https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/energy-environment/2025/02/05/513073/ratepayer-whiplash-centerpoint-now-seeks-6-billion-for-energy-resiliency-in-houston/?amp=1
"Months after wrapping up a multi-million dollar initiative to harden Houston's energy infrastructure after Hurricane Beryl left the city in the dark, CenterPoint Energy is now seeking to invest nearly $6 billion in the grid and customers will again foot the bill.
...
Outlined in the application documents, the Systemwide Resiliency Plan is expected to move nearly 50 percent of the company's power lines underground, deploy a vegetation management cycle for transmission and distribution lines and install self-healing automation devices on lines to reduce potential outages.
The cost to customers would come as a $2 per month increase in 2026, another $2 increase in 2027 and up $3.33 per month near the end of 2028, Logan Anderson, a CenterPoint Energy spokesperson said.
...
If approved by state officials, the project is expected to avoid outages for more than 500,000 customers in the event of another storm like Beryl. It will also elevate 99 percent of substations above the 500-year flood plain, and install 130,000 more storm-resilient poles."
Not repair work, but future proofing against storms.
Curious if this just ohysical relocation and undergrounding of lines (which is a nightmare in Harris County, they don't have accurate locations and depths). Or also gardening against EMP etc...
"Months after wrapping up a multi-million dollar initiative to harden Houston's energy infrastructure after Hurricane Beryl left the city in the dark, CenterPoint Energy is now seeking to invest nearly $6 billion in the grid and customers will again foot the bill.
...
Outlined in the application documents, the Systemwide Resiliency Plan is expected to move nearly 50 percent of the company's power lines underground, deploy a vegetation management cycle for transmission and distribution lines and install self-healing automation devices on lines to reduce potential outages.
The cost to customers would come as a $2 per month increase in 2026, another $2 increase in 2027 and up $3.33 per month near the end of 2028, Logan Anderson, a CenterPoint Energy spokesperson said.
...
If approved by state officials, the project is expected to avoid outages for more than 500,000 customers in the event of another storm like Beryl. It will also elevate 99 percent of substations above the 500-year flood plain, and install 130,000 more storm-resilient poles."
Not repair work, but future proofing against storms.
Curious if this just ohysical relocation and undergrounding of lines (which is a nightmare in Harris County, they don't have accurate locations and depths). Or also gardening against EMP etc...