CenterPoint activates Emergency Operations Center ahead of winter weather

HOUSTON - CenterPoint Energy announced on Wednesday they have activated their Emergency Operations Center to support the incoming winter weather to Houston and parts of Southeast Texas.

In a press release, CenterPoint stated they are working with state and local agencies to monitor weather models and prepare to address possible service impacts on electric and natural gas customers.

Winter weather impacts

What we know:

A powerful arctic cold front is expected to move through Saturday, bringing very cold rain, some sleet and eventually icy roadways by the evening.

Temperatures will fall quickly behind the front, accompanied by gusty north winds, nasty wind chills, and much colder air spreading south through the day.

Areas north of Houston could feel temps drop below freezing through the day which will increase the risk for freezing rain and icy roads by Saturday night and through Sunday.

CenterPoint readiness plans

What they're saying:

"Our CenterPoint teams are mobilized, performing pre-storm checks, and ready to respond to winter weather conditions on both the electric and gas systems. We have activated the company’s Emergency Operations Center and are coordinating with government and industry stakeholders to be ready to respond to any impacts from the forecasted conditions, including icy weather, strong winds, and wintry precipitation," said Don Daigler, CenterPoint’s Senior Vice President, Emergency Preparedness and Response. "We urge our customers to stay aware of evolving weather forecasts, prepare now and have an emergency plan in place for yourself and your loved ones."

What's next:

According to CenterPoint, their pre-winter safety and readiness actions include:

• Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts.
• Coordinating with the Texas Public Utility Commission and ERCOT about statewide energy needs.
• Communicating with customers to provide safety and preparedness information directly via email and help keep customers informed and prepared.
• Conducting outreach to critical care customers by email, phone or text.
• Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming, and conducting inspections to prepare for wintery precipitation and cold temperatures.
• Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across the Greater Houston area, including installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup.
• Maintaining freeze protection equipment and enclosures for cold-weather critical components.
• Repairing thermal insulation and water-proofing materials.
• Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed.
• Coordinating and communicating with the Railroad Commission of Texas to identify and support operations of critical gas infrastructure for natural gas reliability.
• Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation.
• Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts.
• Conducted more than 19,000 total hours of emergency training in 2025 for hundreds of operational, emergency response and other personnel and contractors to strengthen severe weather preparation and response efforts.

Staying alert with CenterPoint

Customers with CenterPoint are encouraged to sign-up for their Power Alert Service to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email.