Gov. Abbott threatens CenterPoint: Rectify ‘failure’ during Beryl or have service area reduced

In a stern message to CenterPoint Energy Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott threatened the Houston-region electricity provider will have its service area reduced if it doesn’t rectify its “failures” to properly prepare and respond to Hurricane Beryl.

Abbott also promised the Public Utilities Commission, the state’s utilities regulator, will investigate CenterPoint’s response.

“Maybe they have too large of an area for them to be able to manage adequately,” Abbott said. “It’s time to reevaluate whether or not Centerpoint should have such a large territory.”

CenterPoint services roughly 2.8 million customers across nearly all of Harris and Fort Bend counties.

The comments come nearly one week after Beryl blew through Houston and wiped out power to 2.2 million — or 80 percent of — CenterPoint’s customers. The company has faced widespread criticism since, many claiming the company was unprepared and their response was botched.

Gov. Abbott’s comments Sunday, delivered while roughly 385,000 customers remained without power, became the most forceful voice to take aim at CenterPoint. He also promised to work with legislators to draft laws that would improve power reliability.

“The communication is unacceptable,” Abbott said. “Corrections are coming whether you like it or not.”

Abbott also delivered a list of demands for the company, which he said CenterPoint must have a plan for by July 31 or he will sign executive orders to require them “to do what I expect them to do.”

Abbott commanded that CenterPoint:

• Remove all vegetation that threatens power lines by Aug. 31.

• Outline actions for reducing or eliminating power outages if another tropical storm arrives in the Gulf Coast.

• Specify how they will pre-stage a more “sufficient” number of workers to respond to power outages.

• Fix all poles by next year’s hurricane season.

• Create a plan to “retain or quickly restore” power to nursing homes and hospitals.

“We’re all aboard this freight train that’s coming,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who acted as governor throughout Beryl’s immediate aftermath while Abbott was on an economic trip in East Asia.

CenterPoint did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As of Sunday afternoon, the company had restored power to 1.85 million customers, with roughly 395,000 still in the dark. CenterPoint estimates some customers in the hardest hit areas could be without power until Friday, July 19.