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CenterPoint Energy is taking action now to improve our resiliency, customer communications and community partnerships, and better ​prepare for the next major storm or hurricane. Below is an update on the progress we're making toward our goal of becoming the most resilient coastal grid in the country.

Resilience

Strengthening
Resiliency
19 Actions

9/19 Completed

Communications

Improving
Communications
17 Actions

14/17 Completed

Partnerships

Strengthening
Partnerships
6 Actions

4/6 Completed

Action Category Action Name Action Description In Progress Completed
Resilience

Strengthening Resiliency

 Nearly double vegetation management workforce As of July 16, there are now approximately 1,000 vegetation management workers working to immediately address higher risk vegetation issues through August 31 and beyond.   Complete
  Remove vegetation from high-risk vegetation areas We will remove 100% of vegetation from the 2,000 incremental distribution line miles with higher risk vegetation across our system by August 31. In Progress  
  Replace 100% of remaining poles with composite poles By August 31, 100% of the remaining distribution poles planned for replacement will be replaced with composite poles (approximately 1,000 poles). In Progress  
  Deploy 300+ automated devices By August 31, we will strategically deploy at least 300 automated devices to reduce sustained interruptions in major storm events and reduce restoration time.   Complete
  Harden 350 distribution line miles By December 31, we expect to harden nearly 350 distribution line miles to the latest extreme wind standard on a reliability-risk basis. In Progress  
  Use 25% resource buffer With immediate effect, given the uncertain impacts of severe weather, we will use a 25% resource buffer as part of our response resourcing model to help ensure we request more than the number of crews we need to respond to any power outages after a major storm.   Complete
  Develop expanded staging site housing for four locations Immediately, we will develop expanded staging site housing for four strategic locations to minimize travel time.   Complete
  Use new state-of-the art predictive modeling and AI technology to identify higher-risk vegetation By August 1, we will begin to use new state-of-the-art predictive modeling and AI technology to identify higher risk vegetation across our system.   Complete
  Complete visual inspections on overhead distribution circuits impacted by Beryl By August 1, we will complete visual inspections on all overhead distribution circuits impacted by Hurricane Beryl to identify equipment or vegetation-related issues that could create future outages.   Complete
  Complete aerial imagery inspections on overhead distribution circuits impacted by Beryl By August 15, we will complete aerial imagery on all overhead distribution circuits impacted by Hurricane Beryl to identify equipment or vegetation-related issues that could create future outages.   Complete
  Execute identified repairs based on risk as identified through visual and aerial inspection By August 15, informed by the completion and analysis of our inspection, we will execute identified repairs based on risk. This work will be completed by August 31. In Progress  
  Increase small increment mobile generation units from 4 to 13 By August 1, we will increase on a short-term lease basis small increment (up to 1MW) mobile generation from 4 to 13 units.   Complete
  Implement changes to restoration process to accelerate vegetation crew dispatch By August 31, or 5 days before the next tropical storm hits our service area, whichever occurs first, we will implement changes to our restoration process to accelerate dispatch of vegetation crews as soon as safely practicable after a storm based on damage modeling. In Progress  
  Use damage modeling to dispatch appropriate crews By August 31, or 5 days before the next tropical storm hits our service area, whichever occurs first, based on damage modeling, we will dispatch appropriate crews as soon as safely practicable after a storm to speed restoration. In Progress  
  Use predictive modeling to inform resource planning to prepare for a major storm By August 31, or 5 days before the next tropical storm hits our service area, whichever occurs first, we will begin using predictive modeling tools to inform resource planning to prepare for a major storm. In Progress  
  Use damage modeling to identify staging sites for hardest-hit areas By August 31, or 5 days before the next tropical storm hits our service area, whichever occurs first, we will leverage damage models to identify locations for staging sites to increase proximity to hardest-hit areas so that workers can be deployed quickly. In Progress  
  Hire new senior leader for emergency preparedness and response We will hire a new senior leader for emergency preparedness and response and will seek to have someone in place as quickly as possible. In Progress  
  Appoint resource commander We will immediately appoint a resource commander whose sole responsibility will be to develop and adjust a storm resource plan to efficiently dispatch resources.   Complete
  Design new distribution structures and replacements to standards that address extreme wind and loading conditions We will design all new distribution structures and replacements to standards that address extreme wind and loading conditions. In Progress  
Action Category Action Name Action Description In Progress Completed
Communications

Improving Communications

 Launch a new cloud-based outage tracker We will launch a new cloud-based outage tracker by August 1, which is designed to accommodate user traffic during a major storm event.   Complete
  Make outage tracker user-friendly The new outage tracker will allow customers to see outages by county, city and zip code and will be mobile friendly and ADA accessible.   Complete
  Use outage tracker to update customers We will use the outage tracker to update customers on their expected restoration date soon after we are able to determine restoration expectations.   Complete
  Communicate estimated customer restoration times in timely fashion Effective immediately, 100% of impacted customers will have an estimated time for restoration for the entire system within 24 hours of a tropical storm exiting our service area, and we will update our estimated time for restoration at least daily thereafter.   Complete
  Scale up Power Alert Service® capacity By August 9, we will scale up the capacity for our Power Alert Service® so that it can accommodate increased use expected during a major storm event.   Complete
  Launch customer campaigns to enroll in Power Alert Service® By August 9, we will launch campaigns to enroll our customers in Power Alert Service®, our text alert service, so that we can push out real-time updates to their mobile devices as information becomes available.   Complete
  Increase call center capacity by 165% By August 15, we will be able to increase our call center capacity by 165% for storm events with a standard average speed of answer of 5 minutes or less.   Complete
  Re-train call center agents By August 9, we will re-train our call center agents so that they are equipped to address customer questions satisfactorily.   Complete
  Launch earlier and daily public communications during expected storm events Effective immediately, we will launch initial public communications earlier in the storm cycle and establish a robust daily cadence of public communications planning, assessment and execution.   Complete
  Hold daily press briefings if storm event expected By August 1, we will adopt a policy of holding daily press briefings to communicate our preparation efforts if a named storm is expected to hit the Gulf Coast area and provide a daily restoration update during these briefings following a major storm event.   Complete
  Develop emergency preparedness and response communications playbook We have retained emergency response communications experts to develop an emergency preparedness and response communications playbook by August 9. This plan is focused on communicating earlier, more frequently and more widely throughout the storm cycle.   Complete
  Launch community education program Beginning on August 1, we will launch our community education program to help explain how we are preparing for major storm events, how our restoration process works and what they can do to prepare.   Complete
  Re-emphasize "Right Tree -- Right Place" program By August 15, we will re-emphasize our “Right Tree -- Right Place” program to further educate the public and communities about the impact of trees on powerlines.   Complete
  Conduct large scale, open-house style community listening sessions We are currently conducting community listening sessions, which have begun to inform elements of this plan, and will be hosting open house style listening sessions in every one of our counties in August and September. In Progress  
  Launch plan to engage with community focus groups for feedback on outage tracker By August 15, we will launch a plan to engage with community focus groups to get feedback on our outage tracker and work to incorporate this feedback to improve the customer experience.   Complete
  Continue meeting with customers to collect feedback We will continue to meet with our customers and listen to their feedback on how we can communicate more clearly and effectively, and we will act on their recommendations. In Progress  
  Hire new senior communications leader We will hire a new senior leader with deep communications expertise to ensure that we execute on our overhaul of our communications approach effectively and will appoint someone as soon as possible. In Progress  
Action Category Action Name Action Description In Progress Completed
Partnerships

Strengthening Partnerships

 Bridge gap between outage and restoration at critical care facilities Our restoration strategy already prioritizes at-risk Texans in critical care facilities, and our focus is on incremental generation to bridge the gap between outage and restoration.   Complete
  Co-ordinate with officials to more effectively dispatch temporary generation resources By August 9, we will coordinate more closely with local, county, and state officials as well as emergency management personnel to align response efforts and more effectively dispatch temporary generation resources.   Complete
  Identify sites to donate 10 back-up generators at sites identified by local leadership We will donate up to 10 back-up generator facilities across our communities in coordination with needs identified by local leadership. Sites will be selected by September 30, and back-up generators installed and operational by June 1, 2025. In Progress  
  Evaluate expansion of number of temporary generation units informed by needs of critical facilities By August 31, or 5 days before the next tropical storm hits our service area, whichever occurs first, we will evaluate the expansion of the number of temporary generation units, and temporary generation transportation assets in our fleet, informed by the needs of critical facilities. In Progress  
  Brief trade associations about critical care facilities and availability of FEMA resources By August 9, we will brief trade associations for critical care facilities and confirm contact information for their members in our territory. We will also provide information about the availability of resources provided by FEMA to ready their facilities to accept temporary generation.   Complete
  Engage with local Emergency Management Offices By August 9, we will engage with local Emergency Management Offices (or similar) to refresh our prioritization and to confirm contact information and emergency preparedness of critical facilities and critical infrastructure.   Complete

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