As Houston and Galveston County residents continue to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, legal pressures on CenterPoint Energy are ramping up. Michael Fertitta, notably the son of Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, is representing complainants in a new lawsuit accusing CenterPoint of being unprepared for the hurricane, leading to widespread and prolonged power outages. This action follows the suit filed by attorney Tony Buzbee on behalf of the Galveston Restaurant Group and Houston-area businesses, with both suits collectively racking up claims to the tune of $200 million.
The plaintiffs are alleging gross negligence by CenterPoint in failing to securely maintain its electric grid despite the recurring threat of hurricanes. They argue that the power company did not adequately prepare, including allegedly failing to properly trim trees near power lines and lying about the number of linemen on standby. In the words obtained by the Houston Chronicle, the lawsuit states, "Customers have reported that trees on their property have not been trimmed in over five years, despite the fact the trees were touching the wires on their property."
On its defense, CenterPoint has stated they are taking steps to reinforce infrastructure in Galveston County and has a multi-billion dollar investment planned to modernize the grid across the Greater Houston area. CenterPoint spokesperson Michelle Hundley highlighted “For example, we are inspecting and replacing power poles with new poles composed of upgraded wood and non-wood materials designed for hurricane-level wind speeds,” according to a statement provided to The Daily News.
CenterPoint has also faced criticism for its communication efforts during the crisis. The suit filed on behalf of Houston residents claims that CenterPoint’s outage map gave a misleading impression of the restoration progress. Conversely, the Galveston County lawsuit emphasizes the need for the company to have been better prepared for the mild Category 1 storm. As reported by The Daily News, it stated, “CenterPoint knew the trees in the area were weak and potentially unable to stand up to a moderate storm, yet the company took no precautionary measures to mitigate the risks.”
Residents of Galveston County looking to join the lawsuit have been directed to contact a provided phone number. Meanwhile, Houstonians represented by Fertitta are waiting to see if their case will receive class-action status.
