'Clock is ticking': Texas Gov. Abbott gives utility company deadline to fix power outages (2024)

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has given the utility company under fire for the prolonged and widespread power outages in the Houston area until the end of the month to develop a plan to minimize future outages or face unspecified executive orders to address its shortcomings.

CenterPoint Energy, which is responsible for delivering electricity from the generation source to the homes and businesses in its service area, has taken the brunt of criticism for the high-water mark of 2.2 million Houston area electric customers who lost power after Beryl slammed ashore last week as a Category 1 hurricane. The company has said 98% of those customers have had their power restored, but that still leaves nearly 300,000 customers without lights, refrigeration, and air conditioning amid sweltering heat.

A deadly heat wave has baked the region in the past week as some residents who lost power took shelter in their vehicles, cooling centers, and hotels. Houston had a heat index of 103 degrees Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Just suffice it to say that the clock is ticking for CenterPoint to step up and get the job done," Abbott said at a news conference Monday in Houston, where he was joined by Mayor John Whitmire and Thomas Gleeson, chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission.

"The lack of power (from) CenterPoint continues to compromise lives here in the Greater Houston-Harris County area," Abbott added. "If you are without power in the extreme heat that we are facing, that alone can cause challenges."

Meanwhile, state and local agencies are providing ready-made meals to people without power and access to food, water, and other necessities, Abbott said. Law enforcement presence in the area has also increased with the deployment of more Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and other officers from various parts of Texas.

'No end in sight':Days after Beryl, oppressive heat and no power for more than 500k in Texas

CenterPoint Energy promises to restore power to remaining customers

In a news release Monday, CenterPoint said it was "repositioning crews and equipment" to make repairs to damaged wires and poles in areas with the most urgent needs. Although power has been restored to nearly 2 million customers, a top company official acknowledged that too many people are still having to wait.

“We know the remaining customers are counting on us and are committed to restoring power to all remaining customers able to receive it," said Lynnae Wilson, a senior CenterPoint vice president.

As CenterPoint scrambles to alleviate the remaining outages, Abbott's directives require it to provide the governor's office with detailed plans for removing all vegetation that threatens power lines, specify how it will prepare for future tropical storms that threaten the Gulf Coast, and specify action it will take to position personnel "to immediately respond to any power outages that may occur for any tropical storm that hits their service region."

Gleeson, whose agency regulates the Texas electricity market, said the state Public Utility Commission will also investigate CenterPoint's actions related to the outages.

"CenterPoint has to do better. I cannot urge this enough," Gleeson said. "I have tried to stress with their executives that CenterPoint has to have a sense of urgency. What I guarantee to the governor is I will bring back actions that we can do immediately and not wait to address. I will expect those to be done during this hurricane season."

This isn't the first time CenterPoint has taken heat for power outages. In 2020, Texas grocery store chain H-E-B sued the energy company over a requested rate increase, arguing that it had been forced to install backup generators at its stores due to repeated outages and that it shouldn't have to foot a larger energy bill in addition to those costs. H-E-B won, and the company ousted its CEO.

Aftermath of Hurricane Beryl

Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record, churned through the Caribbean earlier this month as it damaged infrastructure and power lines in Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. At least 11 people were killed across the Caribbean.

In the United States, Texas took the brunt of the storm as it slammed the state's Gulf Coast last Monday as a Category 1 hurricane.

Heavy rain and strong gusts flooded streets, trapped people in their cars, and knocked out power to more than 2 million homes and businesses. Beryl also spun numerous tornadoes in the state and parts of the Ohio Valley.

Residents were left without electricity for days and at least one death is believed to be linked to heat exposure while at least two people in Harris County died from carbon monoxide poisoning, a major risk when operating home generators,USA TODAY previously reported. The Houston Chronicle reported that storm-related deaths in the region climbed to 13.

Contributing: Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

'Clock is ticking': Texas Gov. Abbott gives utility company deadline to fix power outages (2024)

FAQs

'Clock is ticking': Texas Gov. Abbott gives utility company deadline to fix power outages? ›

"Just suffice it to say that the clock is ticking for CenterPoint

CenterPoint
CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is an American utility company based in Houston, Texas, that provides electric and natural gas utility to customers in several markets in the American states of Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Texas.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › CenterPoint_Energy
to step up and get the job done," Abbott said at a news conference Monday in Houston, where he was joined by Mayor John Whitmire and Thomas Gleeson, chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission.

Why does Texas have so many power outages? ›

That's because the massive network of equipment that moves electricity across the state and then to individual Texas homes and businesses is unprepared for the severe weather expected in years ahead, experts say. Making it more resilient will require utilities to invest money to strengthen the system over time.

What is the problem with Ercot in Texas? ›

ERCOT has experienced a growing number of these inverter-based resource failures, particularly in West Texas. In 2021 and again in 2022, more than 1,000 megawatts of solar resources tripped offline near Odessa, prompting the North American Electric Reliability Corp.

Why did Ercot start cutting power to consumers in Texas? ›

In May, ERCOT asked Texans to conserve power during a heat wave that coincided with six power plant outages. Climate change has made Texas heat both hotter and longer lasting. The average daily minimum and maximum temperatures in Texas have both increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 125 years.

What state has the most power outages? ›

The U.S. States with the Most and Least Power Outages

With the most annual power outages, Maine is surely left in the dark. The Pine Tree State tops the list with an average of 4.35 power outages every year, a stark increase above the national average of 1.62 per year.

Why is Texas the only state with its own power grid? ›

Basically, Texas has its own grid to avoid dealing with — you guessed it — the feds. But grid independence has been violated a few times over the years — not even counting Mexico's help during blackouts in 2011.

Who has more power outages, Texas or California? ›

Number of major blackouts by select state in the United States 2000-2023. Between 2000 and 2023, Texas was the leading U.S. state for major power outages, with almost 264 blackouts in the 23-year period. California followed, with 238 major power outages throughout the period under consideration.

Why did Texas power grid shut down? ›

While not a direct cause, the Commission's minimal oversight of utility companies, limited budget, and voluntary standards restricted its ability to secure consistent performance. There was not only insufficient power generation capacity online, but also insufficient natural gas supply to the power plants.

How much of Texas is under ERCOT? ›

ERCOT, through the Texas Interconnection, manages electricity across 214 of the state's 254 counties (Exhibit 1). Select areas including El Paso, parts of the Texas Panhandle and the counties bordering Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma in East Texas are served by neighboring grids instead.

Why is Texas paying so much for electricity? ›

Texas' deregulated energy market contributes to the state's volatile electricity prices, according to Ed Hirs, energy fellow at the University of Houston.

Can ERCOT control my thermostat in Texas? ›

Yes, Texas energy companies can remotely control your thermostat - depending on your plan. It was unclear how many homes had thermostats changed Wednesday, though TXU said tens of thousands of customers participate in the program.

How many people died in the Texas power grid failure? ›

Texas's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has attributed 210 deaths to the outages, with causes like hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning (2), but the true number of outage-related deaths may top 700 when considering indirect deaths (3). Three factors led to severe outages.

Who controls ERCOT in Texas? ›

Governance. ERCOT is governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Texas Legislature. The PUC has primary jurisdiction over activities conducted by ERCOT. Three PUC commissioners, including the chair, are appointed by the governor of Texas.

Will there be a blackout in 2024 in the USA? ›

More blackouts are expected in 2024 and beyond.

The report, produced by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), says that as we head into 2024, North Americans can expect more frequent and prolonged power outages.

What state has the cleanest power? ›

Washington. In 2019, Washington passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), setting in motion the state's plan to transition to a carbon-free economy by 2045. Three years later, in 2022, Washington's power sector emissions were the lowest in the country at a rate of 0.09 tCO2/MWh.

Why has electricity gone up so much in Texas? ›

Texas' deregulated energy market contributes to the state's volatile electricity prices, according to Ed Hirs, energy fellow at the University of Houston.

Why does Texas consume so much power? ›

However, because Texas produces much more energy than it consumes, it is the nation's largest net energy supplier. The Texas industrial sector, which includes the energy-intensive chemical manufacturing, crude oil and natural gas extraction, and petroleum refining industries, is the state's largest energy consumer.

Why did Texas lose power last year? ›

As Texas faced record-low temperatures in February 2021 and snow and ice made roads impassable, the state's electric grid operator lost control of the power supply, leaving millions without access to electricity.

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