We’ve detected a problem with your browser settings.
It’s possible that you don't have javascript enabled in your browser. Please enable javascript in your browser settings to successfully view our site.

CenterPoint Energy Preparing for Impacts from Tropical Storm Francine Across Gulf Coast Service Area

2024-09-10T05:00:00Z

Company continues to communicate to electric and natural gas customers in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi and coordinate with emergency partners.

Emergency Operations Centers remain activated in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi to prepare for, and respond to, the effects of Tropical Storm Francine.
More than 1,300 vegetation management crews continue to trim and remove hazardous vegetation in the Greater Houston area and 2,350 frontline workers are on standby across the Gulf Coast service territory to conduct necessary restoration work.
CenterPoint is making available 1,000 frontline mutual aid workers to assist other utilities in need as storm tracks eastward.
More than 2.25 million natural gas customers in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have been urged to take proactive safety measures ahead of the storm's landfall.

HOUSTON, Sept. 10, 2024 - CenterPoint Energy continues to actively monitor Tropical Storm Francine and prepare to respond to potential impacts in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The company has been monitoring the weather, coordinating with emergency and agency partners and mobilizing resources across its service area to be prepared to respond to impacts and outages. CenterPoint's Emergency Operations Center has been activated since Sunday, September 8. Today,1,300 vegetation workers are continuing to trim and remove higher-risk vegetation from power lines across the Greater Houston area ahead of the storm.

"We continue to take this storm very seriously and are preparing to respond to any potential impacts of Tropical Storm Francine on both our electric and natural gas networks so we can restore service to our customers as safely and as quickly as possible. Even as we continue to coordinate with our emergency partners and take steps to respond to this major storm, we strongly urge our customers to ensure they are taking steps to keep their loved ones safe," said Darin Carroll, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President of Electric Business.

"We have been preparing for the potential of a storm event since the weekend, with a focus on safety messages for our customers and communities, and preparing our employees, resources and equipment. We will continue to coordinate with local, state and federal officials, first responders and emergency management agencies. Our focus is clear: to get ready to respond and restore service to our impacted customers," said Bo Murphy, CenterPoint's Vice President of Louisiana and Mississippi Natural Gas.

Preparedness Actions in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi
Among the steps the company is taking to prepare and respond to Tropical Storm Francine include:

Activating frontline electric crews: Readied 1,850 local frontline workers and identified 500 mutual assistance workers to help with the storm response across the Gulf Coast. As part of the company's commitment to mutual aid, given the progression of the storm to the east, CenterPoint is making an additional 1,000 mutual aid workers available to support other utilities who may need assistance.
Mobilizing 1,300+ vegetation management workers: Deployed local personnel and mutual assistance teams to clear hazardous vegetation from power lines in the Greater Houston area ahead of storm landfall to prevent outages.
Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials to communicate company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture and provide critical updates.
Conducting outreach to Critical Care Residential and Chronic Care customers: Conducted outreach to all 3,000+ identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Care electric customers by email, phone or text.
Sharing customer communications: Shared safety and preparedness actions with CenterPoint customers across social media and other platforms to help keep customers informed and prepared.
Conducted operational update for media and public: Conducted a second press briefing on Tuesday, September 10, at 5 PM CT to provide important updates related to company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture.
Organizing additional call center staffing: Secured additional call center staff to handle a higher volume of calls during the storm and limit wait times.
Coordinating temporary generation: Coordinating closely with local government and community stakeholder partners in the Greater Houston area to identify locations for temporary generation deployment.
Preparing to conduct patrols and assess damage: CenterPoint crews will be deployed across its service territory to assess damage and, in the case of natural gas customers, shut-off natural gas in areas of severe flooding for safety.

Responding to Potential Impacts Across Service Territory
Across its service areas in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, CenterPoint is carefully monitoring Tropical Storm Francine and is preparing to deploy frontline crews to efficiently clear storm debris, repair system damage and restore electricity and natural gas service to impacted customers. Given the current track of the storm, the company is also mobilizing natural gas workers from across its service territory to support the response in the Gulf Coast region and any of the potentially hardest-hit areas.

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

Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter in advance of the storm; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines should flooding occur. If you wish to discontinue gas service, turn off the natural gas at each appliance.
Always be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too.
If you smell natural gas, do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.
Do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off. Once safely away from the area, call 1-888-876-5786 and CenterPoint will send a trained service technician.
If your home is flooded, call a licensed plumber or natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint to reconnect service. This includes outdoor natural gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights.
If you are planning any digging or clearing as part of your pre- or post-hurricane activities, please call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number, to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines.
Be aware of where your natural gas meter is located. As debris is put out for heavy trash pickup, make sure it is placed away from the meter. In many areas the meter may be located near the curb. If debris is near a natural gas meter, the mechanized equipment used by trash collectors could pull up the meter, damaging it and causing a potentially hazardous situation. If this happens, leave the area immediately and call CenterPoint at 1-888-876-5786.

Important Information for Electric Customers
CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text or email. Customers can also stay up-to-date on outages with CenterPoint's new and improved, cloud-based Outage Tracker, which allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code. The new tracker is capable of handling increased traffic during storms and is ADA- and mobile-friendly.

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

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

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

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

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

Recent News

As spring begins, CenterPoint Energy continues progress toward strengthening the grid across the Greater Houston area and shares tips to help customers stay safe while saving energy and money

Houston – March 20, 2025 – With today marking the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy is continuing to strengthen the resiliency of the grid in key areas ahead of the 2025 hurricane season. To date, the company has completed more than 50 percent of several near-term critical resiliency actions and grid improvements outlined in the second phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), including installing stronger poles, adding more automation devices, undergrounding power lines and trimming hazardous vegetation.

As the company works to complete these steps before the start of hurricane season on June 1, CenterPoint is also helping customers prepare for the warmer weather ahead by sharing tools, easy-to-implement tips and resources to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, and staying safe as they complete projects around their homes.

“Our team remains fully focused on executing our historic effort to strengthen the grid and improve resiliency and reliability. As CenterPoint prepares for hurricane season, we want to remind customers of ways they can prepare, too. The first day of spring serves as a great reminder that warmer temperatures are coming. We encourage our customers to take steps to increase the energy efficiency of their homes so that they can continue to stay comfortable inside year-round while also reducing their energy use," said Tony Gardner, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at CenterPoint, "We also want to remind customers to keep safety top of mind by taking the time to contact 811 prior to starting any digging projects near their home. By taking this easy step, our customers and community members are taking a critical first step in helping keep themselves, their loved ones and neighbors safe."

Tips, tools and resources for customers to spring into energy and cost savings

Customers can do the following to help spring into energy and cost savings:

Do a spring cleaning by changing or cleaning the filters in HVAC systems: Air conditioning can represent approximately 50 percent of a home's energy use as outside temperatures increase. Regular maintenance is one of the best ways to extend the life of a home's system, so swap out or clean filters to minimize costly repairs and to keep the system running efficiently.
Maintain a comfortable temperature indoors year-round: To save energy and reduce cooling costs, use weatherstripping or caulk areas in and around a home where cooled air may escape such as around windows and doors or where warm air could enter.
Block the sun's rays during warmer days: When temperatures increase outside, keep window coverings closed when the sun is shining brightest to maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature.
Save hot water while maintaining comfort: Showering accounts for 40 percent of a home's hot water use, so energy-saving showerheads and faucet aerators can help lower energy costs and reduce hot water use without sacrificing comfort.

Upgrade to more energy efficient appliances and equipment: When replacing appliances and equipment, look for ENERGY STAR®-certified products for increased energy efficiency and cost savings over time. Energy efficiency rebates may be available for qualifying appliances.

Customers can learn more about energy savings tips and tools that help them prepare for the longer and warmer days in addition to ways to manage their monthly energy bills at CenterPointEnergy.com/SavingsTips.

GHRI Progress Milestone: More than 50% complete on several key metrics
On Sept. 30, CenterPoint announced the launch of Phase Two of the GHRI, which will strengthen the grid in advance of hurricane season, included a series of actions to strengthen resiliency, enable a self-healing power system and reduce the duration and impact of power outages. In February alone, the company made progress in key areas including:

Installed approximately 2,900 stronger, more storm-resilient poles built to withstand extreme winds;
Cleared another 417 miles of high-risk vegetation near power lines to reduce storm-related outages; and
Installed an additional 1,334 automated reliability devices to reduce the impact of outages and improve restoration times; and
Undergrounded 47 more miles of power lines to reduce the impact of extreme weather.

The resiliency actions outlined in GHRI Phase Two are expected to lead to more than 125 million fewer outage minutes annually for customers. Through early March, the company has made significant advances across its Greater Houston service area and is on track to complete its work before the start of hurricane season.

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.

Electric customers encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service ®

In addition to reducing energy use and improving efficiency, customers are encouraged to enroll in CenterPoint Energy's Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times (as available or determined) and customer-specific restoration updates in the event of a power outage. With the option to receive updates via phone call, text or email, Power Alert Service® keeps customers informed of restoration progress during an outage.

Call before you dig

Spring is a great time to begin outdoor home improvement projects. Anyone planning a project that requires digging should contact 811 at least two days prior to starting work to have underground utilities located and marked at no cost. This includes projects done by customers or their contractors, including building a fence, planting trees, installing a deck, placing a mailbox or laying a patio.

Visit 811BeforeYouDig.com to learn more about 811 and the process to have underground utility lines located and marked. For more information about natural gas safety, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Safety.

With the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy reminds customers of tips and available resources to save energy, manage bills and stay safe

Dayton – March 20, 2025 – With today marking the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy encourages customers to leverage tools, tips and resources as part of their spring cleaning and preparation. Customers can unlock energy savings through a combination of easy-to-implement tips, remain connected to company programs and stay safe as they complete projects around their homes.

“At CenterPoint, we have tips, tools and programs to help customers save energy and manage their bills. The first day of spring serves as a great reminder that warmer temperatures are approaching, and we encourage our customers to take steps to increase the energy efficiency of their homes so that they can continue to stay comfortable inside year-round while also reducing their energy use. By taking small and easy actions, customers can make a big difference in reducing their monthly energy bills," said Tony Gardner, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer at CenterPoint. “We also want to remind customers to keep safety top of mind by taking the time to contact 811 prior to starting any digging projects near their home. By taking this easy step, our customers and community members are taking a critical first step in helping keep themselves, their loved ones and neighbors safe."

Tips, tools and resources for customers to spring into energy and cost savings

Customers can do the following to help spring into energy and cost savings:

Perform a spring cleaning by changing or cleaning the filters in HVAC systems: Air conditioning can represent approximately 50 percent of a home's energy use as outside temperatures increase. Regular maintenance is one of the best ways to extend the life of a home's system, so swap out or clean filters to minimize costly repairs and keep the system running efficiently.
Maintain a comfortable temperature indoors year-round: To save energy and reduce cooling costs, use weatherstripping or caulk areas in and around a home where cooled air may escape, such as around windows and doors or where warm air could enter.
Block the sun's rays during warmer days: When temperatures increase outside, keep window coverings closed when the sun is shining brightest to maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature.
Save hot water while maintaining comfort: Showering accounts for 40 percent of a home's hot water use. Energy-saving showerheads and faucet aerators can help lower energy costs and reduce hot water use without sacrificing comfort.

Call before you dig

Spring is a great time to begin outdoor home improvement projects. Anyone planning a project that requires digging should contact 811 at least two days prior to starting work to have underground utilities located and marked at no cost. This includes projects done by customers or their contractors, including building a fence, planting trees, installing a deck, placing a mailbox or laying a patio.

With the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy reminds customers of tips and available resources to save energy, manage bills and stay safe

Minneapolis – March 20, 2025 – With today marking the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy encourages customers to leverage tools, tips and resources as part of their spring cleaning and preparation. Customers can unlock energy savings through a combination of easy-to-implement tips, remain connected to company programs and stay safe as they complete projects around their homes.

Tips, tools and resources for customers to spring into energy and cost savings

Customers can do the following to help spring into energy and cost savings:

Perform a spring cleaning by changing or cleaning the filters in HVAC systems: Air conditioning can represent approximately 50 percent of a home's energy use as outside temperatures increase. Regular maintenance is one of the best ways to extend the life of a home's system, so swap out or clean filters to minimize costly repairs and keep the system running efficiently.
Maintain a comfortable temperature indoors year-round: To save energy and reduce cooling costs, use weatherstripping or caulk areas in and around a home where cooled air may escape, such as around windows and doors or where warm air could enter.
Block the sun's rays during warmer days: When temperatures increase outside, keep window coverings closed when the sun is shining brightest to maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature.
Save hot water while maintaining comfort: Showering accounts for 40 percent of a home's hot water use. Energy-saving showerheads and faucet aerators can help lower energy costs and reduce hot water use without sacrificing comfort.
Upgrade to more energy efficient appliances and equipment: When replacing appliances and equipment, look for ENERGY STAR®-certified products for increased energy efficiency and cost savings over time. Energy efficiency rebates may be available for qualifying appliances.

Call before you dig

With the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy reminds customers of tips and available resources to save energy, manage bills and stay safe

Evansville, Ind. – March 20, 2025 – With today marking the start of spring, CenterPoint Energy encourages customers to leverage tools, tips and resources as part of their spring cleaning and preparation. Customers can unlock energy savings through a combination of easy-to-implement tips, remain connected to company programs and stay safe as they complete projects around their homes.

Tips, tools and resources for customers to spring into energy and cost savings

Customers can do the following to help spring into energy and cost savings:

Perform a spring cleaning by changing or cleaning the filters in HVAC systems: Air conditioning can represent approximately 50 percent of a home's energy use as outside temperatures increase. Regular maintenance is one of the best ways to extend the life of a home's system, so swap out or clean filters to minimize costly repairs and keep the system running efficiently.
Maintain a comfortable temperature indoors year-round: To save energy and reduce cooling costs, use weatherstripping or caulk areas in and around a home where cooled air may escape, such as around windows and doors or where warm air could enter.
Block the sun's rays during warmer days: When temperatures increase outside, keep window coverings closed when the sun is shining brightest to maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature.
Save hot water while maintaining comfort: Showering accounts for 40 percent of a home's hot water use. Energy-saving showerheads and faucet aerators can help lower energy costs and reduce hot water use without sacrificing comfort.
Upgrade to more energy efficient appliances and equipment: When replacing appliances and equipment, look for ENERGY STAR®-certified products for increased energy efficiency and cost savings over time. Energy efficiency rebates may be available for qualifying appliances.

Electric customers encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service®

In addition to reducing energy use and improving efficiency, customers are encouraged to enroll in CenterPoint Energy's Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times (as available or determined) and customer-specific restoration updates in the event of a power outage. With the option to receive updates via phone call, text or email, Power Alert Service® keeps customers informed of restoration progress during an outage.

Call before you dig

In celebration of Natural Gas Utility Workers Day, CenterPoint Energy honors team members who work every day to serve customers and communities

Houston – March 18, 2025 – Every year, March 18 is recognized as Natural Gas Utility Workers Day, which is a moment to pause and honor the important role natural gas utility workers play in serving as emergency responders and keeping natural gas safely flowing to the businesses and homes in the many communities CenterPoint Energy is privileged to serve. CenterPoint honors the company's employees and those who work throughout the natural gas industry for their tireless work in providing safe, reliable and resilient service to those who rely on natural gas.

CenterPoint's approximately 3,500 natural gas utility workers play a critical role in installing and maintaining natural gas infrastructure such as pipelines and meters, supporting the delivery of energy service to customers, educating the public on natural gas safety and adhering to rigorous safety standards to protect their communities and the environment.

“Our natural gas utility workforce keeps safety at the forefront of all they do. Whether installing natural gas service or responding to emergency calls from customers, our workers focus on delivering resilient, readily available energy solutions for customers. No matter the temperature outside nor the time of day, our natural gas workers are there to help meet the needs of our customers and communities to keep them safe, maintain warmth and enable possibilities to support business needs. We honor and celebrate natural gas utility workers, not just today, but for the work they do every day to help keep us all safe," said Richard Leger, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President, Gas Business.

At CenterPoint, natural gas utility workers serve more than 4.3 million customers across six states, monitor and maintain more than 75,000 miles of distribution pipeline and deploy advanced leak detection technologies to monitor more than 80% of the company's natural gas assets.

In 2024 alone, the company's natural gas utility workers helped:

Replace more than 470 miles of pipeline to help advance efforts to modernize the company's natural gas distribution systems using modern construction materials and installation methods, including efforts to replace cast iron infrastructure.
Deploy more than 250,000 natural gas smart meters across the company's service area, which include enhanced safety and communications features.
Complete more than 2.5 million locates of the company's natural gas facilities, which help customers and community members dig safely and mitigate potential service disruptions.

Tips for customers to stay safe

Safety is CenterPoint's top priority. In addition to the company's employees' commitment to working safely, the company would like to remind customers to always keep natural gas safety top of mind by:

Calling before your dig: Anyone planning a project that requires digging should contact 811 at least two days prior to their work starting to have underground utilities located at no cost.
Learning to recognize a natural gas leak by using one's eyes, ears and noses:

Look for signs of a natural gas leak including persistent bubbling in standing water and discolored or dead vegetation around a pipeline.
Listen for any unusual noises such as whistling, hissing or roaring sounds.
Smell for the distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur from mercaptan which is added to natural gas for safety detection purposes.

Immediately reporting 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. Don't use electric switches and outlets, phones (including cell phones), drive or start a car or do anything that could cause a spark inside or close to the location.

To learn more about CenterPoint's commitment to natural gas safety, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Safety.

Images associated with this release can be found at: https://cnplibrary.canto.com/b/UJQKH. These photos are made available courtesy of CenterPoint Energy.