Teams from across the country are joining CenterPoint to weather the winter storm. Here’s how they’re keeping Houston residents powered and safe.
HOUSTON — CenterPoint Energy officials said during a news conference Monday that they are prepared for the impending winter storm expected to hit the Houston area Monday evening. They described their extensive preparations and emphasized public safety during the briefing.
Keith Stevens, the company’s communications director, said CenterPoint began monitoring the storm early last week.
“Our internal weather team, along with our external partners, began tracking this weather system last Monday,” Stevens said. “We activated our winter preparedness plan on Wednesday and began extensive equipment checks to ensure we are ready.”
CenterPoint said it recruited 1,200 workers from other states, including Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, under mutual aid agreements. In addition to existing teams, nearly 3,000 people are on the ground to deal with possible breakdowns.
“Setting up preparation sites and coordinating resources is no small feat, but we are absolutely prepared for whatever may come with this event,” said Darren Carroll, senior vice president of electrical operations. from CenterPoint.
Teams are being prepared at three locations in the Houston area, including Moody Gardens in Galveston, they said. This positioning ensures teams can respond quickly, even if icy roads make travel difficult.
“Access to roads will be essential,” Stevens said. “We have worked closely with city and county leaders to prepare for the worst, but we urge residents to stay home to avoid accidents that could create other problems, such as downed utility poles.”
Carroll said meteorologists are forecasting 2 to 5 inches of snow with minimal ice, which would help limit impacts to the power system.
“Ice is our biggest concern because of its potential to bring down trees and power lines,” Carroll said. “Fortunately, we are not expecting any significant icing.”
Stevens noted that the company has made significant improvements since the 2021 winter storm, including better vegetation management and infrastructure improvements.
“We have heard the calls for change after previous storms and have made significant improvements,” Stevens said. “We are scaled and ready to weather this storm.”
CenterPoint said it communicated with its 2.8 million customers through its Power Alert service, as well as emails and text messages. Mobile generators were also sent to warming centers in collaboration with local emergency management officials.
The company encourages residents to sign up for its Power Alert service and check its outage tracking system for real-time updates.
“The fewer people behind the wheel, the safer it is for everyone, including our crews,” Carroll said. “We are here and ready to serve the greater Houston area. »
