CenterPoint Energy reports 2022 annual shareholder meeting results
Christopher H. Franklin elected as new independent director to the company's Board of Directors
2022-04-22T05:00:00Z

Houston – April 22, 2022 – CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) announced the results of the voting by shareholders at its 2022 annual meeting held today.

Shareholders approved the election of existing directors Wendy Montoya Cloonan, Earl M. Cummings, David J. Lesar, Raquelle W. Lewis, Martin H. Nesbitt, Theodore F. Pound, Phillip R. Smith, and Barry T. Smitherman to serve on the company's Board of Directors for one-year terms. Shareholders also elected Christopher H. Franklin as a new independent director to the company's Board of Directors for a one-year term.

Since 1992, Franklin has served in various roles of increasing responsibility at Essential Utilities, Inc., formerly AquaAmerica, Inc., a public company providing regulated utilities, including water, wastewater and natural gas, to approximately 5 million customers in 10 states. He has served as CEO since 2015, and as Chairman since 2017.   

In addition to his service on the Board of Directors of Essential Utilities, Franklin previously served on the Board of ITC Holdings from 2011 to 2016. He is active in the Pennsylvania community where he serves on a number of nonprofit and higher education boards, including the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees and The Franklin Institute Board of Trustees. Franklin was named one of the Philadelphia Business Journal's Most Admired CEOs in 2017 and recognized by EY, formerly Ernst & Young, as an "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2019 for the acquisition of Pittsburgh-based Peoples and his many years of successful leadership in the utility industry.

"We are very pleased to welcome Chris to our Board of Directors as CenterPoint Energy continues to refocus on its core regulated utility businesses," said Martin Nesbitt, Independent Chair of the Board. "We will benefit greatly from his extensive executive management experience, particularly with public regulated utilities, and his strategic leadership on major construction and capital projects. Chris' addition will further enhance the capabilities, experiences and skills we have represented on our Board."

Regarding his appointment to the Board of Directors, Franklin said, "I am honored to serve as a director of CenterPoint Energy and look forward to working with my fellow directors and the company's management team. CenterPoint Energy continues to demonstrate a track record of execution and performance, with actions to align its interests more closely with those of its shareholders and customers. I also look forward to supporting the company's long-term strategy to position it as a premium utility with industry-leading growth."

Franklin earned his Bachelor of Science degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from Villanova University.

Shareholders also approved the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for 2022 and the adoption of the CenterPoint Energy, Inc. 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The advisory resolution on executive compensation was not approved by shareholders.

"We appreciate that our shareholders recognized CenterPoint Energy's Long-Term Incentive Plan is designed to attract and retain the talent to execute the company's long-term growth strategy, is consistent with its pay-for-performance philosophy, and aligns with the interests of all stakeholders," said CenterPoint Energy Board Member and Compensation Committee Chair Ted Pound. "We also value and respect the perspectives of our shareholders, and the Board will take their views on executive compensation into consideration as we evaluate an approach that will serve the company and our investors."

About CenterPoint Energy

As the only investor-owned electric and natural 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, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned approximately $38 billion in assets with approximately 9,400 employees. CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

 Recent News

 

 

CenterPoint Energy offers expanded support for southwestern Indiana customers as state’s winter disconnection moratorium ends

​EVANSVILLE, Ind. – March 12, 2026 – As part of its commitment to affordability and supporting our local communities, CenterPoint Energy is encouraging customers to take advantage of available payment options, assistance programs and one-on-one support ahead of Indiana's winter disconnection moratorium ending on March 15.

Under Indiana law, customers who receive Energy Assistance Program (EAP) assistance or who are eligible and have applied for the program are protected from service disconnection between December 1 and March 15. As that protection period ends, CenterPoint wants customers to know that help is available and that reaching out is the first step. The company has taken a series of steps over the past year to expand resources and support available to customers managing energy costs.

“We know that affordability is the top issue for many of our customers and we want you to know that there are resources available to help you manage your energy use and bills. Please reach out to us," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. “Our teams are here to help and work with you. We can connect you with assistance programs, set up a payment plan or help you find ways to reduce your energy costs. The sooner you reach out, the sooner we can help you find a path forward."

