CenterPoint sends linemen to Florida after Hurricane Irma

HOUSTON – About 200 linemen from CenterPoint Energy hit the road Monday for a two-day trip to Florida, where Hurricane Irma has left millions without power.

The volunteer crew from the Lone Star State headed to the Sunshine State with a caravan of about 40 vehicles to help Tampa Electric restore power to about 300,000 customers.

Once there, the Texas crews will attend a safety briefing about Tampa’s power grid, and on Wednesday, they will begin 16-hour days to repair downed power poles and lines.

The crews said they feel it is their chance to give back to the power companies that came to help Houston during storms like Ike and Harvey.

The Texas crew will be in Florida for about two weeks.

CenterPoint officials said they have plenty of crews in Texas to address any remaining needs after Hurricane Harvey.

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