โIโm just out there, by myselfโ: Electrical meter box is down, whoโs responsible for repair?
Mary K. Bennett-Hayes has a lot on her plate. Her mom is in at intensive care unit after a โtouch with pneumonia,โ sheโs working on donating one of her kidneys to her daughter, also checking in with her dad at the Leo Daniel Towers, all while trying to get power back to her northwest Houston home.
Houston is experiencing El Nino, but whatโs the difference between that and La Nina?
If the weather in Houston has felt odd to you over the last few months, youโre not alone. Much of the southern part of the United States, especially Houston, have been experiencing the weather phenomenon known as El Nino.
โTheyโre hugeโ: Massive utility poles towering Houston neighborhoods now becoming an eyesore
Itโs a power struggle over power poles. Houstonians are used to seeing standard-sized utility poles, but now, several massive ones are popping up in some neighborhoods, creating an eyesore for those who live in the area.
Ask Amy: Expect to pay more for another bill + utility work mess
When yet another utility company hikes up fees, even just a little, it can make a difference. Iโll explain what you can expect from the latest fee. Plus, utility work is causing frustration in one neighborhood. Iโll look into what you should know before a utility company starts digging in your backyard.
Residents wake up to smell of gas in air 2 days before Christmas with no warning on what CenterPoint calls โnormal procedureโ
Residents of the Southwest Crossing neighborhood near Chimney Rock Road and West Orem Drive woke up to the smell of gas permeating their neighborhood and a strange sound two days before Christmas.
Homeowners determined to continue fight against CenterPoint propane storage site near Southwest Crossing neighborhood
Homeowners in the Southwest Crossing neighborhood say they arenโt giving up their fight against a CenterPoint Energy propane storage tank facility that now sits on a site just behind their properties, even though the containers have now been filled.
Residents in southwest Houston neighborhood concerned about CenterPoint Energyโs plan to install natural gas pipeline behind their homes
Homeowners living in Southwest Crossing Subdivision in southwest Houston are concerned about CenterPointโs plans to runย gas transmission lines under the backyards of their homes.
KPRC 2 Investigates: You may be giving others access to change your home thermostat
Smart thermostats make it easy for you to adjust the temperature in your home, even when youโre not there. But you may also be giving others access to change your settings at any time without notice. KPRC 2 Investigates looked into what you need to know about who can control your smart thermostat and when.
Family of 83-year-old man who died during winter storm files wrongful death lawsuit against CenterPoint Energy
During Houstonโs historic winter storm last month, the Katy home that James lived in with his daughter and son-in-law lost power and later Jones eventually died. โCenterPoint Energy did not plan properly for this power outage, and CenterPoint did not care,โ said Benny Agosto Jr., attorney for Jonesโ family. Now, Pamela Bunkley, Jonesโ daughter, and her husband are suing CenterPoint Energy for wrongful death. AdDuring that time, there was no electricity to power Jamesโ respirator and he became weaker and weaker from the lack of oxygen. Now, Jamesโ daughter Pamela is suing CenterPoint Energy for more than a million dollars, claiming the company caused her fatherโs death.
Several people injured in natural gas explosion, fire near Klein
KLEIN, Texas โ Several people were injured Friday in a large natural gas explosion and fire near Klein that prompted an evacuation of some residents in the area. Officials from the Harris County Fire Marshalโs Office said that a crew from Comcast was working in the area and nicked a natural gas line. The crew called in a CenterPoint crew to inspect the line which is when two lines exploded, officials said. Full Screen 1 / 12 Flames shoot from the scene of a large natural gas fire near Klein, Texas, on March 5, 2021. Residents who had their natural gas service interrupted as a result of the incident are urged not to turn any valves or tamper with the natural gas meter for safety reasons.
LIVE BLOG: Houston-area restaurants answer the call for help amid power and water outage
We remain in the midst of a severe winter weather event. 4: 40 a.m. - Houstonians rush to buy water after boil water advisory issuedHoustonians are rushing to buy water after a boil water advisory was issued. โ County Judge KP George (@JudgeKPGeorge) February 17, 20214:20 a.m. - Houston, Harris County face issues from winter weather alertHouston and Harris County are facing issues from winter weather alerts. AdMondayDowntown Houston lit up during major winter power outageDowntown Houston lit up during major power outage due to winter storm on Feb 15, 2021. Officials said if residents lose power, which sporadic power outage is expected, the safest places to remain is at home.
Some CenterPoint customers say they received a $200,000 bill; company says itโs an error
HOUSTON โ Some CenterPoint Energy customers contacted KPRC 2 on Thursday and said they had received a bill for more than $200,000. Everyone who contacted KPRC 2 said they received a bill for the same amount -- $202,102,16. In a statement, CenterPoint officials said the power outages caused a technical issue that generated incorrect bill notification emails that were sent to about 27,000 Houston-area customers. โCustomers who received an e-mail notification showing an amount due of $202,102.16 for natural gas, should disregard and not pay it as they donโt owe this amount,โ officials said in the statement. Officials said the error was only made in the email notification and it was not a billing error.
Time to switch power providers? Why waiting until after the Texas electricity crisis could be costly
Not because it will get anyoneโs lights on faster, but because residents and business owners could be out a lot of money if some electricity providers start to fold in the days ahead. CenterPoint said customers without power should be prepared to have no power for several more days. - These conditions in the electric industry mean we will likely start to see some retail electric providers (These are the companies you pay for electricity.) That is what the retail electric providers pay to get it. Some electric providers are telling customers to please leave... even offering $100 off their last electric bills to encourage customers to go somewhere else.
