CenterPoint Energy Indiana Electric files request to advance modernization investments, continue transition to a balanced generation portfolio
First base rate case in more than 14 years supports continued reliability and resiliency of system; supports economic growth of southwestern Indiana region
2023-12-05T06:00:00Z

Evansville – Dec. 5, 2023 – CenterPoint Energy's Indiana Electric business today filed a petition with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) requesting an adjustment to base rates and charges. The regulatory filing, known as a base rate case, is the utility's first request since 2009.

The regulatory filing requests an increase to recover incurred costs associated with completed capital projects over the past 14 years to support safe and reliable service to the company's 150,000 customers, including:

  • Transmission and distribution system upgrades to replace aging infrastructure and modernization of the energy grid;
  • Automated metering technology that has reliably served customers for several years; and
  • Projects needed to comply with federally mandated environmental requirements.

Additionally, the request is needed to recover costs associated with CenterPoint Energy's transition from a majority coal generation portfolio to one led with renewables, which includes the Posey Solar facility and two new, natural gas combustion turbines expected to be in service in 2025. With a continued focus on sustainability and cost-effectiveness, these projects are part of the previously announced generation transition plan to retire 700 megawatts of the company's aging coal operations through 2025.

“This request is based on the need to maintain a safe, resilient and reliable system to further meet the current and future energy needs of the southwestern Indiana region, said Richard Leger, Senior Vice President, Indiana Electric. “Our greatest commitment to our 150,000 customers is to maintain the level of service they have come to expect – reliably, safely and in a cost-effective manner." 

Some key benefits southwestern Indiana electric customers have experienced as a result of the investments made since the last rate case filed in 2009 include:

  • Since 2016, Indiana Electric has inspected and treated more than 80 percent of its wood pole population. Through this process, poles that have reached the end of their useful service life have been replaced, and the life of serviceable poles extended, thus ultimately reducing customer outages resulting from pole failures.
  • Vegetation trimmed around nearly 7,000 miles of electric distribution lines, reducing the number of customer outages caused from vegetation contact.
  • Additional distribution substations have been constructed to support regional customer and industrial growth and increased load needs. Significant investment examples include:
    • Upgrades to serve growth to the Evansville Regional Airport
    • Investments to support customer growth in Warrick County
    • Infrastructure enhancements to retain and grow jobs and support increased electric load near Toyota's Gibson County manufacturing plant
  • As a result of hardening the electric system by replacing aging infrastructure, while the number of storm events in the area have increased, the average outage duration associated with equipment failure has dropped by approximately 25% over the last five years.
  • Smart meter technology and distribution automation investments work together to detect and restore customer outages automatically. Since 2021, our distribution automation system has allowed us to avoid nearly 4 million cumulative minutes of customer outages.

 
Leger said, “We have worked diligently and responsibly in the 14 years since our last base rate case to make prudent investments and minimize the impact to customers as we continue to perform our essential work. Since 2011 – the last time base rates were modified – CenterPoint Energy's total electric bill has only increased an average of 0.5% per year, which is well below the rate of inflation."

The total requested increase, which directly results from the base rate case filing, of $118.8 million is expected to impact customer bills no sooner than the fourth quarter of 2024. To prevent the increase from impacting customers all at once, CenterPoint Energy has proposed a phased approach. If approved, a typical residential customer would experience an estimated increase of $10.07 (6.5%) in late 2024, an additional $5.85 (3.6%) in early 2025, and finally $12.46 (7.3%) in early 2026 due to the request in the rate case. Once all phases are implemented including the full cost of service, which includes projects that would be recovered through current billing mechanisms, the expected total monthly bill will be approximately $200, based on average residential consumption of 799 kilowatt hours.

Leger added, “We recognize the economic challenges that many of our customers continue to face, and CenterPoint Energy provides a variety of options to help customers manage their bills, including energy bill assistance, home weatherization and billing assistance programs."

CenterPoint Energy is asking the IURC to review its investments, consider the value customers have received, and approve the proposed recovery of these costs. The regulatory process, which will include a comprehensive review by the IURC as well as the opportunity for the public to provide input, will take several months to complete, with a decision anticipated late in 2024.

More details about the rate case can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartEnergyFuture to provide customers with information on the rate case process and elements of the filing. Other resources to assist in managing bills year-round can also be found on the site.

About CenterPoint Energy

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. As of September 30, 2023, the company owned approximately $39 billion in assets. 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. 

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release regarding future events, such as CenterPoint Energy's ability to execute on its generation transition plans, including the timing and extent of CenterPoint Energy's retirement of coal facilities, the anticipated timing of and impact of the base rate case on customer bills, IURC approval of CenterPoint Energy's base rate case and phase-in plan, and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) the impact of pandemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) financial market conditions; (3) general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions; (5) effects of competition; (6) weather variations; (7) changes in business plans; (8) continued disruptions to the global supply chain and increases in commodity prices; (9) legislative decisions, including tax and developments related to the environment such as global climate change, air emissions, carbon and waste water discharges; (10) CenterPoint Energy's ability to execute on its initiatives, targets and goals and operations and maintenance goals and (11) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and CenterPoint's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

​

 Recent News

 

 
Even with evolving winter weather forecasts, CenterPoint Energy continues deploying its cold weather readiness plan for electric and gas systems and will actively monitor and prepare for the situation over the holiday weekend

Company continues to work its cold weather readiness action plan and may consider further resource needs including mutual aid assistance, if necessary

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

Forecasts and weather models continue to significantly evolve for the second cold snap of 2025 which may impact the company's service territory in Texas

In the event an ice storm materializes early next week, and ice accumulation causes outages, CenterPoint is prepared to expand its workforce to restore service safely and as quickly as possible

HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2025 - While weather models and forecasts continue to significantly evolve for a potential severe cold and ice storm around the Martin Luther King holiday, CenterPoint Energy continues to actively monitor those weather forecasts and deploy its cold weather readiness plan across the company's Texas service territory. The company encourages customers to have a plan and make preparations for severe cold weather and potentially ice.

While updated forecasts show a range of potential impacts early next week hitting the Greater Houston area, the company's Emergency Preparedness and Response, Meteorology and Operations teams remain on alert and continue preparing to support safe and reliable energy delivery during potentially extreme cold and icy conditions.

Usually snow and cold temperatures are not major impacts on electric systems, However, ice accumulation and stronger winds can pose hazards to trees, limbs and power lines. Should those icy conditions materialize next week, there would likely be some outages related to the extreme weather. If it appears that will be the case, CenterPoint will be prepared to expand its workforce over the weekend, with additional contractors and mutual aid personnel, to meet the restoration need.

"While there are still a great deal of unknowns on what weather will actually arrive early next week, we want our customers and communities to have confidence in the cold preparations we've already executed, that we are actively monitoring the weather and our systems and that, if needed, we can marshal additional resources to help us restore those customers who may lose power, if we have significant ice accumulation and strong winds. We also want our customers to take this storm seriously, prepare for it and have emergency plan in place," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business.

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. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials and developing plans to mobilize emergency response resources, if needed. Additionally, as part of the ongoing work to increase system resiliency, CenterPoint has already trimmed approximately 3,500 miles of higher risk vegetation since Aug. 5, 2024.

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.

Energy-saving tips

  • Make sure the heating system is operating safely and efficiently. An annual inspection and tune-up by a qualified technician are recommended. Change or clean the furnace filter regularly to help maximize the furnace's efficiency and life.

  • Turn down the thermostat. Lowering the thermostat by 7-10 degrees at night or when away for at least eight hours, can potentially save customers 10% on heating costs. Also, with a programmable thermostat, the heating system can work around one's schedule.

