CenterPoint Energy assures customers it is aware of and closely monitoring the status of outages to support full restoration
2024-05-21T05:00:00Z

HoustonMay 21, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy today assured its customers that from the moment severe weather struck its Greater Houston service area on May 16, the company has been aware of and closely monitoring the status of outages, including which customers are out and for how long. In an effort to keep its customers continuously updated, CenterPoint has provided access to tools and channels capturing essential outage data, with the goal of keeping the majority of its customers informed.

  • Interactive map on website provides accurate outage and restoration information for majority of customers
  • Some inaccuracies may exist at the individual customer level, but company has been tracking customer outages and working to restore customers safely and quickly
  • Company surpasses 775,000 customer restorations; on track to be substantially complete with restoration of outages by tomorrow evening ​​

CenterPoint posted an interactive map on its website to provide outage information and restoration expectations to its customers. While the website provides accurate information for a majority of the company's customers, there may be some inaccuracies at the individual address level where the customer is shown as being restored even though they are without power. Even if the interactive map shows an address or area as being restored and the customer has not yet received power, CenterPoint is aware of this outage. Please rest assured that the company is working to restore service as safely and quickly as possible to all customers without service.

“Given the magnitude of outages associated with this severe weather event, we wanted to provide our customers with as much information about their outage and restoration time as possible," said Lynnae Wilson, Senior Vice President, Electric Business. “We apologize for any confusion our outage information may have caused for those customers who continue to be out and are not reflected on our map."  

Although 85% of customers impacted from this event and 95% of all customers on CenterPoint's system now have service, restoration continues for the 140,000 customers who are currently without power due to the storm. The company expects to be substantially complete by tomorrow evening. CenterPoint continues to work safely and urgently, but crews are encountering areas of significant system damage and large downed trees accompanied by difficult restorations. These locations include, but are not limited to, parts of Bellaire, Spring Branch, the Heights, Lazybrook/Timbergrove around Cottage Grove.

“While we have made good progress, we will not be satisfied until every last storm-impacted customer has their service safely restored," Wilson added.

The company shared the reasons why some customers may have their power restored, while others nearby are still without power. One common reason is a situation known as a “nested outage." This occurs when, even after fixing the main issue, smaller problems still cause outages in specific areas. These secondary issues can arise from unseen damage or overloaded systems.

Another reason could be that customers on the same street might be on different electrical circuits. Customers on different circuits can experience varied restoration times because each circuit may have different levels of damage or may be repaired in a different sequence. This means that while one circuit is fully restored, another might still be undergoing repairs. They may also be impacted by a more localized issue, such as damage to fuses, transformers, meters, electric lines or other electric infrastructure.

As CenterPoint moves further into the restoration process, it is important that customers check for damage to their equipment to ensure that they are able to receive service as soon as the system is energized. This will prevent further delays to restoration. Specifically, customers should check their weatherhead, the point where power enters the home through an electric service drop, which is often a pipe located on the side of the residence or building.

If the weatherhead is damaged, we cannot safely restore service to the home until a licensed electrician has made the necessary repairs.  Customers who are served by an underground service will not have a weatherhead, but there may still be damage to their equipment that could require servicing.

CenterPoint Energy reminds customers to remain safe and:

  • Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and damaged utility equipment. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.
  • Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damages and make repairs.
  • 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.
  • Never connect a portable electric generator directly to your building's electrical system during a power outage; electricity could backfeed into the power lines, potentially endangering CenterPoint Energy workers, mutual assistance workers or members of the public.

For the latest information on power outages:


 Recent News

 

 

Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative Phase Two Update: CenterPoint Energy continues delivering progress by deploying 750 automated reliability devices in January and progressing toward goal of 4,500 by June 1, 2025

 Houston – Feb. 12, 2025 – Today, as part of the second phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), CenterPoint Energy shared its latest monthly progress update with new action milestones including the installation of more than 750 automated reliability devices, which will reduce both sustained interruptions and restoration times in storm events.​

This new deployment of automated reliability technology began in January. The company plans to install 4,500 of these devices across the Greater Houston area by June 1, 2025, which are capable of “self-healing" when outages occur which will helps minimize impact to customers during storm events.

Since the launch of GHRI Phase Two five months ago, and in preparation for the 2025 hurricane season, CenterPoint continues to make good progress on the suite of additional resiliency actions, including new pole installations and replacements, as well as trimming thousands of miles of higher-risk vegetation in recent months. The latest program updates are available at CenterPointEnergy.com/TakingAction.

In addition to the 750 automated reliability devices, in the last four weeks alone, CenterPoint has:

  • Installed an additional approximately 1,800 more storm-resilient poles,
  • Completed the clearance of approximately 400 more miles of power lines with high-risk vegetation,
  • Undergrounded 40 more miles of power lines to reduce the impact of extreme weather, and
  • Installed an additional 13 Intelligent Grid Switching Devices to minimize the impact of outages and help improve overall restoration times.

 
When completed, the resiliency actions outlined in GHRI Phase Two are expected to lead to more than 125 million fewer outage minutes annually for customers.

“The many critical resiliency actions we are taking all across the Greater Houston area reflect CenterPoint's commitment to better positioning our customers and our communities to withstand ​

the next major storm or hurricane. From installing thousands of poles and hundreds of automated reliability devices to undergrounding more power lines and trimming more hazardous areas of vegetation around our lines, our teams continue working toward our goal of building the most resilient coastal grid in the country and providing the more reliable day-to-day service that our customers expect and deserve," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business.

GHRI Phase Two: Significant progress to date
On September 30, CenterPoint announced the launch of Phase Two of the GHRI, which included a series of actions to strengthen resiliency, enable a self-healing system and reduce the duration and impact of power outages. Through early February, the company has made significant advances across its Greater Houston service area, including:  ​​​​​

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GHRI Phase Two: More weather monitoring stations coming soon
CenterPoint teams will be taking additional actions as part of the second phase of GHRI, which runs through May 31, 2025, including establishing a network of 100 new weather monitoring stations. These improvements are on track to begin early this year and are expected to be completed before the start of the 2025 hurricane season.

The company is also working to expand and improve the way it communicates with customers and engages with communities before, during and after emergencies, including through a year-round safety and preparedness campaign. CenterPoint representatives will continue to be in the community in the months leading up to hurricane season to share information on its preparedness efforts as well as preparedness tips and resources for its customers.

CenterPoint will continue to provide updates on its progress toward completing its critical resiliency actions and other GHRI commitments. More information and real-time updates are available at CenterPointEnergy.com/TakingAction.

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. 
 
Forward-looking Statements
This news release, as well as the website pages related to the GHRI, includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release or the website pages related to the GHRI, 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, which include statements regarding our resiliency investments, and the GHRI, including effectiveness, timing and related matters, 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 or the website pages related to the GHRI regarding future events that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release, or the website pages related to the GHRI 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; and (5) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and CenterPoint's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. ​​

CenterPoint Energy continues its resiliency efforts across the 12-county region through its Foundation’s Community Generator Donation Program; Donates backup generator to Trini Mendenhall Community Center

Houston – Feb. 11, 2025 – Today, at an announcement in Houston with elected officials and community leaders, CenterPoint Energy leaders announced the donation of a backup generator to the Trini Mendenhall Community Center as part of its Community Generator Donation Program to support local community resiliency. Through this program, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is donating funds for 21 backup generators at key locations throughout its 12-county Greater Houston region. It is expected that there will be at least one generator or other support for each county.

The company is working in close collaboration with local Offices of Emergency Management (OEMs) and other county and city leaders to identify the appropriate locations for the donated generators to be able to have the greatest impact and local benefit.

The Community Generator Donation Program is part of CenterPoint's Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI). The backup generators will help provide support for critical community partners during major weather events or other emergencies and will be funded through a $5 million grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation at no cost to customers. The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a charitable giving organization focused on strengthening the quality of life in the communities served by the company. The foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

“We are committed to improving resiliency in our local communities and working closely with our community partners to achieve this important goal. Today, we are announcing the donation of backup generation to support our partners in Harris County Precinct 3, and we look forward to sharing other locations for our Community Generator Donation Program with other counties and cities in the weeks and months ahead. These 21 generators are each capable of powering an entire large building and will help make the communities we are proud to serve even more resilient during major storms and other emergency events," said Keith Stephens, CenterPoint Senior Vice President and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer.

These backup generators will provide an additional power supply during major storms and other emergency events that cause outages. Facilities that receive the donated backup generators will be able to better serve their communities during outages, acting as hubs for essential services like medical care, cooling stations, water and food distribution, charging stations for critical devices and other services.

Working with Community Partners on Locations
To support local community needs, CenterPoint is working closely with county and city officials and OEMs to identify and select the ideal locations for the donated generators, with local officials ultimately deciding which critical facilities will receive the donations.

“This generator donation is a tremendous benefit to the residents of Precinct 3. Our precinct was the hardest hit during the Derecho and Beryl windstorms, particularly this area, with crews removing over one million cubic yards of vegetative debris. By placing this generator at Trini Mendenhall Community Center, one of our busiest facilities, we can ensure that we remain operational when the community needs us most. Thank you to CenterPoint for their partnership and this generous donation," said Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom S. Ramsey.

Over the next several months, CenterPoint will be coordinating with local community partners to ensure the backup generators are suitable to meet the specific needs of the critical facility they have identified. The goal is to have all generators installed and operational by June 1, 2025, to further resiliency ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.

CenterPoint is working with other county OEMs, and county and city leaders across the Greater Houston region to make similar announcements in the coming weeks and months.

CenterPoint Energy continues its resiliency actions across the 12-county region through Foundation’s donation of funds to strengthen community resiliency in Austin County

Houston – Feb. 10, 2025 – Today, during a meeting of the Austin County Commissioners Court, CenterPoint Energy leaders announced the donation of funds to support emergency response efforts to the Austin County Office of Emergency Management.

The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is donating funds for emergency response resources to key locations throughout its 12-county Greater Houston region. The company is working in close collaboration with local Offices of Emergency Management (OEMs) and other county and city leaders to identify the resources that will have the greatest impact and local benefit for community resiliency.

The donation is being made as part of CenterPoint's Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI). These donations will help provide support for critical community partners during major weather events or other emergencies and will be funded through a $5 million grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation at no cost to customers. The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a charitable giving organization focused on strengthening the quality of life in the communities served by the company. The foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

“We are committed to improving resiliency in our local communities and working closely with our community partners to achieve this important goal. Today, we are announcing a donation to support emergency response efforts to our partners in Austin County, and we look forward to sharing similar donations with other counties and cities in the weeks and months ahead. These funds will help make the communities we are proud to serve even more resilient during major storms and other emergency events," said Brad Tutunjian, CenterPoint Vice President, Texas Gas.

Working with Community Partners
To support local community needs, CenterPoint is working closely with county and city officials and OEMs to identify and select the ideal applications for the donated funds to strengthen community resiliency, with local officials ultimately deciding how to utilize the donations.

“Emergency Management and Response is a critical part of what county government provides. We have recently purchased a command vehicle for response within our county and surrounding areas. We currently move the vehicle in and out of the wash rack at the bus barn in Bellville to keep it out of the elements. A dedicated facility to house this vehicle is vitally important to maintain reliability and longevity of the electronics aboard this vehicle. We appreciate the support to bring this project to fruition and appreciate CenterPoint's dedication to the community," said Tim Lapham, Austin County Judge.

Over the next several months, CenterPoint will be coordinating with local community partners to ensure the donations to strengthen resiliency meet their specific needs. CenterPoint is working with other county OEMs, and county and city leaders across the Greater Houston region to make similar announcements in the coming weeks and months.

 

Photo: From L to R: Nethaniel Gjesdal, District Director for Texas House Representative Stan Kitzman; Leroy Cerny, Austin County Precinct 3 Commissioner; Olivia Chriss, CenterPoint Local Relations Manager; Chip Reed, Austin County Precinct 4 Commissioner; Brad Tutunjian, CenterPoint Vice President of Texas Gas; Paula Gibson, District Director for Texas State Senator Lois Kolkhorst; Tim Lapham, Austin County Judge; June Deadrick, CenterPoint Vice President of Community Relations; Roy Mercer, Austin County Emergency Management Coordinator; Aaron Coronis, CenterPoint Katy Service Area Manager; Greg Mikel, Austin County Precinct 1 Commissioner; and Robert “Bobby" Rinn, Austin County Precinct 2 Commissioner
 
More photos: CNP Digital Asset Mgmt

 
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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. ​


With below zero temperatures and several inches of snow expected over the coming week, CenterPoint Energy provides tips to help customers manage their energy use while staying safe and warm

Minneapolis – Feb. 7, 2025 – During this weekend and throughout next week, Minnesota is expected to experience heavy snow and frigid weather conditions, with many of the communities CenterPoint Energy serves forecasted to experience temperatures below zero. CenterPoint wants to remind customers it has a cold weather action plan in place and urges customers to have a cold weather plan in place as well to stay safe and warm.

Colder weather conditions may require customers to use more energy to keep their homes comfortable, so CenterPoint is reminding customers of tips, tools and programs to manage heating bills, while keeping safe and warm.

