CenterPoint faced intense scrutiny during a lengthy hearing on Saturday before the Public Utility Commission of Texas, as the commission investigates the company’s handling of widespread power outages following Hurricane Beryl in July.
During the public comment segment, numerous frustrated CenterPoint customers voiced their grievances.
“I tried calling CenterPoint for three straight days,” one woman complained.
Some customers reported waiting up to 12 days after Beryl’s landfall to have their power restored.
“This is the best job ever—you can screw up and still get paid. That’s exactly how I feel right now,” another customer remarked.
Hurricane Beryl has been linked to at least 20 deaths in Harris County, many due to heat exhaustion. Survivors endured days in the sweltering heat without electricity, unclear on when power would be restored, and were forced to throw away spoiled food.
“Out of everything I had to toss, losing my jar of Hellmann’s mayonnaise hurt the most. It was my favorite,” Michelle Blackwell shared with commissioners.
CenterPoint responded by announcing a $5 billion commitment to infrastructure improvements. Since Beryl, the company has replaced over 1,100 power poles with sturdier concrete ones and trimmed vegetation along more than 2,000 miles of power lines. By June 2025, it plans to bury 400 miles of power lines and install 25,000 concrete poles.
Despite these measures, commissioners pressed for more details during the hearing.
“From CenterPoint, it would be helpful to know which power lines have had vegetation management and which poles have been replaced,” Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty said.
The timeline for the PUC’s investigation and potential consequences for CenterPoint remains unclear.