Steps customers can take now

Financial assistance programs are available to help customers manage energy costs:

  • ​Payment arrangements: Allow customers who are having difficulty paying their bill in full to set up a plan to pay in smaller increments over time
  • Energy Assistance Program: Provides financial help to income-eligible households and is accepting applications through April 20, 2026
  • Universal Service Fund: Helps natural gas customers who have received EAP save between 15% and 32% on their bills through May 31.
  • Township trustee assistance: Available year-round, with eligibility and support levels determined by local trustee offices

Customers can also sign up for Budget Bill to level out monthly payments, schedule a no-cost Home Energy Assessment or visit the Online Energy Efficiency Store to access discounted energy-saving products.

More ways to connect and get help

As part of its ongoing commitment to affordability, CenterPoint has made it easier for customers to connect and find support. Guided by direct feedback from customers and stakeholders, the company has expanded resources across southwestern Indiana, including:

  • One-on-one support through Community Connect events happening throughout the region
  • A redesigned Customer Resource Hub, making it simpler to find billing support, assistance programs and energy-saving resources in one place

The next Community Connect event is scheduled for March 18 at CenterPoint Energy Plaza, 211 NW Riverside Drive in Evansville, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where customers can meet with CenterPoint team members and get help with any of the programs and resources listed above.

For more information or to explore available resources, customers can visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub or call 1-800-227-1376.

Ongoing commitment to affordability

In October 2025, CenterPoint launched its initial series of Community Affordability Actions, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools, expanded customer support programs and implemented additional protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement – such as annual late-fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and safeguards for medically vulnerable customers. Additional customer resources are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

CenterPoint Energy offers support for Indiana customers as state’s winter disconnection moratorium ends

INDIANAPOLIS – March 12, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy is encouraging customers to take advantage of available payment options, assistance programs and one-on-one support ahead of Indiana's winter disconnection moratorium ending on March 15.

Under Indiana law, customers who receive Energy Assistance Program (EAP) assistance or who are eligible and have applied for the program are protected from service disconnection between December 1 and March 15. As that protection period ends, CenterPoint wants customers to know that help is available and that reaching out is the first step.

“We know that affordability is the top issue for many of our customers and we want you to know that there are resources available to help you manage your energy use and bills. Please reach out to us," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. “Our teams are here to work with you. We can connect you with assistance programs, set up a payment plan or help you find ways to reduce your energy costs. The sooner you reach out, the sooner we can help you find a path forward."

Steps customers can take now

Financial assistance programs are available to help customers manage energy costs:

  • Payment arrangements: Allow customers who are having difficulty paying their bill in full to set up a plan to pay in smaller increments over time
  • Energy Assistance Program: Provides financial help to income-eligible households and is accepting applications through April 20, 2026
  • Universal Service Fund: Helps natural gas customers who have received EAP save between 15% and 32% on their bills through May 31
  • Township trustee assistance: Available year-round, with eligibility and support levels determined by local trustee offices

Customers can also sign up for Budget Billing to level out monthly payments or visit the Online Energy Efficiency Store to access discounted energy-saving products.

For more information or to explore available resources, customers can visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub or call 1-800-227-1376.​​

Less than 2.5% of CenterPoint Energy customers impacted during midweek storms

Average restoration for a customer was about 54 minutes, with the vast majority of customers restored in 3 hours or less 

 

Essentially all customers impacted by Wednesday afternoon’s storms have now been restored, with crews working diligently to restore remaining 700 customers 

 

 Frontline workers and contractors supported ongoing restoration and continue responding to localized outages 

  

HOUSTON – March 11, 2026 – After Wednesday afternoon’s storms traveled across CenterPoint Energy’s electric service territory, approximately 2.5% of its 2.9 million customers across the Greater Houston area experienced impacts to electric service during the weather event. With more than 70,000 customers impacted since storms started to move through the area around noon, approximately 69,000 customers have been restored since the storms arrived this afternoon. As of 9:45 p.m., approximately 700 customers are currently without power. 

 

The company's Emergency Operation Center was activated ahead of the storms, and more than 1,400 frontline workers and contractor crews were available to respond to isolated outages throughout the company's 12-county service area. The average time to restore customers who experienced storm-related outages was approximately 54 minutes, and the vast majority of customers were restored in 3 hours or less. 

 

The company is expected to return to normal operations tomorrow morning. 

 

“Severe weather and storms are something we prepare for year‑round, and our crews train continuously so we’re ready ahead of the storms reaching our communities,” said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint’s Vice President, Special Response Team and Incident Commander. “We understand how disruptive any outages can be, and our crews work safely and as quickly as possible until every customer is restored. We will monitor the weather the rest of the night and be prepared to respond immediately to any additional outages.” 

 

CenterPoint took the following actions for today’s event: 

 

  • Deployed the company's resources: Had 1,400 personnel ready to respond to outages and support preparedness actions ahead of restoration efforts. 
  • Activated Emergency Operations Center: To coordinate storm response efforts throughout the day, the company proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday and remained ready to respond. 
  • Monitored weather 24/7: The Meteorology team continues to track forecast developments, and the company is updating response plans as conditions evolve. 
  • Pre-positioned resources: Response teams were pre-positioned in areas where storms were forecasted to impact and remain ready to respond to any electric or natural gas service interruptions safely and as quickly as possible. 
  • Coordinated with local officials: The company provided updates to local officials and emergency management partners. 

 

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.   
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is a multi-state electric and natural gas delivery company serving more than 7 million metered customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. The company is headquartered in Houston and is the only Texas-domiciled investor-owned utility. As of December 31, 2025, the company had approximately $46.5 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been serving customers for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.  ​

CenterPoint Energy teams monitoring severe storms forecasted for southwestern Indiana and preparing for potential impacts

The company is executing preparedness actions and mobilizing resources ahead of storms to support restoration efforts

Customers encouraged to stay safe and prepare emergency plans ahead of storms 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – March 10, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy is monitoring for potentially severe thunderstorm forecasted across the region and preparing for potential impacts from storms expected to move through southwestern Indiana Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. According to the National Weather Service, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible.

The company has pre-staged crews and equipment across its service territory to respond safely and quickly if needed. CenterPoint is also coordinating with government officials on storm readiness and response and sharing safety and preparedness information directly with customers.

“Our Emergency Preparedness and Response team has been monitoring the potential for severe storms and our teams are fully prepared and stand ready to respond," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. “We encourage our customers to stay alert in anticipation of changing weather conditions and take steps now to prepare.

CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare for severe weather:

  • Track outages: Bookmark Outage Tracker (available in English & Spanish and mobile-friendly) to see outage information in your area.
  • Stay safe: Visit Ready.gov for storm safety tips.

Follow us: Real-time updates will be available on X and at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

Midweek Weather Impacts: CenterPoint Energy actively monitoring and preparing ahead of new wave of severe storm potential across the Greater Houston area; company activates Emergency Operations Center

HOUSTON – March 10, 2026 – As a new week begins, so does the potential for severe weather impacts and CenterPoint Energy is proactively activating its Emergency Operations Center. The company continues to diligently monitor forecasts, coordinate with emergency management partners and position resources to be prepared to respond to potential impacts to electric and natural gas service.​

“Our Emergency Preparedness and Response team has been monitoring the potential for strong and potentially severe thunderstorms by midweek," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Manager of Meteorology. “We have proactively activated our Emergency Operations Center and crews will be fully prepared for the possibility of another round of severe weather this week and stand ready to respond. We will continue to actively monitor for any severe weather and urge our customers to stay alert in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions."

Preparing for Severe Weather: Key Actions
As part of its storm preparedness efforts, CenterPoint is taking the following actions:

  • Activating storm readiness plan: CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response team has activated its storm preparedness efforts.
  • Readying the company's resources: More than 1,400 personnel are executing preparedness actions and will remain ready to support potential restoration efforts throughout the week.
  • Monitoring severe weather 24/7: The Meteorology team continues to track weather forecast developments, and the company is updating response efforts as conditions evolve.
  • Coordinating with local officials: CenterPoint is providing updates to local officials and emergency management partners.

“CenterPoint was prepared to respond to this past weekend's storms, and we are maintaining our readiness posture for this week's forecasted potentially severe weather. We know that any outage is one too many for customers, and we are working hard to pre-position resources across our system to be ready to respond safely and as quickly as possible if outages from weather occur," said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint's Vice President, Special Response Team and Incident Commander. “We're committed to open communication and working safely and quickly to restore service."

What customers should do:

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.  
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is a multi-state electric and natural gas delivery company serving more than 7 million metered customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. The company is headquartered in Houston and is the only Texas-domiciled investor-owned utility. As of December 31, 2025, the company had approximately $46.5 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been serving customers for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.