CenterPoint shares regulatory declaration of
winter readiness and completion of key actions to inspect and test
equipment, strengthen the grid, and prepare for winter storm
events
Company participated in joint exercise with
the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and other utility partners to prepare
for extreme cold-weather events
HOUSTON, Dec. 12,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, as part of its 2025
winter storm readiness efforts, CenterPoint Energy shared the
completion of key actions to prepare for the coming winter season
and mitigate potential impacts of extreme cold weather events. The
pre-winter storm readiness actions CenterPoint is taking include:
(1) inspecting and testing cold-weather critical equipment; (2)
submitting a formal declaration of winter preparedness to
regulatory oversight agencies; and (3) coordinating emergency plans
with utility partners and grid operators, including a joint
training exercise with the Electric Reliability Council of
Texas (ERCOT).
"Our CenterPoint Texas team is focused on working closely with
our emergency partners and preparing the grid for the impact of
potential winter storms and extreme cold. As part of this effort,
we are taking actions that will be vital if, or when, a winter
storm impacts the energy system. Our goal is to be ready to respond
to any emergency, even as we build the most resilient and reliable
coastal grid in the country that can withstand extreme weather at
any time of the year," said Darin
Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint Energy's
Electric Business.
Critical Winter Readiness Action: Annual Declaration of
Winter Readiness
CenterPoint submitted its annual
declarations of winter readiness to both ERCOT and the Railroad
Commission of Texas. These
declarations demonstrate that CenterPoint has completed the
regulatory requirements that were adopted in 2021 to prepare
electric and natural gas infrastructure for winter storms and
extreme cold weather and aims to provide customers with more
reliable service.
The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint
include:
- Inspecting and testing critical
equipment, including all 270 substations, to prepare for
high demand and cold temperatures;
- Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across
the Greater Houston area,
including by installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage
or buildup;
- Maintaining freeze protection equipment and
enclosures for cold-weather critical components;
- Repairing damaged or degraded thermal insulation and
water-proofing materials; and
- Conducting emergency training for hundreds of
operational personnel and contractors to prepare for, mitigate and
respond to the impacts of severe winter weather.
Critical Winter Readiness Action: Joint ERCOT Training
Exercises
Last week, CenterPoint participated in a joint
tabletop exercise with ERCOT and industry partners to prepare for
potential winter weather events that cause high energy demand and
create a strain on the electric grid. This exercise included a
tabletop review of different scenarios and exams for participants
to foster collaboration and coordination around winter
preparedness.
The ERCOT-hosted training was one of several exercises and
trainings that CenterPoint teams participate in throughout the
year. These exercises help CenterPoint and other utilities across
Texas to be more closely aligned
and prepared to partner in response to weather events that increase
demand and strain the grid.
Critical Winter Readiness Actions: Customer Winter Storm
Safety Campaign
In the coming weeks, the company will
proactively share vital safety information with customers and local
partners about how they can plan ahead to prepare for extreme
winter weather, including important safety tips, programs and
resources that will help the Greater
Houston community prepare for the risk of extreme cold
weather events. For more winter preparedness information, customers
can visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyForWinter.
About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only
investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is
an energy delivery company with electric transmission and
distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution
operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in
Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees,
CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in
business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit
CenterPointEnergy.com.
For more information, contact:
Communications
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com
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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy