Staff Reports
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into CenterPoint Energy, the national utility company that left millions of Texans in the dark during the infamous Hurricane Beryl. This hurricane, which notably wasn’t named after a country singer, managed to knock out power for nearly three million people around Houston. Let’s just say, if you thought the lights were going out in Georgia, they were really out in Texas.
The crux of Paxton’s investigation uncovers allegations of fraud, waste, and a good old-fashioned mismanagement of taxpayer funds that ought to make any Texan’s blood boil. With Hurricane Beryl claiming the lives of 22 people in the Houston area—half of those from heat-related causes due to the power outages—one must wonder how many extra “sorry for the inconvenience” cards CenterPoint was handing out while families scrambled for cool relief. The Attorney General’s Office has made it clear that if any impropriety is discovered, the full weight of the law will come crashing down on those responsible. Someone should remind CenterPoint that this isn’t an episode of ‘Survivor’—there won’t be any second chances here.
Governor Greg Abbott and other prominent Texas Republicans are solidly backing Paxton’s investigation, which makes this one of the few instances where both the state and Harris County can agree on anything. Even the most disjointed groups in Texas politics seem to unite with a shared disdain for how CenterPoint managed their operations during the hurricane. If politicians can band together over a common adversary, it’s a telltale sign that Texas might just be ready for a cheerleading squad of conciliation once again, provided it’s aimed at utilities rather than their own disagreements.
Inbox: The Public Utility Commission of Texas has issued requests for information to utilities impacted by Hurricane Beryl as part of its ongoing investigation into #Houston Area utility storm preparedness and response. Utilities must file their responses to the RFIs by Aug. 30 pic.twitter.com/wXyViemdes
— Holly Hansen (@hollyshansen) August 13, 2024
With temperatures soaring and outages lasting longer than a Texas summer day, it should come as no surprise that many are questioning CenterPoint’s preparedness for storms. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee openly acknowledged that the residents of Houston weren’t given the support they needed, and the lack of effective communication from CenterPoint didn’t help either. It would seem that when the chips were down, those electrical chips were on the fritz too, leading to a collective groan of frustration from the locals. The inability to contact customers and restore power promptly during a storm? That’s the kind of operational hiccup that no one wants to see in a utility company—especially one trusted with keeping the lights on.
In response to all of this scrutiny, CenterPoint announced they would speed up their infrastructure improvements and put together a list of more than 40 tasks aimed at fortifying the electric grid. They claim they’ve heard the calls for change, but one can’t help but wonder if they were more motivated by the impending investigation and potential legal repercussions than a heartfelt devotion to duty. CenterPoint President and CEO, Jason Wells, wanted to assure everyone that they are committed to becoming the “most resilient coastal utility in the country,” which sounds impressive, unless you remember that’s really just a low bar considering their recent performance.
As for whether any legal action will follow Paxton’s investigation, that remains unclear. But in Texas, where everything is bigger—including the outrage over power outages—one thing is certain: come hell or high water, Texans expect their power companies not only to deliver service but to do so in a way that doesn’t leave families sweating it out in the dark. If there are repercussions for CenterPoint, then it’s all just a good lesson in accountability—Texan style.
