CenterPoint Energy Plans Improvements After Hurricane Beryl

Following Hurricane Beryl, which left over 2.2 million customers in Houston without power, CenterPoint Energy's CEO Jason Wells apologized to customers and promised improvements in storm response and system resilience. During a Public Utility Commission meeting, executives outlined a plan to enhance vegetation management, communication strategies, and emergency response coordination, including the introduction of a new outage tracker by August 1. Wells acknowledged the company's shortcomings and emphasized the need for urgent changes, stating, "We will do better." The outages resulted in at least 14 heat-related deaths, prompting Texas Governor Greg Abbott to call for an investigation into the company's response. Critics, including PUC Commissioner Lori Cobos, questioned why the utility had not previously implemented necessary improvements. Amid public outcry, CenterPoint is under scrutiny from state officials and regulators to ensure better preparedness for future emergencies.