More than 2 million CenterPoint customers have no electricity | Here’s how you can still watch KPRC 2 News (2024)

HOUSTON – The list of power outages across the Houston area grew Monday as Hurricane Beryl pushed farther inland after making landfall in Matagorda overnight.

At the height of outages Monday, CenterPoint Energy reported more than 2.2M customers without power.

As of Monday at 3:30 p.m., that number stood at 2,186,389.

Click here to view the CenterPoint Energy outage page.

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If you’re without power, you can watch the KPRC 2+ livestream on your phone to stay updated.

CenterPoint preparing for Beryl

CenterPoint Energy was closely monitoring the forecast and preparing for potential impacts to its natural gas and electric systems over the weekend as Beryl approached landfall.

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“In preparation for potential severe weather across the Texas coast and Greater Houston area, CenterPoint is reminding all customers to develop an emergency plan and assemble a hurricane preparedness kit that includes essential items such as non-perishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit, any necessary medications, a battery-powered radio and a portable charger for mobile devices,” the agency said.

CenterPoint Energy shared on social media:

“We’ve been all-hands-on-deck through the night as #HurricaneBeryl made landfall with sustained winds of 80 mph and bringing the threat of flash flooding. We’re continuing to monitor conditions and impact to our system. As soon as safe to do so, you’ll see our crews headed out to start assessing damage and developing restoration plans. Stay safe and shelter in place, if possible.”

Right now, the agency’s outage tracker is unavailable due to technical issues revealed during the deadly derecho that hit Houston in May. In the interim, CenterPoint will be providing general outage information which will be updated every 15 minutes.

CenterPoint plans to replace the outage map with a redesigned cloud-based platform that can be more easily scaled for increased customer traffic by the end of the month.

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“Although real-time updates from Outage Tracker are currently unavailable, CenterPoint’s electric customers are encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times, as available or determined, and community-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 informed of restoration progress during an outage event,” the agency says. “Because CenterPoint cannot guarantee an uninterrupted, regular or continuous power supply during a severe weather event, customers who depend on electricity for life-sustaining equipment are encouraged to make alternate arrangements for on-site back-up capabilities or other alternatives in the event of loss of electric service.”

The company shared some safety tips for electricity and natural gas during Beryl:

Natural Gas

• If you smell natural gas — which has a distinctive, strong odor, often compared to rotten eggs or sulfur — leave the area immediately on foot, and tell others to leave, too. Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. Once safely away from the area, call 911 and CenterPoint Energy, and we will send a trained service technician immediately.

• Do not turn off your natural gas at the meter; your natural gas meter should be left on to maintain proper pressure in the natural gas piping within the house and to prevent water from entering the lines should flooding occur.

• Natural gas can be turned off at each appliance. Later, to restore natural gas service to an appliance, you may follow the written instructions located on the appliance for re-lighting. If you are unable to locate the instructions or don’t feel comfortable re-lighting, call a qualified plumber/technician.

• While conducting exterior clean-up and/or repairs, call 811 to locate utility lines prior to digging on your property.

• If your home was flooded, call a licensed plumber or a natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances prior to requesting a service reconnection.

• Be cautious around work crews and give them plenty of room to safely assess damage and make repairs.

Electric

• If you experience an electric outage, do not open freezers and refrigerators any more than necessary, as opening these appliances will allow food to thaw more quickly.

• Only use a portable generator in a well-ventilated area and never run it inside your residence or in a garage to avoid carbon monoxide fumes, which can be deadly.

• Never connect a portable electric generator directly to your building’s electrical system during a power outage; electricity could backfeed into the power lines and potentially endanger utility workers, emergency responders or members of the public.

• Have your weatherhead, which connects the overhead power line to your home or business, checked for damage. Any weatherhead problems will need to be repaired by a licensed electrician prior to service being restored.

• Stay away from low-hanging, downed power lines or lines that could be submerged in standing water. Treat all downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment as if they are energized. Report any low-hanging or downed power lines and damaged electric utility equipment to CenterPoint Energy by calling 713-207-2222.

• Water poses a potential electric safety threat because it’s a good conductor – always be careful not to touch water, or anything in contact with it, near a downed power line.

• Any amount of water, including a puddle, can become energized. If you see a downed power line near water, retreat to a safe distance, then call CenterPoint Energy immediately at 713-207-2222 to report it.

• Flood water can be hazardous. Always use extreme care when stepping into flooded areas. Submerged outlets or electrical cords can energize water, even from a distance.

• Boats or other vehicles being used in high water can expose you to danger from power lines at their normal height. Be aware and stay away.

• If water has risen above the electrical outlets, contact a licensed electrician before turning on the main circuit breaker.