HOUSTON — As Beryl moves toward landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast, CenterPoint Energy said it has activated its emergency response plan in preparation for potential impacts the storm could have on natural gas and electric systems in the Greater Houston area.
The company said its emergency response plan is an "all-hands-on-deck" approach, which means contractors and resources are brought in from other areas of the country for support.
CenterPoint is establishing four staging sites across the Greater Houston area for onboarding mutual assistance resources and providing them with equipment and supplies.
The company said its restoration workforce includes 4,500 skilled lineworkers and vegetation management professionals who will work to remove trees, branches and other vegetation that may impact power lines.
“We stand at the ready to respond to Hurricane Beryl’s impact to our region and are confident we have more than appropriately prepared for our potential response,” said Lynnae Wilson, Senior Vice President of Electric Business.
Due to flooding concerns, CenterPoint's natural gas operations have been preparing crews, resources and materials to respond to customer's calls and reports of meters under water.
The company said once the storm moves through the area and damage assessments begin, it will communicate information regarding the extent of damage and restoration updates.
The company's power outage tracker remains unavailable due to technical issues from the derecho storm on May 16. Because of this, CenterPoint will provide general outage information here every 15 minutes.
CenterPoint said it plans to replace the outage map with a redesigned "cloud-based platform that can be more easily scaled for increased customer traffic."
The company said although real-time updates are currently unavailable, customers are encouraged to enroll in the Power Alert Service to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and community-specific restoration updates.
These updates can be received via phone call, text or email.
CenterPoint said because they can't guarantee continuous power supply during a severe weather event, customers who depend on electricity for "life-sustaining" equipment are encouraged to prepare in the event of loss of electric service.
Here are natural gas and electric safety tips verbatim from CenterPoint:
Natural Gas
- If you smell natural gas — which has a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur — leave the area immediately on foot, and tell others to leave, too. Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. Once safely away from the area, call 911 and CenterPoint Energy, and we will send a trained service technician immediately.
- Do not turn off your natural gas at the meter; your natural gas meter should be left on to maintain proper pressure in the natural gas piping within the house and to prevent water from entering the lines should flooding occur.
- Natural gas can be turned off at each appliance. Later, to restore natural gas service to an appliance, you may follow the written instructions located on the appliance for re-lighting. If you are unable to locate the instructions or don’t feel comfortable re-lighting, call a qualified plumber/technician.
- While conducting exterior clean-up and/or repairs, call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on your property.
- If your home was flooded, call a licensed plumber or a natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances prior to requesting a service reconnection.
- Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.
Electric
- If you experience an electric outage, do not open freezers and refrigerators any more than necessary, as opening these appliances will allow food to thaw more quickly.
- Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated area and never run it inside your residence or in a garage to avoid carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly.
- Never connect a portable electric generator directly to your building’s electrical system during a power outage; electricity could backfeed into the power lines and potentially endanger utility workers, emergency responders or members of the public.
- Have your weatherhead, which connects the overhead power line to your home or business, checked for damage. Any weatherhead problems will need to be repaired by a licensed electrician prior to service being restored.
- Stay away from low-hanging, downed power lines or lines that could be submerged in standing water. Treat all downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment as if they are energized. Report any low-hanging or downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment to CenterPoint Energy by calling 713-207-2222.
- Water poses a potential electric safety threat because it’s a good conductor – always be careful not to touch water, or anything in contact with it, near a downed power line.
- Any amount of water, including a puddle, can become energized. If you see a downed power line near water, retreat to a safe distance, then call CenterPoint Energy immediately at 713-207-2222 to report it.
- Flood water can be hazardous. Always use extreme care when stepping into flooded areas. Submerged outlets or electrical cords can energize water, even from a distance.
- Boats or other vehicles being used in high water can expose you to danger from power lines at their normal height. Be aware and stay away.
- If water has risen above the electrical outlets, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker.
The company said updates will be provided as needed as Beryl moves through its natural gas and electric service territories.
