CenterPoint Energy Remains Vigilant and Prepared for Storm Response as Tropical Activity in the Gulf of Mexico Continues to Strengthen
CenterPoint Energy Remains Vigilant and Prepared for Storm Response as Tropical Activity in the Gulf of Mexico Continues to Strengthen
2024-09-08T05:00:00Z
  • Storm system moving through Gulf is strengthening and has a 90% chance of tropical development, according to the National Weather Service
  • CenterPoint's ongoing planning includes preparing staging sites, crews and equipment, communicating safety actions to customers, and continuing to secure additional frontline resources from mutual assistance companies
  • Company has already secured approximately 700 additional vegetation management personnel to help with pre-storm work and has identified more than 5,000 additional frontline workers if needed for response
  • Customers in the Greater Houston area, including those who depend on electricity for life-sustaining equipment, are encouraged to begin their planning and preparations as soon as possible; all customers encouraged to register for Power Alert Service

HOUSTON, Sept. 8, 2024 - CenterPoint Energy continues to closely monitor weather forecasts and prepare for potential storm impacts from the Gulf of Mexico tropical system Invest 91L. According to the National Weather Service, the system has a 90% chance of tropical development, with increasing likelihood of a tropical storm or hurricane.

In preparation for potential severe weather across the Gulf coast including the Greater Houston area, Louisiana and Mississippi, CenterPoint's ongoing planning includes preparing staging sites, crews and equipment, as well as continuing to secure additional frontline resources from mutual assistance companies. The company has 2,000 frontline workers and 600-plus vegetation management personnel actively conducting pre-storm activities. CenterPoint has already secured approximately 700 additional vegetation management personnel to help with pre-storm work and identified more than 5,000 additional frontline workers if needed for response.

"While our weather experts work to determine the path, intensity and timing of the tropical activity, we remain vigilant and are fully focused on executing on our storm preparation plan. We are in the process of mobilizing all of our available resources and mutual assistance resources from other utility companies so we will be prepared to safely and quickly restore power to our customers should this tropical system impact our area," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President, Electric Business.

Call to Action: Sign up for Power Alert Service
Customers should remember that a storm is a powerful force of nature that can cause significant damage and widespread, lengthy electricity outages. Conditions can also change unexpectedly and for the worse.

Customers are encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times, as available or determined, and customer-specific restoration updates in the event of severe weather. With the option to receive updates via phone call, text or email, Power Alert Service® helps keep customers informed of restoration progress during an outage event. Customers can also find additional resources at CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter. 

New and Improved Outage Tracker with Greater Web Resiliency
Within 24 hours of a tropical storm or hurricane exiting our service area, CenterPoint will communicate an estimated time for restoration for the entire system and will update the estimated times of restoration at least daily thereafter. The new and improved Outage Tracker will be used to update individual customers on their expected restoration date as soon as possible after restoration expectations are determined. 

To learn more about Outage Tracker's new features and functionality, watch the demonstration video.

For an in-depth, step-by-step guide to using the Outage Tracker, click here.  

Customers with Critical Needs
Because CenterPoint Energy cannot guarantee an uninterrupted, regular or continuous power supply, customers who depend on electricity for life-sustaining equipment are encouraged to make alternate arrangements for on-site backup capabilities or other alternatives in the event of loss of electric service. 

During pre-storm preparations and post-storm recovery efforts, CenterPoint urges customers to stay informed of weather conditions and warnings or advisories issued by local authorities by paying close attention to announcements from local news outlets for important information regarding ongoing conditions and recovery efforts.

Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative
Across Greater Houston, CenterPoint is taking action now to improve resiliency and help reduce the risk of outages this hurricane season.

As part of the first phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, throughout August CenterPoint crews and contractors installed more than 1,100 stronger and more resilient fiberglass poles, trimmed vegetation along more than 2,000 miles of power lines and installed more than 300 automation devices in neighborhoods all over Houston. The company's next step is taking the boldest series of resiliency actions in its nearly 160-year history, including additional system hardening, strategic undergrounding, self-healing grid technology, and further enhancements to its outage tracker.

The company also recommends that customers follow these important electric and natural gas safety tips: 

Important Safety Reminders
Electric

  • If you experience an electric outage, do not open freezers and refrigerators any more than necessary, as opening these appliances will allow food to thaw more quickly.
  • Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated outdoor area and never run it inside your residence 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 back feed into the power lines and potentially endanger utility workers, emergency responders or members of the public.
  • Have your weatherhead, which connects the overhead power line to your home or business, checked for damage. Any weatherhead problems will need to be repaired by a licensed electrician prior to service being restored.
  • Stay away from low-hanging, downed power lines or lines that could be submerged in standing water. Treat downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment as if they are energized. Report any low-hanging or downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment to CenterPoint Energy by calling 713-207-2222.
  • Water poses a potential electric safety threat because it's a good conductor. Always be careful not to touch water, or anything in contact with it, near a downed power line.
  • Any amount of water, including a puddle, can become energized. If you see a downed power line near water, retreat to a safe distance, then call CenterPoint Energy immediately at 713-207-2222 to report it.
  • Flood water can be hazardous. Always use extreme care when stepping into flooded areas. Submerged outlets or electrical cords can energize water, even from a distance.
  • Boats or other vehicles being used in high water can expose you to danger from power lines at their normal height. Be aware and stay away.
  • If water has risen above the electrical outlets, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker.

Natural Gas 

  • If you smell natural gas — which has a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur — leave the area immediately on foot, and tell others to leave, too. Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. Once safely away from the area, call 911 and CenterPoint Energy, and we will send a trained service technician immediately.
  • Do not turn off your natural gas at the meter; your natural gas meter should be left on to maintain proper pressure in the natural gas piping within the house and to prevent water from entering the lines should flooding occur.
  • Natural gas can be turned off at each appliance. Later, to restore natural gas service to an appliance, you may follow the written instructions located on the appliance for re-lighting. If you are unable to locate the instructions or don't feel comfortable re-lighting, call a qualified plumber or technician.
  • While conducting exterior clean-up and/or repairs, call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on your property.
  • If your home is flooded, call a licensed plumber or a natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances prior to requesting a service reconnection.
  • Be cautious around line workers and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.

As this storm moves toward CenterPoint Energy's electric and natural gas service territories, additional updates will be provided as needed. For additional information on hurricane preparedness, visit

CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter and follow @CenterPoint for updates during inclement weather events. The following resources are also available on CenterPoint Energy's dedicated storm page:

  • How you can prepare for a storm
  • How CenterPoint prepares for a storm
  • How CenterPoint restores service following a storm

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

 

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

 Recent News

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare for severe weather:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What customers should do:

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

Weekend Storm Wrap-up: More than 97% of CenterPoint Energy customers experienced no impacts during weekend storms; Company monitoring forecast for potential midweek severe weather

​HOUSTON – March 8, 2026 – Following a stormy Saturday and Sunday morning in CenterPoint Energy's electric service territory, more than 97% of its 2.9 million customers across the Greater Houston area experienced no impacts to electric service during the weather event. As of 5 p.m., essentially all customers have been restored from the weekend storms. Approximately 83,500 customers have been restored since the storms arrived at 5 p.m. Saturday evening. ​

Northern areas of the company's electric service territory in Cypress, Humble and Katy experienced thunderstorms with heavy rainfall, flooding, and frequent lightning – approximately 15,800 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were recorded across the Greater Houston area from 12 a.m. on Saturday to 12 p.m. today. The average time to restore customers who experienced storm-related outages was approximately 60 minutes and the vast majority of customers were restored in less than five hours. The company's Emergency Operation Center was activated ahead of the storms, and more than 1,400 frontline workers and contractor crews responded to isolated outages throughout the company's service area.

The company will return to normal operations at 8 p.m.

“We are committed to restoring service safely and as quickly as possible to those remaining customers who experienced power interruptions from the lightning and storms. We know that any outage is one too many for customers, and we won't stop until all customers are restored," said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint's Vice President, Special Response Team and Incident Commander. “We will continue to quickly address any additional outages that may occur as a result of Sunday's ongoing weather activity."

CenterPoint took the following actions for this weekend's event:

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

Monitoring mid-week for next wave of potentially severe weather

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response and Meteorology teams continue to diligently monitor remaining Sunday storm activity and the potential of another wave of severe weather forecasted for midweek. The company remains positioned to support restoration efforts and respond to potential impacts to electric and natural gas service safely and as quickly as possible.

“For the last several days, our Emergency Preparedness and Response team has been monitoring the potential for another spring storm system that could bring another chance of strong and potentially severe thunderstorms to the area in the middle of the week," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Manager of Meteorology. “Our crews will be fully prepared for the possibility of another round of severe weather this week and stand ready to respond. We will continue to actively monitor for any severe weather and urge our customers to stay alert in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions."

What customers should do:

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

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CenterPoint Energy continues preparedness actions and positions resources ahead of potential severe weather in the Greater Houston area beginning Saturday afternoon and into Sunday

HOUSTON – March 7, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy's Emergency Operations Center remains activated today as the company continues executing preparedness actions ahead of potential severe weather across the Greater Houston area Saturday afternoon and evening, including scattered showers, thunderstorms and lightning. The company is monitoring forecasts, coordinating with emergency management partners and positioning resources to be prepared to respond to potential impacts to electric and natural gas service safely and as quickly as possible.

“We've been actively monitoring the weather models all week and are prepared to respond to potential impacts to our system," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Manager of Meteorology. “Though the greatest potential for thunderstorms and severe weather appears to be to the north of our electric service territory on Saturday, we will continue tracking forecasts and adjusting our response plans. We urge customers to stay aware of evolving weather conditions and have a plan to stay safe."

What CenterPoint is doing:

  • Readying the company's resources:More than 1,400 personnel continue executing preparedness actions and will remain ready to support potential restoration efforts through Sunday.
  • Activated Emergency Operations Center: To coordinate storm response efforts throughout the weekend, the company proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center yesterday and remains ready to respond.
  • ​ Monitoring 24/7: The Meteorology team continues to track forecast developments, and the company is updating response plans as conditions evolve.
  • Pre-positioning resources: Response teams are developing plans to pre-position crews across the area to respond to any electric or natural gas service interruptions safely and as quickly as possible.
  • Coordinating with local officials: The company is providing updates to local officials and emergency management partners.

“Our crews are pre-positioned and ready to safely and quickly restore service in the event the forecasted severe weather has an impact on our system," said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint's Vice President, Special Response Team and Incident Commander. “We are committed to keeping our customers aware and informed, especially during potentially severe weather events. We urge all customers to register for Power Alert Service®, so that if outages from weather occur they can receive restoration updates directly via phone, text and email."​

What customers should do:

  • Sign up for Power Alert Service®: Get outage updates and restoration times.
  • Track outages: Bookmark our new Outage Tracker (available in English & Spanish and mobile-friendly) to see outage information in your area.
  • Stay safe: Visit Ready.gov for storm safety tips.
  • ​ Follow us: Real-time updates will be available on X and at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.  
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is a multi-state electric and natural gas delivery company serving approximately 7 million metered customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. The company is headquartered in Houston and is the only Texas-domiciled investor-owned utility. As of September 30, 2025, the company had approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been serving customers for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com. ​

More than 99.8% of CenterPoint Energy customers experienced no impacts during Saturday afternoon and evening storms; Company remains ready to respond to additional storms overnight and Sunday

​HOUSTON – March 7, 2026 – As today's wave of thunderstorms moved through the Greater Houston area, more than 99.8% of CenterPoint Energy's 2.9 million customers experienced no impacts to electric service as a result of this afternoon's severe weather. At the peak of today's storm activity, approximately 11,000 customers were without service. Since 5 p.m., crews have restored approximately 7,000 customers. As of 9:30 p.m., approximately 4,000 customers are currently without power — less than 1% of CenterPoint's 2.9 million electric customers. These numbers may continue to fluctuate as additional storms move through the area overnight and Sunday.​​

Crews have been pre-positioned across the area and are actively restoring customers experiencing outages in the areas most impacted, including northern areas of the company's electric service territory in Cypress, Humble and Katy, which experienced thunderstorms with frequent lightning and heavy rainfall.

The company's Operations Center remains activated as crews respond to outages and continue executing preparedness actions ahead of any weather impacts tomorrow. The company continues to diligently monitor forecasts, coordinate with emergency management partners and position resources to continue supporting restoration efforts and respond to any system impacts safely and as quickly as possible.

“We are committed to getting the lights back on for those customers experiencing outages following today's storms. Our crews are out right now across the Greater Houston area working to safely and quickly restore customers, while also preparing for another round of severe weather tomorrow afternoon," said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint's Vice President, Special Response Team and Incident Commander.

“As heavy rainfall continues and the threat of flooding remains across the area, we urge customers to stay prepared. We urge customers to stay aware and alert to the dangers of flood waters – and stay away from downed power lines that could be submerged in standing water. If you see a downed power line, stay at least 35 feet away and call us at 713-207-2222 to report."

CenterPoint has taken the following actions:

  • Deployed the company's resources: More than 1,400 personnel are responding to outages and supporting preparedness actions ahead of potential restoration efforts tomorrow.
  • Activated Emergency Operations Center: To coordinate storm response efforts throughout the weekend, the company proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center yesterday and remains ready to respond.
  • ​ Continued monitoring of weather 24/7: The Meteorology team continues to track forecast developments, and the company is updating response plans as conditions evolve.
  • Pre-positioned resources: Response teams have been pre-positioned in areas where storms are forecasted to impact and remain respond to any electric or natural gas service interruptions safely and as quickly as possible.
  • Continued coordination with local officials: The company is providing updates to local officials and emergency management partners.

What customers should do:

  • Sign up for Power Alert Service®: Get outage updates and restoration times.
  • Track outages: Bookmark our new Outage Tracker (available in English & Spanish and mobile-friendly) to see outage information in your area.
  • Stay safe: Visit Ready.gov for storm safety tips.
  • Follow us: Real-time updates will be available on X and at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

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