Winter Energy Guide
CenterPoint recently launched its Winter Energy Guide, a comprehensive online resource hub that helps customers throughout the winter heating season. The guide features practical and important safety, energy savings and bill management tips to help customers stay safe and warm throughout the winter season. The Winter Energy Guide can help customers:

  • Prepare a winter emergency supply kit. A winter emergency supply kit should have various supplies including water, non-perishable food for customers, their loved ones and pets, first aid kit, cold weather supplies such as blankets and supplies to have on hand in case of an outage.
  • Track energy usage. By managing their accounts online, customers can access an interactive chart that displays their energy usage trends and gives them insights into ways to save energy.

  • Take easy actions to reduce energy use. CenterPoint offers a variety of free energy-saving tips that can make a difference in the amount of energy used such as adjusting thermostats, opening blinds during the daytime to take advantage of the sun's warmth and sealing air leaks.

  • Implement vital safety tips: CenterPoint offers tips for customers and their loved ones to stay safe throughout the winter heating season including by using space heaters appropriately, testing carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, and by knowing how to identify and report a suspected natural gas leak.

Payment Assistance Resources Are Available for Customers
CenterPoint encourages those facing hardship to call the company to find out about payment arrangements and be referred to resources that may be available to them.

Under Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule, residential customers who are having difficulty paying their heating bills are required to set up a payment plan with their utility to prevent disconnection of their service between Oct. 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. The Cold Weather Rule applies to both homeowners and renters. To arrange a payment plan, CenterPoint customers can call 800-245-2377 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday-Friday, or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/PaymentAssistance.

Customers can also enroll in an Average Monthly Billing Plan, which spreads costs throughout the year to help manage periods of peak usage such as the winter heating season, at CenterPointEnergy.com/MyAccount or by calling 800-245-2377.

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

CenterPoint Energy continues its resiliency actions across the 12-county region through its Foundation’s Community Generator Donation Program; Donates backup generator to Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center

Houston – Feb. 7, 2025 – Today, at an announcement in Houston with elected officials and community leaders, CenterPoint Energy leaders announced the donation of a backup generator to the Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center as part of its Community Generator Donation Program to support local community resiliency. Through this program, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is donating funds for 21 backup generators at key locations throughout its 12-county Greater Houston region. It is expected that there will be at least one generator or other support for each county.

The company is working in close collaboration with local Offices of Emergency Management (OEMs) and other county and city leaders to identify the appropriate locations for the donated generators to be able to have the greatest impact and local benefit.

The Community Generator Donation Program is part of CenterPoint's Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI). The backup generators will help provide support for critical community partners during major weather events or other emergencies and will be funded through a $5 million grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation at no cost to customers. The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a charitable giving organization focused on strengthening the quality of life in the communities served by the company. The foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

“We are committed to improving resiliency in our local communities and working closely with our community partners to achieve this important goal. Today, we are announcing the donation of backup generation to support our partners in Harris County, and we look forward to sharing other locations for our Community Generator Donation Program with other counties and cities in the weeks and months ahead. These 21 generators are each capable of powering an entire large building and will help make the communities we are proud to serve even more resilient during major storms and other emergency events," said Richard Leger, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President of Gas Operations.

These backup generators will provide an additional power supply during major storms and other emergency events that cause outages. Facilities that receive the donated backup generators will be able to better serve their communities during outages, acting as hubs for essential services like medical care, cooling stations, water and food distribution, charging stations for critical devices and other services.

Working with Community Partners on Locations
To support local community needs, CenterPoint is working closely with county and city officials and OEMs to identify and select the ideal locations for the donated generators, with local officials ultimately deciding which critical facilities will receive the donations.

“On behalf of Precinct 2 and the Aldine community, particularly those living near Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center, I am very grateful for our partnership with CenterPoint. With weather-related catastrophes becoming more frequent, having backup generation available at a center that serves so many people, this partnership is vital for the wellbeing and resiliency of the community. I am thrilled that we now have backup power ready to be deployed next time Mother Nature hands us our next emergency," said Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia.

Over the next several months, CenterPoint will be coordinating with local community partners to ensure the backup generators are suitable to meet the specific needs of the critical facility they have identified. The goal is to have all generators installed and operational by June 1, 2025, to further resiliency ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.

CenterPoint is working with other county OEMs, and county and city leaders across the Greater Houston region to make similar announcements in the coming weeks and months.​

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. ​