  • Keep warm air in and cold air out of the home. Use caulk or weather-stripping to seal leaks around doors, windows and other openings such as pipes or ducts. A convenient alternative can be to roll up towels and push them against the bottom of the door's interior to help prevent heat loss. Close fireplace dampers when not in use, so you don't lose heat.

  • Use window coverings and blinds effectively. If it's sunny outside, open window coverings during the day to capture warmth from the sun, and close coverings at night to keep warmth inside.

  • Circulate warm air with ceiling fans. Set ceiling fans to turn clockwise slowly to move warm air from the ceiling to your living levels. 

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
Communications
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

With a multi-day cold snap forecasted over the coming days, CenterPoint Energy provides tips to help customers save energy while staying safe and warm

​Minneapolis – Jan. 17, 2025 – Over the weekend and into next week, significantly colder weather is expected throughout Minnesota, with several parts of the state forecasted to experience temperatures below zero. CenterPoint Energy wants to remind customers it has a cold weather action plan in place and is prepared for potential impacts. The company urges customers to have a cold weather plan in place as well.

Colder weather may require customers to use more energy to maintain a comfortable temperature inside their homes, so CenterPoint is highlighting energy-saving and safety resources to help lower heating bills, while keeping safe and warm.

Natural gas preparedness actions in Minnesota
CenterPoint prepares year-round for cold weather conditions in Minnesota through proactive actions that aim to provide safe, reliable and resilient energy service. The company's efforts include:

  • Conducting infrastructure projects to modernize the company's natural gas distribution system.
  • Leveraging natural gas, propane and/or liquefied natural gas stored ahead of the winter heating season that can be used to increase the available supply within the system to support customer service.
  • Staging crews across the company's service area that are ready to respond to potential service issues safely and as quickly as possible.

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.  

Energy-saving Tips

  • Make sure the heating system is operating safely and efficiently. An annual inspection and tune-up by a qualified technician are recommended. Change or clean the furnace filter regularly to help maximize the furnace's efficiency and life.
  • Turn down the thermostat. Lowering the thermostat by 7-10 degrees at night or when away for at least eight hours can potentially save 10% on heating costs. With a programmable thermostat, the heating system can work around one's schedule.  
  • Keep warm air in and cold air out of the home. Use caulk or weather-stripping to seal leaks around doors, windows and other openings such as pipes or ducts. A convenient alternative can be to roll up towels and push them against the bottom of the door's interior to help prevent heat loss. Close fireplace dampers when not in use to trap the heat.
  • Use window coverings and blinds effectively. If it's sunny outside, open window coverings during the day to capture warmth from the sun, and close coverings at night to keep warmth inside.
  • Circulate warm air with ceiling fans. Set ceiling fans to turn clockwise slowly to move warm air from the ceiling to your living levels.

Safety Tips

  • 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.
  • Natural gas appliances should only be used for their intended purpose. Do not use gas appliances such as an oven, range or clothes dryer to heat the home. 
  • Test carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke alarms to make sure they work properly. Change batteries regularly. Alarms don't last forever, so replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions. 
  • 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 CO poisoning is suspected, leave the area immediately, get fresh air and call 911.
  • Immediately report a suspected natural gas leak. If there's a “rotten egg" odor of natural gas present, immediately leave on foot, go to a safe location and call both 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 800-296-9815. Don't use electric switches and outlets, phones (including cell phones), drive or start a car inside or close to the location or do anything that could cause a spark.

Payment Assistance Resources Are Available for Customers
CenterPoint offers programs, tools and tips to help customers manage their bills and save energy. The company encourages those facing hardship to call CenterPoint to find out about payment arrangements and be referred to resources that may be available. To learn more, customers should call 800-245-2377 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday-Friday, or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/PaymentAssistance.

CenterPoint is Minnesota's largest natural gas utility, serving the energy needs of more than 920,000 residential and business customers.

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

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. 

​

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

CenterPoint readies for second major cold snap of 2025 and is deploying its cold weather readiness plan

Pre-winter readiness actions completed by the company in December; crews performing readiness checklists for electric and natural gas systems

Customers urged to have a plan and make preparations for potential freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation

Since August 2024, CenterPoint has conducted approximately 3,500 miles of higher risk tree trimming and vegetation across the Greater Houston area

HOUSTON, Jan. 15, 2025 - With cold temperatures again expected to impact CenterPoint Energy's service territory in Texas over the holiday weekend and into next week, the company's Emergency Response and Preparedness and Meteorology teams are actively monitoring weather forecasts and preparing to support safe and reliable energy delivery during cold and potentially icy conditions. Both electric and natural gas teams across CenterPoint's Texas footprint are engaged in coordinated efforts to maintain readiness and address potential service impacts.

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 electric and natural gas infrastructure across Texas, as well as inspect and test cold-weather critical equipment ahead of potential severe cold weather. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, developing plans to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation. 

Additionally, as part of its on-going work to increase the resiliency of its system, CenterPoint teams and contractors have already trimmed approximately 3,500 miles of higher risk vegetation since August 5, 2024.

CenterPoint's enhanced Emergency Response and Preparedness team continues to lead the company's preparedness efforts and coordination with public agencies and community leaders. The team provides regular updates to relevant agencies and government officials to communicate the company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture and provide critical updates.

"We're continuing to monitor the severe cold weather expected across the communities we serve in Texas. We're keeping a particularly close watch on the potential for a major winter storm that could impact the Greater Houston area beginning on MLK Day and into next week. We will continue to actively monitor the models for any severe weather and urge our customers to stay alert in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Meteorology Manager and member of CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response team.

The current weather forecast for CenterPoint's Houston electric service territory indicates the potential for ice and snow accumulation early next week subject to updated forecasts., The company reminds customers and community members to always assume downed lines or wires are energized and potentially dangerous if contacted. Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines or fallen wires and keep a safe distance from objects touching downed lines (tree limbs, vehicles, fences, etc.). Immediately report downed power lines to CenterPoint.

Critical winter electric and gas readiness actions taken in the Greater Houston area
CenterPoint Texas submitted its annual declarations of winter readiness to both the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Railroad Commission of Texas. These declarations demonstrate that CenterPoint has completed the regulatory requirements that were adopted in 2021 to prepare electric and natural gas infrastructure for winter storms and extreme cold weather.

The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint 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 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.

"Our teams are well-prepared and ready to respond to any potential impacts from the forecasted colder temperatures. We have enhanced staffing plans in place and crews stationed across the communities we serve, so that our teams can safely and quickly restore service to any impacted customers. We will remain alert throughout the next week and continue to coordinate with local officials as our communities take steps to prepare. We urge our customers to stay weather alert and have an emergency plan in place," said Darin Carroll, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President of Electric Business.

Natural gas system preparedness in Texas
CenterPoint strives to provide natural gas service safely and reliably to its customers and initiates winter preparedness strategies to help protect its natural gas system. These include:

  • Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed. 
  • Reinforcing reliability by validating that all station set points are aligned with their cold weather settings and have technicians on standby coordinating closely with engineering and natural gas control.
  • Coordinating and communicating with the Railroad Commission of Texas to identify and ensure operations of critical gas infrastructure for natural gas reliability.

CenterPoint's Energy role in Texas
In Texas, CenterPoint Energy transports electricity across its transmission and distribution wires. Other parties bill for electric service. CenterPoint does not own any power plants and does not generate electricity in the state. On the natural gas front, CenterPoint buys gas, transports it and bills customers for both the gas cost and delivery charge.

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. CenterPoint has a cold weather plan in place to respond quickly to potential impacts this winter, and the company encourages customers to use this helpful resource to create their own cold weather plans so that they're prepared for the colder weather ahead. To learn more about the Winter Energy Guide and to receive more important tips, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyforWinter.

Electric customers encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service®
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.

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. 

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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy