In the wake of the catastrophic aftermath left by Hurricane Beryl, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has voiced a stern call for the CEO of CenterPoint Energy, Jason Wells, to step down from his role. In a recent public hearing and workshop conducted by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) in Houston, Patrick expressed his concerns regarding the power utility's preparedness and subsequent handling of the natural disaster's fallout, as per a report by the Houston Chronicle. Echoing the frustrated sentiments of Houstonians, Patrick highlighted that the response was not reflective of the CenterPoint he knew in the past.

Having fielded complaints from businesses wary of relocating due to Houston's power reliability issues, the lieutenant governor didn't mince words in stating that CenterPoint should not proceed with a rate increase until it has demonstrated improved reliability. Wells, facing Patrick's scrutiny, was questioned about the possibility of overcharging customers in a $800 million generator lease agreement, a deal Patrick dubbed as a "terrible deal." With Texas ratepayers facing the potential brunt of this decision, Wells's leadership and the PUCT’s part in this transaction face critical examination, according to KHOU 11 News.

At the same hearing, Patrick urged the PUCT to commence an audit of CenterPoint's business operations, stressing that the public's interest should take precedence over corporate profits. Moreover, Patrick emphasized the need for a strong leader at CenterPoint who will have foresight, rather than one who offers reactionary solutions. He also conveyed a direct message to the PUCT, outlining his expectations for them to act in defense of the ratepayers and against unnecessary financial burdens.

The PUCT's Saturday meeting, which was supposed to focus on CenterPoint's handling of Hurricane Beryl and the May derecho, did not serve as a timely platform for public voice, as residents' testimonies were delayed by hours. By the time the floor was opened to public comment, it seemed a reduced audience was left to voice their opinions. The audience dissipation underscored a sense of neglect among the residents, who already felt like they were at the bottom of the ladder. Wells, speaking to an emptied-out room toward the end of the lengthy session, acknowledged the shortcomings of CenterPoint's response to the hurricane, emphasizing his commitment to addressing these issues. "The number of outages were too high, the length of the outages were too long, and our communications did not meet your expectations, and for that, I want to personally apologize to each of you for the pain and frustration that we caused," Wells said in an interview obtained by the Houston Chronicle.