After strong storm system with winds topping 85 mph caused significant damage to CenterPoint Energy's electric system this past Thursday, the utility has restored 700,000 customers, or 75% of customers who were impacted. Category 2 hurricane-like winds and tornadoes devastated parts of its Greater Houston service area on May 16, and while the restoration progress was affected by extensive damage and difficult restorations as repairs continued, the company remains on track to be substantially complete with restoration by Wednesday evening.
"We appreciate the continued patience of our customers who lost electricity, especially given the higher temperatures and humidity across our area," said Lynnae Wilson, senior vice president, Electric Business. “We know it has been a difficult 72 hours for them and we will continue to work around-the-clock to restore their service."
As restoration continues for the approximately 240,000 customers without power, CenterPoint continues to make steady progress. In all, the company anticipates clearing thousands of trees by the end of the restoration event. CenterPoint expects to restore approximately 85% of the customers impacted by Thursday's storms by Monday evening.
CenterPoint initially deployed more than 2,000 employees and contractors, with approximately 4,000 lineworkers and 1,000 vegetation professionals requested for mutual assistance support.
Wilson added, “Due to the extent of the damage to our transmission system, we are also deploying mobile generation resources at certain substations that will enable us to temporarily restore power to certain areas of our service territory."
The storm system caused extensive damage to the company's transmission and distribution electric systems. Wind gusts between 65-85 mph and sustained winds equivalent to a tropical storm, or a Category 1 Hurricane, were seen downtown and eastward toward northern Galveston Bay. The hardest-hit area was likely over the 290 corridor from Jersey Village to Waller (e.g., North region west of I-45) where there was strong evidence of a tornado based on Doppler radar data. Restoration work is expected to continue through the weekend and into early next week.
