CenterPoint Energy is committed to the continuous improvement of our natural gas service reliability through investment and innovation, including the construction and use of propane-air peak shaving facilities.
“Peak shaving” means supplementing natural gas supply with a propane storage facility (a “propane-air peak shaving facility”) during times of high energy demand (“peaks”), so that we have enough supply to keep gas energy flowing to our customers during those times of peak demand, such as during the 2021 winter storm.
Since 2019, our propane-air peak shaving facilities in Houston have safely provided supplemental gas service to our natural gas customers during peak demand situations. Over the last years, CenterPoint Energy has completed five propane-air peak shaving facilities in the Houston area. These five facilities are able to enhance reliability for customers during periods of peak demand which are often the times of greatest need for our customers.
Propane-air peak shaving facilities have been used by many utilities, including CenterPoint Energy, since the 1950s to supplement natural gas distribution systems during peak demand periods. In addition to the five completed facilities in Houston, we also operate eight facilities in Minnesota and three in Indiana.
