First Day of Fall Arrives across the Gulf Coast
Region, but Hurricane Season Remains in Full
Force
- CenterPoint Energy remains on high alert and has been
monitoring tropical weather developments in the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend
- Current weather conditions dictate normal daily
operations
- Company is following its standard electric and gas
preparedness protocols
- CenterPoint Energy has a plan; encourages customers and the
public to remain vigilant
HOUSTON, Sept. 22,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- While the first day of fall was
ushered in across the Gulf Coast region at 7:43 a.m. central
time Sunday, there are still several more weeks remaining in the
2024 hurricane season. That is why CenterPoint Energy has been
closely monitoring weather forecasts in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend and following its
standard preparedness protocols. Greater clarity on the weather
situation is expected from the National Hurricane Center in the
coming days, but CenterPoint and its frontline electric and gas
crews remain ready.
In preparation for potential severe weather across the Gulf
Coast, CenterPoint will continue to monitor and prepare as the
situation evolves. In the event it is needed, the company will
begin the process of securing work sites, preparing crews and
equipment, and securing additional frontline resources from mutual
assistance companies, as necessary. And while autumn days may be on
everyone's minds, the company wants to remind customers and the
public to develop an emergency plan and assemble or restock a storm
preparedness kit that includes essential items such as
nonperishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit,
any necessary medications, a battery-powered radio, and a portable
charger for mobile devices.
"It's important to be mindful of the weather and plan ahead,"
said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice
President, Electric Business. "Although schools are back in class
and football games highlight our weekends, we have to keep an eye
on the Gulf and be prepared to act quickly, if necessary. We want
our customers and communities to know that we are constantly
monitoring the weather and refining and updating our preparations
and plans."
Carroll added, "Since Hurricane Beryl we've made significant
improvements to our electric system as part of the Greater Houston
Resiliency Initiative. We believe our actions since Beryl will help
improve the resiliency and reliability of the electric grid and
better meet our customers' expectations."
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.
Call to Action: 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
CenterPoint's new and improved Outage Tracker can 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 during a severe weather event,
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. The company also recommends that customers follow these
important natural gas and electric safety tips:
Hurricane Preparedness Resources
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
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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy
