As the dust settles from the impact of Hurrican Beryl, which left millions without power, scrutiny intensifies over CenterPoint Energy's handling of the disaster. The Public Utility Commission kicked off a formal investigation into the response, probing a recovery effort that has seen swathes of the Houston area struggle without electricity for over a week. The commission's inquiry, set into motion by Chairman Thomas Gleeson, will critically examine CenterPoint's infrastructure quality and customer communication practices. An outcome marked by reform may well be on the horizon, with the commission's staff lined up to recommend changes and a report to Governor Greg Abbott and legislative leaders, due in December, which could redefine the state's disaster response protocols. "CenterPoint has to do better. I cannot urge this enough. I have tried to stress with their executives that CenterPoint has to have a sense of urgency," Gleeson stated, signaling a demand for immediate improvement and highlighting that some public responses, such as better communication with customers, cannot afford to wait.
The governor has been categorical in his dissatisfaction, suggesting that CenterPoint should have been better prepared for events like Hurricane Beryl. "A power company on the Gulf Coast should never be caught off guard," Abbott said, according to a report by ABC13. He went on to delineate his expectations of the company, including plans to bolster reliability and remove vegetation encroaching on power lines. Abbott has made it clear that the clock is decidedly ticking for CenterPoint to respond with competence and speed.
While CenterPoint Energy has come under fire, they have not remained silent. The company has defended its efforts, citing the doubling of investments in its electric system over the past five years. In a recent release, CenterPoint articulated its commitment to learning from Hurricane Beryl and striving for improvement. In spite of the critique, the company has endeavored to amplify its workforce, summoning over 3,000 additional crews to hasten power restoration. The efforts are slated to achieve near-total recovery, with hopes of bringing 98% of the customers back online by Wednesday, according to a statement by CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells acquired by the Houston Chronicle.
The breadth of the utility company's coverage has come to question, with Abbott and other officials deliberating on whether CenterPoint should continue to serve such an expansive area. As indicated by ABC13, Abbott stressed that the power company must delineate actions it didn't take for Beryl, to prevent or at least mitigate future outages. Meanwhile, the Houston community has been confronted with cascaded disruptions, from traffic light failures to a backlog in hospital facilities underscored by Houston Mayor John Whitmire.
