CenterPoint activates Emergency Operations Center as Invest 97L approaches

HOUSTON - Houston-area residents could see heavy rain and flash flooding Tuesday as Invest 97L approaches the coast6. CenterPoint Energy is already taking action to prepare the region's power grid before the storm moves in.

CenterPoint monitoring weather

CenterPoint Energy states they have activated their Emergency Operations Center as of Monday morning to monitor Invest 97L as weather models evolve.

Officials report the weather sysetem has the potential to bring several inches of heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and gusty winds to the Greater Houston region beginning Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday.

In response, CenterPoint is readying its workforce and contractors to quickly handle any potential power outages or gas service disruptions.

What they're saying:

Jason Fabre, CenterPoint Energy’s Vice President of Special Response & Distribution Operations and Incident Commander gave this statement:

"Our Emergency Operations Center is monitoring the potential impacts from Invest 97L to the Greater Houston area Tuesday and Wednesday," he said. "We have activated our preparedness plans, and our crews and contractors stand ready to respond to any service impacts for our customers. We are closely monitoring the weather models as conditions continue to evolve and urge our customers to stay alert in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions."

CenterPoint preparing for weather changes

CenterPoint personnel are working across the service territory to prepare equipment and infrastructure ahead of the storm. These actions include:

• Crews are checking power lines and electric substations across Greater Houston to address potential vulnerabilities.
• Local crews are inspecting and trimming trees and hazardous vegetation near power lines to prevent damage from high winds.
• CenterPoint’s meteorology team is tracking the system around the clock to adjust response efforts as needed.
• Officials are actively coordinating with local government leaders and emergency management partners.

What you can do:

To stay informed during the storm, customers can enroll in CenterPoint’s free Power Alert Service to receive personalized outage updates, estimated restoration times, and texts or emails regarding their service.

Real-time regional outages and restoration progress can also be tracked using CenterPoint's online Outage Tracker.