## CenterPoint Energy Rallies Workforce as Winter Storm Grips Houston
**Houston, TX – January 25, 2026** – CenterPoint Energy is deploying an extensive restoration workforce across the Greater Houston area as a winter storm brings freezing temperatures, ice accumulation, and high winds, impacting electric service for thousands. The company activated its Emergency Operations Center on January 21st and has been proactively preparing for the storm’s arrival.
As of 6 a.m. this morning, approximately 2,000 CenterPoint customers were experiencing power outages, a fraction of the 2.9 million customers served across 12 counties. This comes after significant restoration efforts over the weekend, with around 27,000 customers having their power restored since Saturday morning.
“Every outage is unacceptable, and our entire team is laser-focused on restoring power to all affected customers as swiftly and safely as possible,” stated Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint Energy’s Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery. “We extend our gratitude to our customers for their patience, our community partners for their invaluable support, and especially to our frontline personnel who are working tirelessly in challenging conditions.”
The storm’s impact is compounded by forecasts of hard freezes, with temperatures expected to dip around 20 degrees Fahrenheit Sunday and Monday nights, posing a risk to electrical equipment. CenterPoint Energy has mobilized over 3,300 workers to conduct damage assessments and initiate repairs.
**Proactive Preparedness and Technological Resilience**
CenterPoint Energy’s response strategy is underpinned by extensive pre-storm preparations, building on years of winter readiness initiatives. These efforts include:
* **Infrastructure Hardening:** The company has meticulously inspected and tested its critical electric infrastructure, including all 270 electric substations. Enhanced tree trimming and equipment inspections have been conducted to mitigate risks associated with ice and cold.
* **Logistics and Staging:** Over 700 frontline natural gas workers are on standby to address any gas-related emergencies. Restoration crews have pre-staged a significant inventory of essential equipment, including more than 9,200 distribution poles, 11,500 transformers, and 100,000 cable splices, ensuring rapid deployment of necessary materials.
* **Customer Engagement:** Beyond immediate restoration, CenterPoint Energy is proactively reaching out to “Critical Care” customers, including those with chronic health conditions, via email, phone, or text to ensure their well-being during the outages.
* **Grid Modernization and Backup Systems:** The company has installed over 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across the Greater Houston region and positioned 17 compressed natural gas (CNG) trailers to bolster resilience and ensure continued service for critical facilities if needed.
* **Training and Drills:** A significant investment has been made in personnel development, with over 19,000 total hours of emergency training conducted in 2025 for hundreds of employees and contractors, enhancing their preparedness for severe weather events.
**Customer Safety and Information Resources**
CenterPoint Energy is reiterating crucial safety advice for the public, urging extreme caution around downed power lines. All downed lines should be treated as energized and dangerous. Residents are advised to maintain a distance of at least 35 feet from any downed wires and objects in contact with them, and to report such incidents immediately.
Customers are encouraged to stay informed through several channels:
* **Power Alert Service®:** Enrollment in this service provides customers with outage updates, estimated restoration times, and personalized notifications via phone, text, or email.
* **Outage Tracker:** The company’s online Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, offers real-time information on power outages by county, city, and zip code. This tool is designed to handle high traffic volumes during storms and is mobile-friendly and accessible.
**About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.**
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is a Texas-based energy delivery company with a diverse portfolio of electric transmission and distribution, power generation, and natural gas distribution operations. Serving over 7 million metered customers across Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas, the company reported approximately $45 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025. With a history spanning over 150 years and a workforce of approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy remains committed to reliable and safe energy delivery.
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