As Houston braces for a significant winter storm, CenterPoint Energy has mobilized a workforce of 4,000 personnel to prepare for potential infrastructure damage caused by ice and freezing winds expected to arrive Saturday night. This team includes 3,300 line workers and 700 natural gas specialists, all strategically staged in north Houston, where the heaviest impacts are predicted.
CenterPoint has effectively positioned all available crews and resources at key staging locations by Saturday noon. Anticipating severe weather, the utility has concentrated its efforts in two specific areas in north Houston, identified as likely to experience the greatest ice accumulation.
“Our commitment to our customers and communities is at the forefront of our planning and preparation for severe weather,” stated Nathan Brownell, Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery. “We have strategically relocated personnel, materials, and supplies to the two north Houston staging areas expected to face the most significant challenges.”
The utility’s Emergency Operations Center has been fully operational since Wednesday, with preparations including the pre-staging of essential materials such as 9,200 distribution poles, 11,500 transformers, and 100,000 cable splices.
Additionally, CenterPoint’s gas crews have conducted inspections at nearly 200 natural gas regulator stations and installed heaters on equipment to mitigate the risk of ice-related failures. Seventeen compressed natural gas (CNG) trailers are also on standby to ensure an uninterrupted supply if necessary.
In light of the impending storm, CenterPoint has echoed local officials’ warnings, advising residents to avoid travel from Saturday night through Monday due to hazardous conditions. The company has issued a crucial safety reminder concerning downed power lines, which may be obscured by ice or fallen trees.
“Always assume that downed lines or wires are energized and potentially dangerous,” the utility emphasized, urging residents to maintain a safe distance of at least 35 feet and to report any fallen wires immediately.
Looking ahead, the utility is actively monitoring over 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area and is working closely with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT to manage the situation effectively.
Customers are encouraged to sign up for the Power Alert Service to receive timely text or email updates on restoration efforts and to utilize the company’s Outage Tracker for real-time maps detailing service interruptions.
