Historic Milestone: CenterPoint Energy installs 50,000th storm-resilient power pole to improve resiliency across Greater Houston
Storm-resilient poles represent key infrastructure upgrade as part of CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative; GHRI-related infrastructure improvements have reduced customer outage minutes by more than 100 million in 2025
2025-12-18T06:00:00Z

HOUSTON – Dec. 18, 2025 – Today, CenterPoint Energy announced a historic milestone as part of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), and its commitment to become the most resilient coastal grid in the nation, with the installation of its 50,000th storm-resistant distribution utility pole since August 2024. To improve overall resiliency as part of the GHRI, CenterPoint is replacing existing poles with state-of-the-art, storm-resilient infrastructure poles built to withstand 110+ mph and 130+ mph, hurricane-force winds depending on location. This historic installation in the Near Northside Community, and the 50,000 stronger poles across the energy system, were prioritized strategically in areas most impacted by powerful storms and winds, where they will have the greatest positive impact on customer reliability.

“We’re working hard each and every day for our customers and the communities we’re proud to serve, and this milestone is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to building the most resilient coastal grid in the nation and the real, meaningful impact our actions are having for our customers,” said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery. “Every pole we replace makes our system stronger and more equipped to withstand the next major storm, reducing impacts to customers, improving restoration times, and giving our customers the resilient, reliable service they expect and deserve.”

CenterPoint’s GHRI actions include installing new self-healing grid automation devices, trimming and clearing high-risk vegetation from distribution lines, and installing new distribution utility poles among other critical actions. The 50,000 new poles are part of CenterPoint’s overall GHRI plan to replace or brace a total of 130,000 poles across the greater Houston area, strengthening the system to better withstand extreme weather events for decades to come. Customers are already feeling the positive impact of this work, with outages caused by vegetation reduced in duration by 50% since 2024 across CenterPoint’s 12-county Greater Houston area service territory.

GHRI: Historic progress to date
Since launching GHRI in August 2024 to improve overall resiliency for its 2.9 million customers across Greater Houston, CenterPoint has made wide-ranging infrastructure improvements that have delivered a series of important customer benefits. As of November 2025, in addition to installing stronger, storm-resilient poles, CenterPoint has completed the following resiliency actions and improvements:

  • Vegetation management: Trimmed or removed 7,800+ miles of high-risk vegetation near power lines to reduce storm-related outages.
  • Undergrounding power lines: Undergrounded 430+ miles of power lines to improve overall resiliency.
  • New Outage Tracker: Launched a new cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, designed to accommodate increased traffic during major storms and extreme weather events.
  • Weather monitoring stations: Installed 100 new weather monitoring stations to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation.

GHRI: Strengthening long-term resiliency
In addition to the GHRI progress made to date, CenterPoint’s longer-term resiliency plans are designed to prepare for a wide range of future extreme weather and achieve the following customer benefits and grid improvements by 2029:

  • Strengthening overall resiliency: Improving systemwide resiliency by 30% for all our customers.
  • Reducing outage impacts: Reducing extreme weather-related power outages by over 820 million minutes.
  • Preparing for future energy demand: Expanding the capacity of our system to meet rising energy demand and the annual population growth of our region, which is equivalent to adding a city the size of Waco, Texas, each year.
  • Reducing community costs: Saving customers and communities approximately $50 million per year in storm-related restoration and response costs.
  • Improving major storm resiliency: Preventing outages for more than 500,000 customers in the event of another Beryl-like storm.
  • Undergrounding key power lines: Moving 50% of the system underground to improve resiliency and safety year-round.
  • Vegetation management: Deploying an industry-leading, three-year vegetation management cycle, with 100% of power lines inspected and cleared of hazardous vegetation every three years.
  • Stronger transmission towers: Rebuilding or upgrading 2,200+ transmission structures to better withstand extreme weather, while improving overall reliability.