Frustration expressed over images of downtown Houston lit up during major winter power outage
But why downtown Houston empty office buildings lit up like nothing is happening? โ... why millions are without power but downtown is lit up like a Christmas tree.......โ William Tischina posted on KPRC 2 Facebook page. โWhy is downtown lit up when people are told to conserve powerโฆ Unacceptable!โ said another KPRC 2 viewer. KPRC 2 was able to grab a photo of downtown Houston:Downtown Houston lit up during major power outage due to winter storm on Feb 15, 2021. I love our skyline at night, but we all need to do our parts to conserve energy.
Power outages: Nearly all CenterPoint Energy Customers with power, utilities company says
8:50 a.m. -- Nearly all CenterPoint Energy Customers with power, utilities company saysAt the peak of the power outage emergency, approximately 1.4 million total CenterPoint Energy customers were impacted. 1:27 a.m. - CenterPoint Energy reports less than 200,000 customers without powerAs of early Thursday morning, CenterPoint Energy is now reporting 163,138 customers without power. 10:27 p.m. -- Number of CenterPoint customers without power drops below 1 millionAs of this post, CenterPoint is reporting nearly 675,000 customers without power. #houwx #hounews 2/10 โ CenterPoint Energy (@CNPalerts) February 15, 2021As CenterPoint Energy made preparations to follow @ERCOT_ISO's directive to reduce load, we were anticipating outages of 15 minutes to more than an hour. As a result, immediately following ERCOTโs directive to curtail delivery of power to customers, CenterPoint Energy started controlled outages in its service territory.
Here is how local officials prioritize who gets their power restored after storm
HOUSTON โ With winter storm conditions in the forecast, thereโs a chance the power could go out. So who gets their service restored first? โOur crews really work to restore first the facilities that are key to the health and welfare of the community,โ said CenterPoint spokesperson Olivia Koch. Then, the team works to fix lines that would affect a large number of customers. Finally, crews would work to repair service drops and underground lines linked to individual homes, according to CenterPointโs website.
How city, county leaders are preparing residents for Arctic blast
HOUSTON โ Standing side by side, community leaders spent Friday afternoon stressing the importance of residents needing to get ready for the Arctic blast on the way. And so todayโs message is about urging everybody to take action right now to prepare,โ Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said. According to city and county leaders, theyโre working alongside TxDot to keep an eye on the roads and treat any possible trouble spots. Both the county judge and mayor said COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites will be closed in the comings days and appointments will also be rescheduled because of the weather. As they plan to respond to any potential power outages, they want customers to also be ready.
Katy residents who evacuated because of a large gas leak can return home, officials say
KATY, Texas โ A large gas leak that caused road closures and evacuations in Katy has been contained, according to a Katy spokesperson. According to the update, โCenterPoint Energy has contained the gas leak and will continue their repairs at the site. Both lanes of FM 1463 have been reopened. ORIGINAL STORY - Deputies said FM 1463 is shut down from Cane Island Parkway to Spring Green Boulevard. Gas Leak: Katy/Firethorne- FM 1463 is shut down from Cane Island Pkwy to Spring Green Blvd for large gas leak.
Houston family hopes to rebuild after explosion destroys home of 51 years
HOUSTON โ CenterPoint Energy crews spent much of Monday trying to figure out the source of Sunday morningโs explosion in southeast Houston. The secondary one sparked a fire, which demolished the place Delover Burns and his wife, Jewell, have called home for 51 years. Burns said he and his wife woke up to a strong smell of gas Sunday morning. โI said honey that kitchen sure looks foggy looking and I said I smell gas,โ Burns said. โCall the gas company 10 minutes to 9 a.m.โBurns said CenterPoint Energy did not arrive until noon, after the explosion.
Cautiously optimistic: Houston, Harris County leaders on what area can expect ahead of Hurricane Laura
HOUSTON Mayor Sylvester Turner urges residents to keep their guard up as Hurricane Laura makes landfall. Turner said the Houston area that is most at risk is near Interstate 45 at Interstate 610 in Clear Lake. Hurricane Laura update WATCH LIVE: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other city officials are discussing what Houston should expect when Hurricane Laura makes landfall. They reminded people to:Review your hurricane evacuation plan and gather a hurricane safety kit, which also includes healthy safety items such as hand sanitizer and masks for each person. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo also provided an update Wednesday evening on what the county can expect from Laura.
ASK 2: Who do I call if the street lights on my block have gone out?
As part of our new Ask 2 series, the newsroom will answer your questions about all things Houston. Question: Who do I call if the street lights on my block have gone out? Answer: According to the city of Houston, street light outages should be reported directly to CenterPoint Energy at 713-207-2222 or online at the CenterPoint Energy website Electric Outage Center. Please note, if there is a City construction project in the area, CenterPoint Energy will frequently disconnect power to the street lights for the duration of the project. CenterPoint will not re-energize the lights until the project has been completely finished.
CenterPoint linemen heading to East Coast to help after Isaias
HOUSTON Nearly 100 CenterPoint Energy linemen in Houston are heading up to the East Coast to lend a hand. One group was waiting at CenterPoint Energys Sugar Land Service Center to travel. An entire group of over 50 people used to travel together during the trips, but due to COVID-19, theyre having to take new precautions to make sure everyone stays safe.
Residents seeking answers after hours without electricity at apartment complex in southwest Houston
HOUSTON โ Residents are frustrated after an electricity outage at a southwest Houston apartment complex. Iโm like I donโt know how long the milk is going to be good just going to eat cereal today,โ she said. A spokesperson with CenterPoint Energy told KPRC 2 the issue is not on their end. All of the food is going to be damaged.โAccording to Farook, he called an electrician to the complex. The electrician told KPRC 2 he believes the problem lies with CenterPoint Energy.