CenterPoint Energy reminds Minnesota customers that Cold Weather Rule protections start today
Company encourages people facing financial hardship to use payment plans and energy assistance for fall and winter
2025-10-01T05:00:00Z

MINNEAPOLIS – OCT. 1, 2025 – CenterPoint Energy is reminding residential customers about the Cold Weather Rule, which protects Minnesotans who experience difficulty paying heating bills from having their utility service disconnected. This rule applies between Oct. 1 and April 30 if customers set up and maintain a payment plan. This protection is available to both homeowners and renters.

 
“For customers facing financial hardship, we have tips, tools and programs to help you manage your bill and save energy. We encourage you to contact us now to set up a payment plan and to see if you're eligible for energy assistance," said Brad Steber, CenterPoint Energy's Vice President, Minnesota Gas. “Setting up and maintaining a payment plan under the Cold Weather Rule is a step you can take to keep you and your loved ones safe and warm this winter and prevent disconnection of your natural gas service." 

A payment agreement considers a customer's financial situation and any extenuating household circumstances and must be agreeable to both the customer and CenterPoint. If an agreed-upon payment plan cannot be reached, customers have a right to appeal under the Cold Weather Rule.

CenterPoint customers can call 800-245-2377 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday-Friday, or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub to set up a payment plan.

Bill management resources available to customers
CenterPoint representatives can refer customers to programs and services that provide financial assistance for heating bills, including Minnesota's Energy Assistance Program. Both renters and homeowners can qualify, with eligibility based on income and household size.  Applications are accepted for this program beginning Oct. 1. 

CenterPoint customers can 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 offers various energy efficiency programs for residential customers, including renters, to help them save energy and money. For qualifying customers, programs may be available at no cost or a reduced rate. More information on rebates and programs can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/SaveEnergy. 

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 June 30, 2025, the company had approximately $44 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.

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 Recent News

 

 
CenterPoint Energy activates Emergency Operations Center ahead of forecasted severe weather across the Greater Houston area this afternoon and through the weekend

Company continues monitoring forecasts and preparing for three days of potential strong thunderstorms, with heavy rain, flooding and strong winds of 40 - 50 mph

More than 1,600 personnel ready to respond and support potential restoration efforts

HOUSTON – May 8, 2026 – With potentially severe weather forecasted to impact the Greater Houston area starting this afternoon and continuing through Saturday and Sunday night, CenterPoint Energy has proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center. More than 1,600 frontline employees and contractors are prepared to respond, as the company continues to closely monitor forecasts, coordinate with emergency management partners and position resources to support safe and timely response to any potential impacts to electric and natural gas service.

Thunderstorms are forecasted to impact parts of the Greater Houston area mainly north of I-10 starting this afternoon and continuing through the evening and into Saturday morning. Weather models also show potential rounds of stronger thunderstorms on Saturday evening and overnight Sunday night into Monday morning. CenterPoint's Meteorology team continues to diligently monitor evolving forecasts and help optimize response plans throughout the weekend.

“Our crews are prepared to respond to any impacts to our system. If any outages from weather occur, our crews will be out inspecting damage and restoring customers as soon as it's safe to do so" said Jason Fabre, CenterPoint's Vice President of Special Response and Incident Commander. “We've been actively monitoring forecasts all week and have activated our Emergency Operations Center to coordinate resources and continue tracking weather models and adjusting response plans as needed. We urge customers to stay aware of evolving weather conditions and have a plan to stay safe."

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

  • Readying the company's workforce and resources: Preparing more than 1,600 personnel to support potential restoration efforts.
  • Activating Emergency Operations Center: To coordinate storm response efforts, the company has proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center. 
  • 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 reaching out to local officials and emergency management partners to provide updates on continued preparedness efforts.

What customers should do:

  • Sign up for Power Alert Service®: Get outage updates and restoration times.
  • Track outages: Bookmark the 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.

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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

CenterPoint Energy joins local hurricane season preparedness events in Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties to continue strengthening community resiliency across the Greater Houston area

As part of Hurricane Preparedness Week, CenterPoint will be sharing how the company is preparing for hurricane season and extreme weather events as well as important safety tips, preparedness resources and customer tools at disaster and emergency preparedness events

HOUSTON — May 8, 2026 — The first week of May is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, and CenterPoint Energy is teaming up with community organizations, emergency response agencies and public officials for disaster and emergency preparedness events across the Greater Houston area this weekend. These free events will feature giveaways, safety demonstrations and resources to help customers make a plan and prepare ahead of Atlantic hurricane season, which officially starts on June 1.  

“With the 2026 hurricane season arriving soon, we want our customers and communities to know that CenterPoint has a plan in place to address extreme weather events and that everyday our frontline teams are working hard to harden our electric infrastructure with more storm-resilient poles, more miles of higher risk vegetation removed, and more automation to help us restore customer outages quicker. As we all continue preparing for the 2026 hurricane season and the rest of the year, CenterPoint is proud to join these critical preparedness events alongside our emergency management partners and community organizations, reinforcing our shared focus on safety, readiness and protecting the communities we are privileged to serve." said Keith Stephens, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer.  

Community members are encouraged to attend these free preparedness events to learn more about how CenterPoint Energy prepares for hurricane season, what customers can expect before, during and after a storm, and the safety tools and resources available to support readiness at home. CenterPoint team members will be on site to share information, answer questions and provide guidance on planning ahead for extreme weather.

Throughout the summer, CenterPoint Energy will continue participating in hurricane and emergency preparedness events across other parts of the Greater Houston area as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening community resiliency ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season.

For more information about upcoming events, hurricane preparedness tips, and CenterPoint's storm response efforts, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter.

 

Montgomery County Disaster Preparedness Expo

When:Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
 
Where: Lone Star Convention & Expo Center
9055 Airport Rd.,
Conroe, TX 77303
 
Learn more: 1st Annual Montgomery County Disaster Preparedness Expo

 

2026 Ready Fort Bend EXPO

When:Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
 
Where: Fort Bend County Fairgrounds
4310 Texas 36
#S Rosenberg, TX 77471
 
Learn more: 2026 Ready Fort Bend EXPO

 
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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years.​

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, CenterPoint Energy’s Foundation launches signature grant opportunity to enhance veteran resilience

​HOUSTON — May 6, 2026 — In celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States of America, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is launching a new and unique grant opportunity to support nonprofit organizations that serve and focus on our U.S veterans in CenterPoint Energy's four state service area in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas.

Through this special grant opportunity, the Foundation plans to invest up to $250,000 in the states the company serves, with individual grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. Grants will be awarded to eligible nonprofit organizations with a primary location within CenterPoint's service areas and whose programs support veterans and individuals connected to the military.

“As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this grant opportunity reflects our deep respect for the men and women who serve and have served, and our privilege to support them beyond their time in uniform," said Jason Ryan, Executive Vice President, Regulatory Services and Government Affairs at CenterPoint and United States Navy veteran.

“We see the value every day of our veteran workforce. We have more than 700 employees who once served in uniform and who are today working to deliver safe and reliable energy services to nearly 7 million customers. Through the CenterPoint Energy Foundation, we appreciate being able to give back to veterans by supporting nonprofit organizations that provide critical resources for mental health, housing stability and everyday needs. It's an honor to invest in programs that help veterans and their families thrive in the communities we are proud to serve," Ryan added.

Grant funding will focus on nonprofit programs working to strengthen veteran resilience through:

  • Mental health and peer support services.
  • Transitional and stable housing assistance.
  • Daily living support, including transportation, benefits navigation and basic needs.

Funded separately and financially independent from the utility, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation strives to be a catalyst for good by leveraging everyday opportunities and resources to strengthen communities. This grant opportunity for veteran-serving organizations expands on the Foundation's two main strategic giving areas of community vitality and education to help address critical challenges facing veterans and their families.

CenterPoint employs more than 700 veterans across its four-state service area, who continue their commitment to service by strengthening the communities where they live and work by helping provide vital electric and natural gas service.

In 2025, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded more than $15 million to support nonprofit organizations focused on increasing community vitality and investing in education.  

To learn more about this program and to apply for a grant, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Community.
 