Customers can learn more about the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative 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, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.​

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CenterPoint Energy encourages Minnesota customers to take action to save energy during the extreme cold snap

​MINNEAPOLIS – Jan. 22, 2026 – With bitter cold expected across Minnesota and throughout the Midwest over the coming days, CenterPoint Energy is encouraging its customers to take easy actions to save energy including temporarily lowering their thermostat settings, health permitting, to help reduce energy use and save money. Extreme cold temperatures may cause customers to use more energy to heat their homes, so the company wants to remind customers of tips, tools and resources to manage their energy use .

CenterPoint wants to remind customers that is actively preparing for the anticipated cold weather to provide safe, reliable and resilient energy. The company urges customers to have a personal cold weather plan in place, as well, to stay safe and warm.

“Our team works around-the-clock to provide safe, reliable and resilient energy service to our customers in Minnesota and is positioned throughout our service area to respond to potential needs. While our workers remain focused on delivering safe and reliable energy to our more than 930,000 customers in over 260 communities, we know that customers may want to find out more about ways to use that energy more efficiently. We encourage customers to take easy steps to reduce their energy use and save money even as the temperatures start to drop to help maintain safe and warm environments for their loved ones," said Brad Steber, CenterPoint's Vice President, Minnesota Gas.

Quick and easy tips to save energy and money
CenterPoint encourages customers to follow these easy tips that can make a difference on monthly heating bills:

  • Turn down the thermostat. Lowering the thermostat by 7-10 degrees at night, or when away for at least eight hours, can potentially save 10% on heating costs.
  • Check the furnace filter. Change or clean the filter to maximize the efficiency of the furnace.
  • Use window coverings and blinds effectively. If it's sunny outside, open window coverings during the day to capture warmth from the sun, and close coverings at night to keep warmth inside. If the sun's not shining, keep window coverings closed. 
  • Keep warm air in and cold air out of the home. Use caulk or weather-stripping to seal leaks around doors, windows and other openings such as pipes or ducts. Close fireplace dampers when not in use to prevent heat loss.
  • Lower the temperature setting on the water heater by 10 degrees. Limit hot water use.

CenterPoint's Winter Energy Guide supports customers throughout the heating season
CenterPoint recently offers a 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. Learn more at CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyforWinter.

Payment assistance resources for customers
CenterPoint is dedicated to supporting customers who may have difficulty paying their energy bill. Throughout the year, but especially in the winter months when home heating costs are historically higher, CenterPoint encourages those facing hardship to call the company now to find out about payment arrangements, energy efficiency programs and agency resources. To learn more, customers should call 800-245-2377 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday - Friday, or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/PaymentAssistance.

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 September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.​

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CenterPoint Energy launches TimeWise pilot to help southwestern Indiana customers manage energy costs

​EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Jan. 22, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy today announced the launch of TimeWise, a new voluntary pilot program that offers residential electric customers in southwestern Indiana a pricing option designed to help them save money by using energy during lower-cost hours. The program, approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission as the Critical Peak Pilot, will begin enrolling customers starting this month as part of CenterPoint's ongoing effort to provide customers with additional tools and programs to help manage their energy costs.

“We know affordability is top of mind for our customers, and TimeWise is another new tool that provides participating households with a new way to manage their energy costs by making informed decisions about when they use electricity," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. “This pilot reflects the feedback we've heard from customers and stakeholders. We look forward to identifying how programs like this can further support affordability and reliability across southwestern Indiana and hope to expand the option to all residential customers should the pilot prove to be successful."
 
How TimeWise works
With TimeWise, energy costs decrease when demand is lower. During the summer months of June through September, participants will pay lower rates during off peak hours:

  • Weekday mornings before 1 p.m.
  • Weekday evenings after 7 p.m.
  • Any time on weekends

Rates are higher on summer weekday afternoons between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. when demand for electricity is greatest. By shifting daily household activities, such as washing dishes or clothes, to lower cost time periods, customers will have the opportunity to save money while actively supporting grid reliability.

TimeWise participants will also be called to reduce usage throughout the year during times of critical need. TimeWise participants will receive advance notice through their preferred method of communication before a “critical peak" event. At least one day before a critical peak event, customers will receive an email, text alert or both so they can plan ahead. Rates are significantly higher during these separate four-hour events, giving customers an added reason to shift their usage any time throughout the year to free capacity on the grid for reliability.

Pilot program details
Up to 500 residential electric customers will be randomly selected from those who apply for the TimeWise pilot. Key details include:

  • $75 account credit: Participants will receive a one-time credit after participating in at least one critical peak event, with the potential to save more by shifting energy use to lower-cost hours.
  • Program launch: TimeWise officially launches in spring 2026.
  • Duration: The pilot is expected to run for up to two years, during which CenterPoint will evaluate customer experiences to inform potential future offerings.

TimeWise builds on CenterPoint's Community Affordability Actions, a series of initiatives announced in late 2025 focused on supporting customers by keeping base rates at or below the rate of inflation through 2027 and providing tools and resources to manage energy costs.

For more information about TimeWise, including eligibility requirements, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/TimeWise. ​

 
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 June 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.


CenterPoint Energy ramps up customer communications as 3,300-person expanded workforce continues preparations and emergency response efforts ahead of winter weather system forecasted to impact Texas

​Approximately 3,300 CenterPoint employees and contract workers supporting storm preparation and potential restoration efforts across Houston and parts of Southeast Texas

Emergency Operations Center fully staffed and operating; three staging sites activating today

First daily operational briefing scheduled for this afternoon at the company’s Emergency Operations Center

State of Texas issues disaster declaration ahead of potential impacts; ERCOT Weather Watch issued for Saturday to Tuesday; grid conditions expected to be normal​

HOUSTON – Jan. 22, 2026 – To help its customers and communities stay informed and prepared ahead of this weekend’s forecasted winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy is ramping up customer communications as the company continues executing its cold weather readiness plan. CenterPoint is sharing information with customers through a number of channels (emails, phone calls, text messages, and many others). It will also begin hosting daily operational briefings at its Emergency Operations Center this afternoon to provide an update on evolving weather models and give an in-depth overview of the company’s expanded response efforts.

“We are focused on delivering for our customers and communities and we want them to know we’re taking action now and preparing to respond to any impacts from this weather to our system, because we know how important it is for the communities we serve to have reliable electric and natural gas service they expect and deserve. Right now, as conditions continue to evolve, staying informed is one of the most important things we can do to keep our customers and their loved ones safe,” said Tony Gardner, CenterPoint’s Chief Customer Officer. “We urge customers to prepare now and to bookmark our Action Center​ for storm-related safety tips in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and to make sure they’re enrolled in Power Alert Service®​ to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates.”

Weather update
“Weather models have generally trended toward a somewhat less impactful forecast outcome in the Houston area since yesterday. While those trends are positive and continue, we are continuing to use both internal and publicly available weather model guidance to shape our forecast expectations and will adjust as needed,” said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint’s Chief Meteorologist. “Still, with cold and at least some ice expected in the region, we encourage customers and communities to be prepared for hazardous travel on Sunday and a hard freeze, especially Monday morning.”

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

Additional Resources
Following several days of actively preparing for this weekend’s forecasted severe winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center yesterday morning and secured more than 600 additional frontline workers for an expanded workforce of 3,300 workers and personnel to address the approaching winter storm.

Staging sites
The company’s three staging sites are strategically placed to pre-position resources in locations where the winter weather system’s impact is forecasted to be the most severe. These sites will host approximately 3,300 workers and help pre-position crews, vehicles, equipment and materiel needed for restoration across its service territory.

Public Official Coordination
CenterPoint continues to work closely with government officials and emergency agencies to prepare for the approaching winter weather system and continues to diligently monitor weather models and deploy cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure. CenterPoint is also actively working to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation for this weekend’s weather.​

Cold weather preparations
The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

  • Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts;
  • Coordinating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) about statewide energy needs;
  • Communicating with customers to provide safety and preparedness information directly via email and help keep customers informed and prepared;
  • Conducting outreach to critical care customers by email, phone or text;
  • Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming and conducting inspections to prepare for wintery precipitation and cold temperatures;
  • Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks at 13 strategic locations to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed;
  • Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation;
  • Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts; and
  • Conducted more than 19,000 total hours of emergency training in 2025 for hundreds of operational, emergency response and other personnel and contractors to strengthen severe weather preparation and response efforts.
Supporting community preparedness
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting community preparedness and resilience, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded a $1 million, five‑year grant to The Salvation Army last year to support disaster response capabilities across the Greater Houston area. This grant supports operations at The Salvation Army’s Multi‑Purpose Distribution Center in Houston, a critical regional hub that coordinates emergency relief efforts and delivers essential services to vulnerable populations — including families, youth, seniors, and individuals experiencing homelessness — during hurricanes and other severe weather events. Funded separately and financially independent from the utility, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation continues to serve as a catalyst for good by leveraging its resources to enhance the safety, resilience and vibrancy of the communities CenterPoint serves. Learn more at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

Have a plan and stay safe
CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during severe winter weather. Customers can get storm-related safety tips at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter — available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Customers can also stay up to date on outages with CenterPoint’s Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish. The Outage Tracker is built to handle increased traffic during storms, is mobile-friendly, accessible for those with disabilities and allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

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 September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.
CenterPoint Energy ramps up customer communications as 3,300-person expanded workforce continues preparations and emergency response efforts ahead of winter weather system forecasted to impact Texas

Approximately 3,300 CenterPoint employees and contract workers supporting storm preparation and potential restoration efforts across Houston and parts of Southeast Texas

Emergency Operations Center fully staffed and operating; three staging sites activating today

First daily operational briefing scheduled for this afternoon at the company's Emergency Operations Center

State of Texas issues disaster declaration ahead of potential impacts; ERCOT Weather Watch issued for Saturday to Tuesday; grid conditions expected to be normal

HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 - To help its customers and communities stay informed and prepared ahead of this weekend's forecasted winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy is ramping up customer communications as the company continues executing its cold weather readiness plan. CenterPoint is sharing information with customers through a number of channels (emails, phone calls, text messages, and many others). It will also begin hosting daily operational briefings at its Emergency Operations Center this afternoon to provide an update on evolving weather models and give an in-depth overview of the company's expanded response efforts.

"We are focused on delivering for our customers and communities and we want them to know  we're taking action now and preparing to respond to any impacts from this weather to our system, because we know how important it is for the communities we serve to have reliable electric and natural gas service they expect and deserve. Right now, as conditions continue to evolve, staying informed is one of the most important things we can do to keep our customers and their loved ones safe," said Tony Gardner, CenterPoint's Chief Customer Officer. "We urge customers to prepare now and to bookmark our Action Center for storm-related safety tips in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and to make sure they're enrolled in Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates."

Weather update
"Weather models have generally trended toward a somewhat less impactful forecast outcome in the Houston area since yesterday. While those trends are positive and continue, we are continuing to use both internal and publicly available weather model guidance to shape our forecast expectations and will adjust as needed," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Chief Meteorologist. "Still, with cold and at least some ice expected in the region, we encourage customers and communities to be prepared for hazardous travel on Sunday and a hard freeze, especially Monday morning."

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

Additional resources
Following several days of actively preparing for this weekend's forecasted severe winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center yesterday morning and secured more than 600 additional frontline workers for an expanded workforce of 3,300 workers and personnel to address the approaching winter storm.

Staging sites
The company's three staging sites are strategically placed to pre-position resources in locations where the winter weather system's impact is forecasted to be the most severe. These sites will host approximately 3,300 workers and help pre-position crews, vehicles, equipment and materiel needed for restoration across its service territory.

Public Official Coordination
CenterPoint continues to work closely with government officials and emergency agencies to prepare for the approaching winter weather system and continues to diligently monitor weather models and deploy cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure. CenterPoint is also actively working to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation for this weekend's weather.

Cold weather preparations
The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

  • Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts;
  • Coordinating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) about statewide energy needs;
  • Communicating with customers to provide safety and preparedness information directly via email and help keep customers informed and prepared;
  • Conducting outreach to critical care customers by email, phone or text;
  • Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming and conducting inspections to prepare for wintery precipitation and cold temperatures;
  • Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks at 13 strategic locations to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed;
  • Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation;
  • Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts; and
  • Conducted more than 19,000 total hours of emergency training in 2025 for hundreds of operational, emergency response and other personnel and contractors to strengthen severe weather preparation and response efforts.

Supporting community preparedness
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting community preparedness and resilience, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded a $1 million, five‑year grant to The Salvation Army last year to support disaster response capabilities across the Greater Houston area. This grant supports operations at The Salvation Army's Multi‑Purpose Distribution Center in Houston, a critical regional hub that coordinates emergency relief efforts and delivers essential services to vulnerable populations — including families, youth, seniors, and individuals experiencing homelessness — during hurricanes and other severe weather events. Funded separately and financially independent from the utility, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation continues to serve as a catalyst for good by leveraging its resources to enhance the safety, resilience and vibrancy of the communities CenterPoint serves. Learn more at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

Have a plan and stay safe
CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during severe winter weather. Customers can get storm-related safety tips at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter — available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Customers can also stay up to date on outages with CenterPoint's Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish. The Outage Tracker is built to handle increased traffic during storms, is mobile-friendly, accessible for those with disabilities and allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter. 

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 September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 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

CenterPoint Energy activates Emergency Operations Center ahead of weekend winter weather system

Company has been preparing for several days and is supporting cold weather preparedness and response efforts across Houston and parts of South and East Texas

Company continues to closely monitor evolving and potentially severe winter conditions as crews perform cold weather system readiness checks

Customers urged to have a plan and make preparations now for freezing temperatures, high winds and potential ice accumulation​

HOUSTON – Jan. 21, 2026 – Following several days of monitoring and preparation activities, as of 8 a.m. today, CenterPoint Energy has activated its Emergency Operations Center to support potential response and restoration efforts across Texas from forecasted winter precipitation, significant winds and freezing temperatures over the weekend and into early next week. The company is coordinating with state and local emergency agencies, actively monitoring weather models and preparing to address potential service impacts for both electric and natural gas customers.

“Our CenterPoint teams are mobilized, performing pre-storm checks, and ready to respond to winter weather conditions on both the electric and gas systems. We have activated the company’s Emergency Operations Center and are coordinating with government and industry stakeholders to be ready to respond to any impacts from the forecasted conditions, including icy weather, strong winds, and wintry precipitation,” said Don Daigler, CenterPoint’s Senior Vice President, Emergency Preparedness and Response. “We urge our customers to stay aware of evolving weather forecasts, prepare now and have an emergency plan in place for yourself and your loved ones.”​

Cold weather preparations
The company is prepared to respond to cold weather and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its electric and natural gas infrastructure across Texas, as well as inspect and test cold-weather critical equipment ahead of potential severe cold weather. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, developing plans to mobilize emergency response resources and

The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

  • Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts;
  • Coordinating with the Texas Public Utility Commission and ERCOT about statewide energy needs;
  • Communicating with customers to provide safety and preparedness information directly via email and help keep customers informed and prepared;
  • Conducting outreach to critical care customers by email, phone or text;
  • Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming, and conducting inspections to prepare for wintery precipitation and cold temperatures;
  • Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across the Greater Houston area, including installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup;
  • Maintaining freeze protection equipment and enclosures for cold-weather critical components;
  • Repairing thermal insulation and water-proofing materials;
  • Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed;
  • Coordinating and communicating with the Railroad Commission of Texas to identify and support operations of critical gas infrastructure for natural gas reliability;
  • Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation;
  • Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts; and
  • Conducted more than 19,000 total hours of emergency training in 2025 for hundreds of operational, emergency response and other personnel and contractors to strengthen severe weather preparation and response efforts.

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

Stay informed with Power Alert Service®
​​ CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service®​ to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email.

Have a plan and stay safe
CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during severe winter weather. Customers can get storm-related safety tips at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter​ — available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Customers can also stay up to date on outages with CenterPoint’s Outage Tracker​, available in English and Spanish. The Outage Tracker is built to handle increased traffic during storms, is mobile-friendly, accessible for those with disabilities and allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code.

###

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X​ and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter​.

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 September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.