CenterPoint Energy joins Electric Reliability Council of Texas in conservation appeal
Customers encouraged to reduce electricity from 2 to 9 p.m. today; all Texans can make a positive impact through conservation
2022-07-13T05:00:00Z

​Houston – July 13, 2022 – CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric is joining the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in ERCOT's appeal for Texans and Texas businesses to voluntarily conserve electricity today from 2 to 9 p.m.

CenterPoint Energy encourages its customers to conserve electricity by taking the following steps:

  • Adjusting your air conditioner, especially when you use a programmable thermostat:
    • Set your thermostat 5° higher when you're gone more than 4 hours.
    • Between 2 and 9 p.m., aim for 1-2° warmer than your final evening temperature. Try to keep it at 78° or higher.
    • Use fans to stay 4-6 degrees cooler.
    • Set the AC to cool down after 9 p.m.
  • Running your washer, dryer, or dishwasher in the morning before you leave for work or wait until after 9 p.m.
  • Saving up to 10 watts of energy for every device you unplug.
    • All electrical devices use some power when they're turned off but still plugged in. They also generate heat.
    • Turn off and unplug appliances and cable boxes when not in use.
    • Unplug your phone charger and similar devices when charging is complete.
  • Using a timer to turn off lights and appliances when you're away.
  • Using a microwave, outdoor grill, or slow cooker. In the summer, your stove and oven heat up the house. This makes your air conditioner work harder.
  • Setting your pool pump to run early in the morning or overnight.

CenterPoint Energy is not a power generation company, so any shortage of electric power capacity from the electric grid is not something that the company controls.

If conditions worsen, ERCOT may issue a directive to curtail power delivered to customers, which requires transmission and distribution utilities like CenterPoint Energy to implement controlled outages due to power generation shortage. Controlled outages are planned emergency measures designed to avoid potentially longer and more widespread power outages for customers. There are three levels of Energy Emergency Alerts (EEA), and controlled outages are only implemented as a last resort to maintain reliability of the electric system, and they are done so with the intent to rotate outages in the electric service territory based on system conditions.

Houston-area customers should prepare now and have a back-up plan in place, especially those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment.

ERCOT is the independent system operator for the region and manages the flow of electric power to most of Texas and more than 26 million Texas customers. CenterPoint Energy is an investor-owned electric utility and a member of ERCOT. The company manages the transmission and distribution of electricity to its approximately 2.6 million customers across the greater Houston area and surrounding communities.

As needed, CenterPoint Energy will continue to keep customers updated through local media outlets and the company's customer communication channels, including Twitter (@CNPalerts), Facebook, Power Alert Service, Outage Tracker (Estimated Restoration Times will not be available for these types of emergencies) and the web.

 Recent News

 

 
CenterPoint Energy Completing Safety Inspections for Natural Gas Customers Impacted by Hurricane Francine in Louisiana and Mississippi

​Company makes internal and contractor frontline electrical workers available to 
other impacted utilities in Gulf Coast states

  • CenterPoint's nearly 480-member natural gas workforce in Louisiana and its nearly 200-member workforce in Mississippi are responding to customer requests and odor calls.
  • Crews are expected to complete all safety inspections by the end of the day today, with portions of Louisiana already reported as completed.
  • CenterPoint did not experience significant impacts from Hurricane Francine on its electric or natural gas networks across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
  • CenterPoint has released 1,500 distribution frontline and 700 vegetation management mutual aid workers to support other utilities in areas more impacted by the storm.

HOUSTON, Sept. 12, 2024 - Following Hurricane Francine's landfall, CenterPoint Energy is focusing its response efforts on its natural gas infrastructure and customers in Louisiana and Mississippi. As of 4 p.m. CT, Thursday, September 12, the effects of Francine have not resulted in any significant damage to its electric or gas networks across the Gulf Coast region. CenterPoint's nearly 480-member natural gas workforce in Louisiana and nearly 200-member workforce in Mississippi are expected to complete all safety inspections today, with portions of Louisiana already being reported as completed. Crews will also be responding to customer requests and odor calls.

CenterPoint Energy Gulf Coast Service Territory  

 

"While the worst of the storm has passed, we continue to urge our customers to take precautions and follow the necessary safety steps when it comes to their natural gas service, including staying alert for the smell of natural gas and refraining from turning gas valves on or off," said Bo Murphy, CenterPoint's Vice President of Louisiana and Mississippi Natural Gas.

Given no significant impact on the electric system in Greater Houston from Francine, CenterPoint has made 1,500 distribution frontline and 700 vegetation management mutual aid workers available to other utilities more impacted by the storm. As part of its commitment to provide assistance to other utilities impacted by Francine, CenterPoint will also be making some of its Greater Houston area internal and contractor frontline electric workers available to the mutual aid system.

"The mutual aid system is an essential part of a utility's operations before, during and after a major storm. We are prepared to answer the call if utilities in impacted states need additional support to repair damage to their electric system and restore power to their customers," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of Electric Business.

Support Actions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas
The current response by CenterPoint to Hurricane Francine includes:

  • Conducting natural gas inspection process in LA and MS: The company's nearly 480-member natural gas workforce in Louisiana and its nearly 200-member workforce in Mississippi are conducting safety inspections and will be responding to customer requests and odor calls.
  • Readied frontline electric crews for mutual aid. CenterPoint will be making some of its internal and contractor frontline electric workers in the Greater Houston area available to other more-impacted utilities in the east.
  • Released all 1,500 frontline mutual aid workers: Made available all additional distribution frontline, mutual aid workers secured for the Greater Houston area to other more-impacted utilities to the east.
  • Released all 700 vegetation management mutual aid workers: The 1,300 internal and mutual aid vegetation management personnel finished the pre-storm high-risk vegetation work in the Greater Houston area and the 700 mutual aid vegetation management personnel have been made available to the mutual aid system.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials to communicate company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture and provide critical updates.
  • Sharing customer communications: Shared safety and preparedness actions with CenterPoint customers across social media and other platforms to help keep customers informed and prepared.

Safety Tips for Natural Gas Customers 
CenterPoint is continuing to remind its customers to stay safe after Hurricane Francine by following these natural gas safety tips:

  • Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines should flooding occur. If you wish to discontinue gas service, turn off the natural gas at each appliance.
  • Always be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too.
  • If you smell natural 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 1-888-876-5786 and CenterPoint will send a trained service technician.
  • If your home is flooded, call a licensed plumber or natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint to reconnect service. This includes outdoor natural gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights.
  • If you are planning any digging or clearing as part of your post-hurricane activities, please call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number, to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines.
  • 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 natural 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 at 1-888-876-5786.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X (formerly Twitter) for real-time updates. For more information and other resources, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/NaturalGasSafety.

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, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

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

CenterPoint Energy logo. (PRNewsFoto)  

 

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy Completa las Inspecciones de Seguridad Para los Clientes Afectados por el huracán Francine en Luisiana y Misisipi

Houston – 12 de septiembre de 2024 – Tras la llegada del huracán Francine, CenterPoint Energy está enfocándose en su infraestructura de gas natural y sus clientes en Luisiana y Misisipi. Hasta la fecha (4 p.m. CT, jueves 12 de septiembre) los efectos de Francine no han causado ningún daño significativo a sus redes eléctricas o de gas natural en la región de la Costa del Golfo. Se espera que los casi 480 empleados de gas natural de CenterPoint en Luisiana y los casi 200 empleados en Misisipi completen todas las inspecciones de seguridad hoy. Ya se ha informado que partes de Luisiana están completas. Los equipos también responderán a las solicitudes de los clientes y a las llamadas sobre el olor a gas.

“Aunque lo peor de la tormenta ya pasó, seguimos recomendado a nuestros clientes que tomen precauciones y sigan las medidas de seguridad necesarias con respecto a su servicio de gas natural, incluyendo que se mantengan alerta ante el olor a gas natural y que no abran o cierren las válvulas de gas," dijo Bo Murphy, Vicepresidente de Gas Natural de Luisiana y Misisipi de CenterPoint. 