About the CenterPoint Energy Foundation
The CenterPoint Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where CenterPoint Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. More information about the Foundation can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2025, the company owned approximately $46.5 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. ​

CenterPoint Energy customers surpass annual energy savings goal – decreasing energy use, saving money and reducing emissions

CenterPoint's 2025 annual status report highlights customer energy, cost and emissions reductions 

Customers have reduced emissions by 18.1 million metric tons and saved $2.6 billion over the last 32 years

MINNEAPOLIS – May 4, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy recently filed its 2025 Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Status Report with the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission reporting a decrease in customer energy use of 1.35% related to overall energy use. Residential and business customers exceeded the company's annual energy savings goal through participation in energy efficiency programs.

This marks the seventeenth year CenterPoint customers have surpassed the annual energy savings target, reflecting the company's commitment to help Minnesotans use energy more efficiently, save money and reduce the emissions attributed to their energy use. Filed in 2023, CenterPoint's 2024-2026 ECO Plan is expected to decrease total customer emissions by approximately 1.29% each year, with CenterPoint customers surpassing this goal in 2025 by achieving a 1.35% decrease.

Customer participation in CenterPoint's Minnesota energy efficiency programs has reduced emissions by nearly 18.8 million metric tons over the last 32 years and saved customers approximately $2.6 billion.    

“At CenterPoint, we're proud of our more than 30-year history of connecting our Minnesota customers with opportunities to enhance the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses. Our energy efficiency programs help our customers lower their energy use, reduce their personal emissions and keep more money in their pockets. We look forward to continuing to work with customers on ways to save to benefit our share communities," said Brad Steber, Vice President of Minnesota Gas at CenterPoint.

Several key programs helped drive energy savings and emissions reductions in 2025, including:

  • Residential insulation rebates: Customers participated in programs to upgrade insulation within their homes to help them maintain a comfortable indoor temperature year-round and reduce energy waste. Residential customers can receive rebates of up to $3,000 for work completed by a qualifying contractor. 
  • Programs for income-qualified customers: The company offers a variety of programs for customers who meet income qualifications including audit programs to identify areas of energy waste and for owners of multi-family properties who serve qualifying customers including through appliance rebates and incentives to making energy efficiency improvements.
  • Rebates for commercial and industrial customers: CenterPoint's rebates programs are tailored to the needs of commercial and industrial customers. Customers took advantage of rebates for high-efficiency commercial foodservice equipment and upgrades to water heaters and heaters.  

CenterPoint also offers various energy efficiency programs at a reduced rate or no cost for customers who qualify.

Customers can learn more about available Minnesota energy efficiency programs and how to participate by visiting: CenterPointEnergy.com/SaveEnergy.

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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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

Essentially all CenterPoint Energy customers who can receive power have been restored following significant rain and storms across the Greater Houston area on Friday

​HOUSTON – May 2, 2026 – As significant rain and strong winds traveled across CenterPoint Energy's electric service territory yesterday, approximately 96% of its 2.9 million customers across the Greater Houston area experienced no impact to their electric service. Approximately 126,000 customers, were impacted since storms started to move through the area around 12:00 a.m. on Friday morning, and essentially all customers have been restored. As of 7:30a.m. today, approximately 200 customers are currently without power. Crews continue actively working to restore those impacted customers safely and as quickly as possible. ​

The company's electric business has returned to normal operations and the Emergency Operations Center has been demobilized.

On Thursday, the company activated its Emergency Operation Center ahead of the weather event, and more than 1,300 frontline workers and contractors were available to respond to isolated outages throughout the company's 12-county service area. The average time to restore customers who experienced storm-related outages was approximately 90 minutes.

“We know our customers expect and deserve reliable power, and that's why our teams worked around the clock through heavy rainfall to safely restore service, with most outages resolved in less than 90 minutes over the last 24 hours." said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander. “We appreciate the dedication of our outstanding frontline crews and contractors. They remain active and will continue restoration efforts until service is restored to all customers who can safely receive power."

CenterPoint took the following actions ahead of Friday's severe weather:

  • Deployed resources: Had 1,300 company employees and contractors ready to respond to outages and support preparedness actions ahead of restoration efforts.
  • Activated Emergency Operations Center: To coordinate storm response efforts throughout the day, the company proactively activated its Emergency Operations Center on Thursday and remained ready to respond.
  • Monitored weather 24/7: The Meteorology team continued to track forecast developments, and the company updated response plans as conditions evolved.
  • Pre-positioned resources: Response teams were pre-positioned in areas where storms were forecasted to impact and remained 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.

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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.​