CenterPoint completes critical Houston grid upgrades ahead of hurricane season

AI generated summary

CenterPoint Energy has completed significant upgrades to its Greater Houston grid as part of its Resiliency Initiative, which was launched following Hurricane Beryl's impact that left millions without power. The upgrades include the installation of 26,000 storm-resilient poles, the underground relocation of 400 miles of power lines, and the addition of over 5,100 automation devices. These enhancements aim to improve the reliability of the electric system ahead of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

In response to the challenges faced during Hurricane Beryl, including criticism over procurement practices and customer communication, CenterPoint has committed to implementing better vendor risk assessments and updating its conflict-of-interest procedures. The utility has also developed a new cloud-based outage tracker to enhance customer communication during outages. CenterPoint's investments are expected to significantly reduce outages and improve overall service reliability for customers in the Houston area.