Following the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Beryl, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a stern warning to electricity provider CenterPoint Energy. The governor threatened to issue an executive order mandating improvements in equipment reliability and storm preparedness if the company fails to address concerns by July 31.
Power outages in Houston and along the Texas Gulf Coast persisted a week after the Category 1 hurricane, resulting in at least 10 fatalities. Thousands are still without power, enduring hot weather without air conditioning and facing challenges in accessing basic necessities like safe drinking water and food.
Tragic incidents, including a 71-year-old woman's death due to a lack of oxygen and carbon monoxide poisoning cases, have underscored the severity of the situation. The Public Utilities Commission of Texas has initiated an investigation into CenterPoint Energy's response to the outages.
CenterPoint Energy has restored power to a significant number of customers but faces criticism for its communication and infrastructure maintenance. Governor Abbott emphasized the urgency of addressing power reliability issues during the ongoing hurricane season.
The utility company has committed to restoring power to 98% of affected customers by Wednesday and eliminating vegetation-related issues by the end of August. Failure to comply may lead to regulatory actions, including rejecting profit recovery requests.
State officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, have expressed dissatisfaction with CenterPoint's response and emphasized the need for accountability. The utility has acknowledged customer frustrations and pledged to collaborate with stakeholders for future improvements.
The recent challenges with CenterPoint Energy come in the wake of the state's efforts to address power grid vulnerabilities following the February 2021 statewide outage during a severe winter storm.
As Texas continues to navigate the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, officials are working to provide essential support to affected communities, ensuring access to meals, water, and medical services.
