Houston, Texas – Approximately 14,000 residents in the Houston area were still experiencing power outages on Tuesday afternoon following intense thunderstorms that swept through Montgomery County, Houston, and Fort Bend County.
As of 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, CenterPoint Energy reported that 90% of affected customers had their power restored, with complete restoration anticipated by 10 p.m. However, these outages have highlighted ongoing issues in regions like Humble, where residents have faced frequent service interruptions.
Patrick Hastings, a Humble area resident for 15 years, expressed frustration about the recurring outages, indicating that he has lost power between 20 to 30 times over the past year. The disruptions are particularly challenging for Hastings, who works from home and risks losing pay due to these power failures.
Hastings pointed to infrastructure problems, specifically a downed power pole that has not been addressed since Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, along with tree limbs encroaching on power lines near his home. Despite the launch of CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative 10 months ago aimed at improving service reliability, residents like Hastings feel their concerns are not being adequately addressed.
In response to the issues, Keith Stephens, CenterPoint Energy’s senior vice president, highlighted some improvements this year. He noted that customers have experienced 20 million fewer minutes of outages than typical for this time of year.
To enhance communication and address community concerns, CenterPoint plans to introduce an upgraded outage tracker feature that will allow customers to upload photos of vegetation or infrastructure issues that need attention. This enhancement aims to empower residents to report problems more effectively and facilitate quicker resolutions.
This step reflects CenterPoint Energy’s ongoing commitment to improving reliability and community engagement, potentially leading to better service outcomes for residents in the future.