to-date information on the company's operations in the Greater Houston area and across Texas. 

For the latest weather information for the Greater Houston area, see updates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Houston/Galveston at weather.gov/hgx.​

As temperatures drop, CenterPoint Energy continues mobilizing response efforts for Winter Storm Enzo projected to impact the Greater Houston area Monday evening

Forecasts converge on freezing precipitation and accumulation across Greater Houston as National Weather Service upgrades advisory to a Winter Storm Warning

Three staging sites set-up and approximately 1,200 additional mutual aid workers set to arrive tomorrow to support potential restoration efforts

CenterPoint to activate its emergency operations center Monday afternoon ahead of the projected start of precipitation

CenterPoint urges customers and the public to be weather alert and have a plan to stay safe and warm through freezing temperatures and precipitation

HOUSTON, Jan. 19, 2025 - CenterPoint Energy continues to execute its cold weather readiness plan and actively monitor the weather for new developments. Weather forecasts continue to converge on a major winter storm, now named Enzo, impacting the Greater Houston area beginning Monday evening, with wintry precipitation and significant accumulation forecasted across the region this week.

The company has secured an additional 1,200 mutual aid workers to support potential restoration efforts. CenterPoint's emergency operations center will be activated Monday evening ahead of the projected arrival of wintry precipitation and the company is standing up three staging sites and pre-positioning crews across its service territory to respond, if needed, as safely and as quickly as possible.

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response, Meteorology and Operations teams will remain on alert throughout the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend and continue to utilize in-house and third-party weather modeling and historical data from previous weather events to plan for all potential impacts to CenterPoint's system.

In preparation for the mixture of snow, sleet and freezing rain anticipated to impact the region, the National Weather Service has upgraded the Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning for Southeast Texas beginning at 6 p.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

On Friday, ERCOT issued a Weather Watch from Monday to Wednesday due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. At this time, according to ERCOT, grid conditions are expected to be normal, but CenterPoint teams remain ready to respond if that should change.

"As our CenterPoint teams stand up these staging sites and begin onboarding approximately 1,200 mutual assistance workers who've answered the call to support potential restoration efforts, we continue to diligently monitor the weather and our systems and prepare for potential impact. We want our customers to be confident in the numerous cold weather preparations CenterPoint has already executed from our winter readiness plan and to know we have plans in place to support their communities during this week's forecasted severe weather. We also want to urge our customers to stay weather alert, have an emergency plan in place and take steps now to prepare, especially customers who rely on life-sustaining equipment," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business. 

Cold weather preparations
The company has a cold weather readiness plan in place and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its infrastructure across Texas, including inspecting and testing cold-weather critical equipment. In addition to securing an additional 1,200 mutual aid resources to assist with restoration efforts, additional call center resources have been secured in anticipation of call volume rising and support platforms have been load-tested to meet higher demand as customers seek information during and after the storm. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and natural gas infrastructure, coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials and making plans to mobilize emergency response resources.

Stay informed before, during and after the storm with CenterPoint's Storm Center, Power Alert Service® and the CenterPoint Texas X account
CenterPoint is encouraging all customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during Winter Storm Enzo. Customers can read the latest news on CenterPoint's preparedness and response efforts, view important safety tips and access the company's 2025 Winter Energy Guide by visiting CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter.

While CenterPoint continues to provide information around this weather event to its 2.8 million electric customers, including those designated as critical care, the company also encourages all electric customers to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email.

Customers can also follow @CenterPoint_TX to receive the most up-to-date information on the company's operations in the Greater Houston area and across Texas.

For the latest weather information for the Greater Houston area, see updates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Houston/Galveston at www.weather.gov/hgx.   

Safety reminders
CenterPoint reminds customers to stay safe during and after winter storms:

  • Downed power lines: Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and report them to CenterPoint at 713-207-2222. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.
     
  • Work crew safety: Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.
     
  • Portable generators: Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated area and never run it inside or in a garage to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) fumes, which can be deadly.
     
  • Use space heaters safely: Make sure space heaters have an automatic shut-off, and keep children, pets and all items at least three feet away from it. A space heater that uses natural gas, propane or wood should be vented to the outside. Stoves and ovens should never be used for space heating.
     
  • Electric system safety: Never connect a portable electric generator directly to a building's electrical system during a power outage; electricity could back-feed into the power lines, potentially endangering CenterPoint workers.
     
  • Preserving food during outages: Avoid opening freezers and refrigerators during outages to preserve food.
     
  • Natural gas safety: Natural gas is odorized with a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur. If a natural gas odor is detected inside a home or building, leave immediately on foot. Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), or anything that could cause a spark. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint Energy and 911. Do not use email or the Internet to report the leak and never attempt to repair a natural gas leak yourself—leave all repairs to trained technicians. For leaks outside, leave the area on foot and move in an upwind direction away from the leak or vapor cloud to a location where the smell of gas is no longer present. Warn others to stay away from the leak and abandon any equipment being used in or near the area. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint and 911 to report the leak.
     
  • Know the signs of CO poisoning: Early symptoms such as headache and fatigue are similar to the flu, but without a fever. Continued CO exposure can lead to more severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty thinking clearly and fainting. If everyone in a household is experiencing these symptoms, it could be CO poisoning. If symptoms suggest CO poisoning, leave the area immediately, get fresh air and call 911.
     
  • Gas meter maintenance: Remove large icicles hanging over meter assemblies and appliance vents. Use a broom – not a shovel – to clear snow from the meter. If the gas meter is encased in ice, do not attempt to melt and/or chip the ice, as this could cause damage to the meter. Allow the ice to melt on its own.
     
  • Call before digging: Call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on a property.

For more information, contact
Communications
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

As weather models start to align toward freezing precipitation and ERCOT issues Weather Watch, CenterPoint Energy continues preparations and secures additional mutual aid support

Company continues monitoring the evolving weather situation over the MLK Jr Holiday weekend and is activating nearly 1,200 additional mutual aid workers to help execute potential restoration work

ERCOT has issued a Weather Watch for January 20-23 due to extreme cold weather across its region, meaning higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves

CenterPoint urges customers to have a plan and make winter weather preparations to stay safe and warm

In the event of ice or freezing precipitation early next week causing outages, the expanded workforce will be utilized to restore service safely and as quickly as possible

HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2025 - With weather models and forecasts staring to align and show a strong chance of severe cold weather and icy precipitation and even snow impacting the Greater Houston area over the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday weekend and into next week, CenterPoint Energy is preparing for potential impacts by readying work sites, staging crews and equipment, and securing an additional 430 vegetation management workers and 750 line workers to support potential restoration efforts.

Forecasts continue to show a range of potential scenarios early next week across the Greater Houston area, with ERCOT issuing a Weather Watch for Jan. 20 though Jan. 23 due to extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. At this time, according to ERCOT, grid conditions are expected to be normal.

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response, Meteorology and Operations teams remain on alert and are actively preparing to support safe and reliable energy delivery during potential extreme cold and icy conditions. Teams are utilizing in-house weather modeling and historical data from previous weather events to consider and plan for all potential impacts to CenterPoint's system.

"If forecasted icy conditions materialize, we will likely see outages related to the extreme weather across the Greater Houston area. That's why we've made the call to proactively bring on approximately 1,200 additional mutual aid personnel, to help us meet the potential restoration need and handle any service issues as quickly and safely as possible. Mutual aid is a hallmark of our industry, and we want to thank these additional crews for their help to support our local communities," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business. 

"We want our customers to have confidence in the cold preparations we've already executed and know that we are actively monitoring the weather and our systems. We also want to urge them to take this storm seriously, prepare for it and have an emergency plan in place," Carroll added.

Cold weather preparations
The company has a cold weather action plan in place and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its infrastructure across Texas, including inspecting and testing cold-weather critical equipment. In addition to requesting an additional 1,200 mutual aid resources to assist with restoration efforts, CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials and making plans to mobilize emergency response resources.

2025 Winter Energy Guide
CenterPoint recently launched its Winter Energy Guide, a comprehensive online resource hub that helps customers throughout the winter heating season. The guide features practical and important safety, energy savings and bill management tips to help customers stay safe and warm throughout the winter season. To learn more, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyforWinter.

Safety reminders
CenterPoint reminds customers to stay safe during and after winter storms:

  • Downed power lines: Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and report them to CenterPoint at 713-207-2222. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.

  • Work crew safety: Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.

  • Portable generators: Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated area and never run it inside or in a garage to avoid carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly.

  • Use space heaters safely: Make sure space heaters have an automatic shut-off, and keep children, pets and all items at least three feet away from it. A space heater that uses natural gas, propane or wood should be vented to the outside. Stoves and ovens should never be used for space heating.

  • Electric system safety: Never connect a portable electric generator directly to a building's electrical system during a power outage; electricity could back-feed into the power lines, potentially endangering CenterPoint workers.

  • Preserving food during outages: Avoid opening freezers and refrigerators during outages to preserve food.

  • Natural gas safety: Natural gas is odorized with a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur. If a natural gas odor is detected inside a home or building, leave immediately on foot. Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), or anything that could cause a spark. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint Energy and 911. Do not use email or the Internet to report the leak and never attempt to repair a natural gas leak yourself—leave all repairs to trained technicians. For leaks outside, leave the area on foot and move in an upwind direction away from the leak or vapor cloud to a location where the smell of gas is no longer present. Warn others to stay away from the leak and abandon any equipment being used in or near the area. Once in a safe location, call both CenterPoint Energy and 911 to report the leak.

  • Know the signs of CO poisoning: Early symptoms such as headache and fatigue are similar to the flu, but without a fever. Continued CO exposure can lead to more severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty thinking clearly and fainting. If everyone in a household is experiencing these symptoms, it could be CO poisoning. If symptoms suggest CO poisoning, leave the area immediately, get fresh air and call 911.

  • Gas meter maintenance: Remove large icicles hanging over meter assemblies and appliance vents. Use a broom – not a shovel – to clear snow from the meter. If the gas meter is encased in ice, do not attempt to melt and/or chip the ice, as this could cause damage to the meter. Allow the ice to melt on its own.

  • Call before digging: Call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on a property.

Electric customers encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® and follow CenterPoint Texas X account
CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email. Customers can also follow @CenterPoint_TX to receive the most up-to-date information on the company's operations in the Greater Houston area and across Texas.

For more information, contact
communication
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.Com 

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy