CenterPoint Energy monitoring the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Storm Rafael gains strength; 2024 hurricane season remains active
CenterPoint Energy is monitoring Tropical Storm Rafael in the Caribbean Sea and activating emergency response plans as the storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by midweek. The company has implemented the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, completing its first phase with installation of 1,100 fiberglass poles, vegetation trimming along 2,000 miles of power lines, and 300 automation devices. The second phase, to be completed before June 1, 2025, includes installing 25,000 extreme wind-resistant poles, trimming 4,000 miles of power lines, adding 4,500 trip savers, and undergrounding 400+ miles of power lines. These improvements aim to reduce outage minutes by 125 million annually.
CenterPoint Energy sta monitorando la Tempesta Tropical Rafael nel Mar dei Caraibi e sta attivando piani di emergenza, poiché si prevede che la tempesta si rafforzi in un uragano entro metà settimana. L'azienda ha attuato l'Iniziativa di Resilienza di Greater Houston, completando la sua prima fase con l'installazione di 1.100 pali in fibra di vetro, la potatura della vegetazione lungo 2.000 miglia di linee elettriche e l'aggiunta di 300 dispositivi di automazione. La seconda fase, da completare entro il 1 giugno 2025, prevede l'installazione di 25.000 pali estremamente resistenti al vento, la potatura di 4.000 miglia di linee elettriche, l'aggiunta di 4.500 dispositivi di protezione e la sotterratura di oltre 400 miglia di linee elettriche. Questi miglioramenti mirano a ridurre il numero di minuti di interruzione di 125 milioni all'anno.
CenterPoint Energy está monitoreando la Tormenta Tropical Rafael en el Mar Caribe y activando planes de respuesta de emergencia, ya que se espera que la tormenta se fortalezca hasta convertirse en un huracán a mediados de semana. La empresa ha implementado la Iniciativa de Resiliencia de Greater Houston, completando su primera fase con la instalación de 1,100 postes de fibra de vidrio, la poda de vegetación a lo largo de 2,000 millas de líneas eléctricas y 300 dispositivos de automatización. La segunda fase, que debe completarse antes del 1 de junio de 2025, incluye la instalación de 25,000 postes resistentes a vientos extremos, la poda de 4,000 millas de líneas eléctricas, la adición de 4,500 dispositivos de ahorro de energía y la soterración de más de 400 millas de líneas eléctricas. Estas mejoras tienen como objetivo reducir los minutos de interrupción en 125 millones anualmente.
CenterPoint Energy는 카리브해에서 열대성 폭풍 라파엘을 모니터링하고 있으며, 폭풍이 주중 중반에 허리케인으로 강화될 것으로 예상됨에 따라 비상 대응 계획을 활성화하고 있습니다. 이 회사는 그레이터 휴스턴 회복력 이니셔티브를 시행하여 1,100개의 섬유유리 전봇대를 설치하고, 2,000마일의 전선 주변 식물 손질, 그리고 300개의 자동화 장치를 추가하여 첫 번째 단계를 완료했습니다. 두 번째 단계는 2025년 6월 1일 이전에 완료될 예정이며, 여기에는 25,000개의 극한 바람 저항 전봇대를 설치하고, 4,000마일의 전선을 손질하며, 4,500개의 트립 세이버를 추가하고, 400마일 이상의 전선을 지중화하는 작업이 포함됩니다. 이러한 개선은 연간 1억 2,500만 분의 정전 시간을 줄이는 것을 목표로 하고 있습니다.
CenterPoint Energy surveille la tempête tropicale Rafael dans la mer des Caraïbes et active des plans d'intervention d'urgence, car la tempête devrait se renforcer en ouragan d'ici le milieu de la semaine. L'entreprise a mis en œuvre l'Initiative de résilience de Greater Houston, achevant sa première phase avec l'installation de 1 100 poteaux en fibre de verre, l'élagage de la végétation sur 2 000 miles de lignes électriques et l'installation de 300 dispositifs d'automatisation. La deuxième phase, qui doit être terminée d'ici le 1er juin 2025, comprend l'installation de 25 000 poteaux résistants aux vents extrêmes, l'élagage de 4 000 miles de lignes électriques, l'ajout de 4 500 dispositifs de protection et l'enfouissement de plus de 400 miles de lignes électriques. Ces améliorations visent à réduire le temps de coupure de 125 millions de minutes par an.
CenterPoint Energy überwacht den Tropensturm Rafael in der Karibik und aktiviert Notfallpläne, da erwartet wird, dass der Sturm bis zur Mitte der Woche zu einem Hurrikan anschwellen wird. Das Unternehmen hat die Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative umgesetzt und die erste Phase mit der Installation von 1.100 Glasfaserpfählen, dem Beschneiden von Vegetation entlang von 2.000 Meilen Stromleitungen und der Implementierung von 300 Automatisierungsdevices abgeschlossen. Die zweite Phase, die bis zum 1. Juni 2025 abgeschlossen sein soll, umfasst die Installation von 25.000 extrem windresistenten Pfählen, das Beschneiden von 4.000 Meilen Stromleitungen, die Hinzufügung von 4.500 Tripp-Sparern und die Verlegung von mehr als 400 Meilen Stromleitungen unter die Erde. Diese Verbesserungen zielen darauf ab, die Ausfallminuten um jährlich 125 Millionen zu reduzieren.
