A week after Hurricane Beryl’s destructive passage through Texas, nearly 300,000 residents in southeastern parts of the state remain without electricity, struggling amid soaring temperatures.
As of Monday morning, around 300,000 energy customers were still in the dark, according to PowerOutage.us. This prolonged outage leaves many Texans sweltering in a heat wave that has seen temperatures spike up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit.
The National Weather Service reported that over 119 million Americans were under extreme heat advisories, predicting temperatures reaching 100 degrees or more across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.
CenterPoint Energy, the primary electricity provider for the greater Houston area, announced it had restored power to nearly 2 million customers—approximately 90% of those affected by Beryl. The hurricane had caused widespread damage, bringing down numerous power lines and toppling trees onto homes.
Governor Greg Abbott expressed his dissatisfaction at a news conference on Sunday, demanding that CenterPoint Energy provide a comprehensive plan to enhance their hurricane preparedness by the end of the month.
“The inability of power companies to deliver electricity to their customers is wholly unacceptable,” Abbott stated. “Our foremost concern is preserving life, and the ongoing power outage poses a significant risk to that objective.”
Abbott set a deadline of July 31 for CenterPoint to submit a detailed strategy addressing power outage prevention and mitigation during severe weather events. This plan must include measures for managing vegetation that could threaten power lines.
He warned that failure to meet these requirements could result in an executive order aimed at ensuring continuous power supply during critical times.
Additionally, Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to investigate the delays in restoring power to affected households.
“It is unacceptable that millions of Texans in the Greater Houston area were left without electricity for days,” he asserted. “We must understand why some utilities in Texas were unable to promptly restore power following a Category 1 hurricane.”
CenterPoint responded with a statement emphasizing their commitment to restoring power to the remaining customers as swiftly and safely as possible. The company highlighted the extensive efforts of their crews, who worked around the clock over the weekend, tackling areas with significant structural damage.
“We have heard and understood our customers’ frustrations,” CenterPoint acknowledged. They noted that initial forecasts had indicated Beryl would bypass Houston, and it was only when the storm’s path changed that they mobilized 3,000 staff members to address the ensuing damage.
In a move to provide relief, Governor Abbott announced on Saturday the addition of 17 counties to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s individual assistance program. This expansion allows residents and business owners who suffered damages to apply for financial assistance.
As Texas continues to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, the focus remains on restoring power and addressing the challenges posed by extreme weather conditions. The state’s leadership is pressing for improved disaster preparedness to mitigate future risks and ensure the safety and well-being of its residents.