Dado que Francine no tuvo un impacto significativo en el sistema eléctrico en el área metropolitana de Houston, CenterPoint ha puesto a disposición de otras compañías de servicios públicos más impactadas por la tormenta a 1,500 trabajadores de distribución y 700 podadores profesionales de asistencia mutua. Como parte de su compromiso de brindar asistencia a otras compañías de servicios públicos impactadas por Francine, CenterPoint también pondrá a disposición del sistema de asistencia mutua a algunos de sus trabajadores eléctricos y contratistas del área metropolitana de Houston.  

“El sistema de asistencia mutua es una parte esencial de las operaciones de una compañía de servicios públicos antes, durante y después de una tormenta severa. Estamos preparados para ayudar a compañías en otros estados que han sido impactados para reparar el daño al sistema eléctrico y restaurar la electricidad a sus clientes," dijo Darin Carroll, Vicepresidente Sénior de Operaciones de CenterPoint. 

Acciones para Apoyar a Luisiana, Misisipi y Texas
La respuesta actual de CenterPoint al huracán Francine incluye:

  • Proceso de inspecciones de gas natural en Luisiana y Misisipi: Los casi 480 empleados de gas natural en Luisiana y los casi 200 empleados en Misisipi están en el proceso de llevar a cabo inspecciones de seguridad y estarán respondiendo a las solicitudes de los clientes y a las llamadas sobre el olor a gas.
  • Cuadrillas eléctricas listas para asistencia mutua: CenterPoint tiene disponible a algunos de sus empleados y contratistas eléctricos del área metropolitana de Houston para que ayuden a otras compañías de servicios públicos en el este que han sido impactadas.
  • 1,500 empleados de asistencia mutua están disponibles: Los empleados de distribución de asistencia mutua que se habían asegurado para ayudar a el área metropolitana de Houston ahora están disponibles para otras compañías que han sido más impactadas en el este.
  • 700 podadores profesionales de asistencia mutua están disponibles: Los 1,300 trabajadores y podadores profesionales de asistencia mutua acabaron el trabajo de vegetación de alto riesgo en el área metropolitana de Houston y los 700 podadores profesionales de asistencia mutua ahora están disponibles para el sistema de asistencia mutua.
  • Coordinación con los funcionarios de gobierno: Proporcionar actualizaciones periódicas a los funcionarios federales, estatales, del condado y de la ciudad para comunicar las actividades previas a la tormenta y la preparación de la compañía y proporcionar información crucial.  
  • Comunicación con los clientes: Se compartieron acciones de seguridad y preparación con los clientes de CenterPoint a través de las redes sociales y otras plataformas para que los clientes de la compañía se mantengan informados y se puedan preparar.  

Consejos de seguridad para clientes del servicio de gas natural 
CenterPoint continúa recordándoles a sus clientes que se mantengan seguros después del huracán Francine siguiendo estos consejos de seguridad de gas natural:

  • CenterPoint les recuerda a los clientes que deben mantenerse seguros antes, durante y después de huracán Francine siguiendo estos consejos de seguridad para el gas natural: 
  • No desconecte el servicio de gas natural en el medidor antes de la tormenta; si lo hace, podría permitir que el agua ingrese a las líneas de gas natural en caso de que se produzca una inundación. Si desea interrumpir el servicio de gas, desconecte el gas natural de cada electrodoméstico. 
  • Esté siempre alerta al olor a gas natural. Si huele gas natural, abandone el área inmediatamente a pie y alerte a las personas que se encuentren en el área para que también se alejen. 
  • Si huele gas natural, no encienda ni apague las luces, no fume, no encienda un cerillo, no use un teléfono celular ni opere nada que pueda causar una chispa, incluida una linterna o un generador. 
  • No intente abrir ni cerrar las válvulas de gas natural. Una vez que se encuentre lejos del área de manera segura, llame al 1-888-876-5786 y CenterPoint enviará un técnico de servicio capacitado. 
  • Si su casa se inunda, llame a un plomero o técnico en aparatos de gas natural autorizado para que inspeccione sus aparatos y tuberías de gas y se asegure de que estén en buenas condiciones de funcionamiento antes de llamar a CenterPoint para reconectar el servicio. Esto incluye aparatos de gas natural para exteriores, como calentadores de piscinas, parrillas a gas y luces a gas. 
  • Si planea excavar o limpiar como parte de sus actividades previas o posteriores al huracán, llame al 811, el número nacional de Call Before You Dig, para localizar las líneas subterráneas de gas natural y otras líneas subterráneas de servicios públicos. 
  • Tenga en cuenta dónde se encuentra su medidor de gas natural. Cuando se saquen los escombros para la recolección de basura pesada, asegúrese de colocarlos lejos del medidor. En muchas áreas, el medidor puede estar ubicado cerca del bordillo. Si hay escombros cerca de un medidor de gas natural, el equipo mecanizado que utilizan los recolectores de basura podría levantar el medidor, dañándolo y causando una situación potencialmente peligrosa. Si esto sucede, abandone el área de inmediato y llame a CenterPoint al 1-888-876-5786. 

  
Para obtener actualizaciones, siga a CenterPoint en X (anteriormente Twitter). Para más información y otros recursos, visite CenterPointEnergy.com/NaturalGasSafety. 


​

CenterPoint Energy Hosts Community Open House at the Eagle Lake Community Center on Thursday, September 12

​Houston — Sept. 11, 2024 – This Thursday, September 12, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., CenterPoint Energy will host a community open house event in Eagle Lake, Texas. The company's open house events, which are being held in every county across Greater Houston, are designed to elicit customer feedback concerning the company's response to Hurricane Beryl, as well as to provide a forum to communicate the specific actions CenterPoint is taking to improve future storm response as part of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative.

“We have heard the calls for change, and we are taking action now," said CenterPoint President and CEO Jason Wells. “As part of our commitment to improving, we are encouraging all of our customers to share their experiences during Hurricane Beryl, as well as their ideas for how we can do better." 

Open House Format & Structure

At the open house events, customers will be invited to share feedback and ask questions of CenterPoint team members and leaders, visit a number of informational stations, and learn about and discuss the over 40 actions the company is taking to improve public communications, as well as strengthen system resiliency and community and emergency partnerships.

Open house attendees will also have opportunities to demo CenterPoint's new Outage Tracker and sign up for the Power Alert Service to stay better informed about outages before, during and after a storm. Along with CenterPoint subject matter experts, local organizations will also be on hand to help customers to prepare for storms and create personalized emergency plans.
 
Schedule & Location
The location and schedule for the next open house is as follows: Thursday, September 12, 2024, at the Eagle Lake Community Center, 100 N. Walnut Ave., Eagle Lake, Texas, 77434. Customers can view the schedule for future open houses by visiting www.CenterPointEnergy.com/OpenHouses.

About the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative
Since launching on Aug. 5, frontline workers and contractors have together taken a series of targeted actions to strengthen the grid and reduce the risk of outages before the next major storm. These actions include:

  • Installing stronger and more storm-resilient poles: CenterPoint installed more than 1,000 stronger and storm-resilient fiberglass poles that can withstand winds up to 132 MPH.
  • Trimming or removing vegetation from our lines: CenterPoint doubled its vegetation management workforce in order to trim or remove hazardous vegetation from more than 2,000 miles of power lines.
  • Installing automated devices: CenterPoint installed more than 300 automated devices, known as trip savers. These devices mean that fewer customers experience outages, and quicker restoration times for those who do. The devices automatically re-energize the line in certain outages to help keep the power on for customers.

In addition to this immediate resiliency work, CenterPoint has completed 39 of the 42 critical actions previously identified as part of its broader GHRI plan. To learn more about this immediate phase of progress, please visit www.CenterPointEnergy.com/TakingAction. ​

CenterPoint Energy organiza evento para la comunidad en el Centro Comunitario de Eagle Lake el jueves 12 de septiembre

Houston — 11 de septiembre de 2024 – Este jueves 12 de septiembre de las 4 p.m. a las 7 p.m., CenterPoint Energy organizará un evento comunitario en Eagle Lake, Texas. Los eventos, que se están llevando a cabo en todos los condados del área metropolitana de Houston, están diseñados para obtener retroalimentación de los clientes acerca de la respuesta de la compañía tras el paso del Huracán Beryl, así como para proporcionar un foro para comunicar las acciones específicas que CenterPoint está tomando para mejorar la respuesta en caso de una futura tormenta como parte de su Iniciativa de Resiliencia del área metropolitana de Houston. 

“Hemos escuchado las peticiones para hacer un cambio, y estamos tomando medidas inmediatas", dijo el presidente y CEO de CenterPoint, Jason Wells. “Como parte de nuestro compromiso para mejorar, le pedimos a todos nuestros clientes que compartan sus experiencias durante el Huracán Beryl, así como sus ideas sobre cómo podemos realizar mejor nuestro trabajo". ​

Formato y estructura de los eventos comunitarios  

En los eventos comunitarios, se invitará a los clientes a compartir sus opiniones y a hacer preguntas a los miembros del equipo y a los líderes de CenterPoint, a visitar una serie de estaciones informativas y a conocer y conversar acerca de las más de 40 acciones que la empresa está llevando a cabo para mejorar la comunicación con el público, así como para reforzar la resiliencia del sistema y la colaboración con organizaciones comunitarias y de emergencia. 

Los asistentes también tendrán la oportunidad de ver una demostración del nuevo rastreador de apagones de CenterPoint, Outage Tracker, e inscribirse en Power Alert Service para estar mejor informados sobre los cortes de energía antes, durante y después de una tormenta. Aparte de los expertos de CenterPoint, organizaciones locales también estarán presentes para ayudar a los clientes a prepararse para las tormentas y crear planes de emergencia personalizados. 

Horario y ubicación
La ubicación y horario del siguiente evento comunitario es: Jueves 12 de septiembre de 2024, en el Centro Comunitario de Eagle Lake, 100 N. Walnut Ave., Eagle Lake, Texas, 77434. Los clientes pueden ver el calendario de eventos comunitarios visitando la página web www.CenterPointEnergy.com/EventosComunitarios.   

Acerca de la Iniciativa de Resiliencia del área metropolitana de Houston 
Desde su lanzamiento el 5 de agosto, trabajadores y contratistas de CenterPoint han emprendido juntos una serie de acciones específicas para reforzar la red y reducir el riesgo de apagones antes de la próxima gran tormenta. Estas acciones incluyen:

  • Instalación de postes más fuertes y resistentes a las tormentas: CenterPoint instaló más de 1,000 postes de fibra de vidrio más resistentes a las tormentas que pueden soportar vientos de hasta 132 mph.
  • Podar o retirar la vegetación de nuestras líneas: CenterPoint duplicó su mano de obre para el manejor de la vegetación de mayor riesgo de más de 2,000 millas de líneas eléctricas.
  • Instalación de dispositivos automatizados: CenterPoint instaló más de 300 dispositivos automatizados, conocidos como "trip savers". Estos dispositivos reducen el número de clientes que sufren apagones y agilizan el restablecimiento del suministro de energía. Los dispositivos reactivan automáticamente la línea durante ciertos apagones para ayudar a los clientes a mantener el suministro eléctrico. 

 
Además de este trabajo de resiliencia inmediato, CenterPoint ha completado 39 de las 42 acciones críticas identificadas previamente como parte de su plan GHRI. Para obtener más información sobre el progreso de esta fase, visite www.CenterPointEnergy.com/TakingAction.   


CenterPoint Energy Focuses Hurricane Francine Response to Support for Natural Gas Customers in Louisiana and Mississippi

​Company urges its nearly 400,000 natural gas customers in Louisiana and Mississippi to take additional safety measures; electric preparedness and response work in the Greater Houston area transitions back to normal operations

  • Emergency Operations Centers remain activated in response to the potential impacts of Hurricane Francine on gas customers in Louisiana and Mississippi.
  • CenterPoint Energy Texas-based natural gas personnel are ready to be deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi to support any natural gas restoration work.
  • CenterPoint has released all 1,500 additional distribution frontline, mutual aid workers in the Greater Houston area and made them available to other utilities in areas of the Gulf Coast more likely to be impacted.
  • More than 1,300 vegetation management crews will continue to trim and remove high-risk vegetation in the Greater Houston area today, of which, the 700 additional mutual assistance vegetation management personnel will be released tomorrow to support the needs of other utilities.

HOUSTON, Sept. 11, 2024 - With Hurricane Francine's expected landfall today, CenterPoint Energy continues to actively monitor and focus its response efforts on nearly 400,000 natural gas customers that could be impacted across Louisiana and Mississippi. The company is coordinating closely with emergency agency partners and has mobilized natural gas personnel, resources and support as part of its overall response efforts. Given the current state of the storm tracking away from the Greater Houston area, the company has made 1,500 distribution frontline, mutual aid workers, available to other utilities in areas more likely to be impacted.

"We remain vigilant as Hurricane Francine draws closer, and our focus is on supporting all of our nearly 400,000 natural gas customers in Mississippi and Louisiana. We continue to urge our customers in the path of the storm to take the necessary safety and preparation steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe," said Bo Murphy, CenterPoint's Vice President of Louisiana and Mississippi Natural Gas.

"As the storm has tracked away from Greater Houston, we have transitioned our electric work in Greater Houston back to normal operations. We're staying in close contact with our utility peers in Louisiana and Mississippi and will make our frontline distribution workers available for mutual assistance based on their needs," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of Electric Business.

Preparedness Actions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas
The steps the company is taking to prepare and respond to Hurricane Francine include:

  • Readying Texas-based natural gas personnel to support colleagues in LA and MS: Secured Texas-based natural gas personnel to be deployed to support the company's nearly 480-member natural gas workforce in Louisiana and its nearly 200-member workforce in Mississippi and any necessary storm-related natural gas work in those states.
  • Released all 1,500 frontline mutual aid workers: Made available all additional distribution frontline, mutual aid workers secured for the Greater Houston area to other more-impacted utilities to the east.
  • Finishing storm-related vegetation management work in Greater Houston area: 1,300 vegetation management personnel will continue their work today, focusing on executing high-risk vegetation work with the intention to release the 700 mutual aid vegetation management personnel tomorrow based on the needs of other utilities in the path of the storm.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials to communicate company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture and provide critical updates.
  • Conducting outreach to Critical Care Residential and Chronic Care customers: Conducted outreach to all 3,000+ identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Care electric customers by email, phone or text.
  • Sharing customer communications: Shared safety and preparedness actions with CenterPoint customers across social media and other platforms to help keep customers informed and prepared.
  • Organizing additional call center staffing: Secured additional call center staff to handle a higher volume of calls during the storm and limit wait times.
  • Preparing to conduct patrols and assess damage: CenterPoint crews will be deployed across its service territory to assess damage and, in the case of natural gas customers, shut-off natural gas in areas of severe flooding for safety.

Responding to Potential Impacts Across Service Territory
The company is continuing to carefully monitor Hurricane Francine and taking immediate preparedness actions to support its natural gas customers in impacted states, including nearly 250,000 customers in Louisiana and more than 135,000 in Mississippi.

CenterPoint Energy Gulf Coast Service Territory 

 

Safety Tips for Natural Gas Customers
CenterPoint is reminding customers to stay safe prior to, during and after Tropical Storm Francine by following these natural gas safety tips:

  • Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter in advance of the storm; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines should flooding occur. If you wish to discontinue gas service, turn off the natural gas at each appliance.
  • Always be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too.
  • If you smell natural 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 1-888-876-5786 and CenterPoint will send a trained service technician.
  • If your home is flooded, call a licensed plumber or natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint to reconnect service. This includes outdoor natural gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights.
  • If you are planning any digging or clearing as part of your pre- or post-hurricane activities, please call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number, to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines.
  • 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 natural 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 at 1-888-876-5786.

CenterPoint Encourages All Customers to Have a Plan to Stay Safe
CenterPoint is encouraging all of its customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during Hurricane Francine. Customers can get storm-related electric, natural gas and flooding safety tips at CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter. Additional preparations best practices are available at Ready.gov.

Important Information for Electric Customers
While the Greater Houston area is not expected to be impacted by Hurricane Francine, storms are unpredictable, conditions can change rapidly and storm-related outages could occur. 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 on outages with CenterPoint's new and improved, cloud-based Outage Tracker, which allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code. The new tracker is capable of handling increased traffic during storms and is ADA- and mobile-friendly.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X (formerly Twitter) for real-time updates. For more information and other resources, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/NaturalGasSafety.

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, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

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

CenterPoint Energy logo. (PRNewsFoto)  

 

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy