As a winter storm system looms over the Greater Houston area this weekend, CenterPoint Energy is bolstering its workforce with an additional 600 frontline workers, taking its total to roughly 3,300 personnel ready to tackle potential outages and infrastructure damage. These reinforcements will form part of the strategic plan that includes three staging areas set up on Thursday to streamline the response to any severe weather impacts, as reported by KHOU 11.
CenterPoint Energy is preparing for the winter storm with about 200 personnel in its Emergency Operations Center and 2,500 employees, contractors, and vegetation management teams on standby. Don Daigler, the company’s senior vice president of emergency preparedness, told KHOU 11 that pre-storm checks, tree trimming, and other resources are in place to maintain electric and gas service during severe weather.
Learning from the 2021 freeze that left millions without power, Texas has strengthened its energy systems. Governor Greg Abbott told KHOU 11 that with the upgrades, “there won't be a problem with the grid.”
While state officials are confident, experts urge residents to stay cautious. KHOU 11 Energy Expert Ed Hirs noted that despite improvements, the grid can still be vulnerable to ice on transmission lines, potentially causing localized outages. CenterPoint has inspected and tested all 270 electric substations and optimized its infrastructure, according to ABC13.