- Implementation of comprehensive Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative to strengthen grid infrastructure
- Installation of 1,100 stronger fiberglass poles and 300 automation devices in Phase One
- Planned installation of 25,000 wind-resistant poles and 4,500 automation devices in Phase Two
- Expected reduction of 125 million outage minutes annually for Greater Houston customers
- Potential service disruptions from approaching Tropical Storm Rafael
- Extended timeline for completion of infrastructure improvements (until June 2025)
Insights
The enhanced infrastructure resilience program represents a significant operational undertaking, with 25,000 new extreme wind-resistant poles and 4,500 automation devices planned for installation. The scope of vegetation management covering 4,000 miles of power lines and strategic undergrounding of 400 miles of lines indicates a robust approach to grid hardening.
These investments should translate to approximately 125 million fewer outage minutes annually for the Greater Houston area, a meaningful improvement in service reliability. The implementation of self-healing grid technology and intelligent switching devices represents a modern approach to power distribution that could significantly reduce restoration times during severe weather events.
- Company continues to take additional and enhanced actions to harden the grid as part of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative
- CenterPoint encourages customers to remain vigilant and have a plan for extreme weather
"The 2024 hurricane season has been a very active one along the Gulf Coast and November looks to be no different. We want all our customers and communities to know that CenterPoint has a plan to address these types of potential weather developments, and we are closely tracking the storm's path and executing the early phase of our preparedness plan," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President, Electric Business. "It's still early and the exact path and intensity of this particular storm will continue to evolve over the coming days. You have our commitment that we will continue to proactively communicate with our customers and the public and keep everyone informed of the weather changes and any potential impacts."
First Phase: Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative
Since Hurricane Beryl earlier this summer, CenterPoint has taken action across the 12-county
In the first phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, CenterPoint crews and contractors installed more than 1,100 stronger and more resilient fiberglass poles, trimmed vegetation along more than 2,000 miles of power lines and installed more than 300 automation devices in neighborhoods across the region.
Second Phase: Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative
The company's second phase is taking the boldest series of resiliency actions in its nearly 160-year history. In early September, CenterPoint announced a comprehensive suite of new actions as part of the next phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), including strengthening the energy system and operations over the next eight months and before the start of the 2025 hurricane season. These extensive near-term actions will: build on the work CenterPoint completed in the first phase of the GHRI, continue to strengthen resiliency, improve its communications and develop stronger partnerships, and help reinforce its electric system as it prepares for both the upcoming winter season and the 2025 hurricane season.
The actions in GHRI Phase Two will help enable a self-healing grid, reduce the length and frequency of outages and lead to more than 125 million fewer outage minutes annually for customers in the Greater Houston area. Work will be completed ahead of the 2025 hurricane season, or June 1, 2025, and will include:
- Installing new or replacing 25,000 poles that meet extreme wind standards;
- Trimming or removing higher-risk vegetation across 4,000 miles of power lines;
- Installing 4,500 automation devices, known as trip savers, and 350 Intelligent Grid Switching Devices as part of our effort to build a self-healing grid that utilizes automation to respond to outages faster; and
- Strategically undergrounding more than 400 miles of power lines.
Customers encouraged to have a plan
The company encourages customers to update their emergency plans and assemble a storm preparedness kit that includes essential items such as nonperishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, any necessary medications, a battery-powered radio and a portable charger for mobile devices.
Call to Action: Power Alert Service
Customers should remember that a storm is a powerful force of nature that can cause significant damage and widespread, lengthy electricity outages. Conditions can also change unexpectedly and for the worse.
Customers are encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times, as available or determined, and customer-specific restoration updates in the event of severe weather. With the option to receive updates via phone call, text or email, Power Alert Service® helps keep customers, and their friends or families, informed of restoration progress during an outage event. Customers can also find additional resources at CenterPointEnergy.com/StormCenter.
New and improved Outage Tracker with greater web resiliency
Within 24 hours of a tropical storm or hurricane exiting our service area, CenterPoint will communicate an estimated time of restoration (ETR) for the entire system and will update the estimated times of restoration at least daily thereafter. The new and improved Outage Tracker will be used to update individual customers on their expected restoration date as soon as possible after restoration expectations are determined.
To learn more about Outage Tracker's new features and functionality, watch the demonstration video.
For an in-depth, step-by-step guide to using the Outage Tracker, click here.
About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in
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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy
FAQ
What is CenterPoint Energy's (CNP) response to Tropical Storm Rafael?
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