Not only are Texans trying to recover in the dark, but they also have scorching temperatures to battle. What does the power utility have to say?
One Hell of a Monday Morning
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Cire notrevo
Last Monday morning, Hurricane Beryl smashed into Texas as a Category 1 storm. According to the Houston Chronicle, not only did the storm uproot trees and topple power lines, but it also prompted some residents to sleep in their cars to stay cool amid the searing summer heat.
It is estimated that at least 13 people lost their lives in this region alone.
One Week Later…
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Alexandros Michailidis
Hundreds of thousands of Texans in the south-eastern area are now entering the sixth day of suffering scorching heat without air conditioning.
In addition, many are struggling to find cool shelters, food, safe drinking water, and healthcare resources.
Please Explain
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Carrington Tatum
With almost 270,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area still without power, Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated on Sunday that he’s demanding an investigation not only into the response of the utility serving the region, but also for answers regarding preparations for future storms.
Do Your Job
Image Credit: Shutterstock / industryviews
In his first news conference since returning from an economic development trip in Asia, Abbott addressed the Beryl issue by saying: “Power companies along the Gulf Coast must be prepared to deal with hurricanes, to state the obvious”.
Some Lights Are On
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Photodiem
CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-based company responsible for providing power to the region, has managed to restore power to about 2 million customers since the hurricane hit a week ago.
Ready or Not?
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Ekateryna Zubal
But that wasn’t enough, as the utility’s slow pace of recovery has come under mounting scrutiny over whether it was properly prepared for the storm.
The Dark Is Dangerous
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Salivanchuk Semen
According to Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia University Climate School, prolonged power outages can have deadly consequences in the wake of such a major disaster.
Those Most at Risk
Image Credit: Shutterstock / simona pilolla 2
Schlegelmilch mentioned that the very young, the elderly, and anyone with underlying health problems are particularly vulnerable.
More Heat Coming Up!
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Marc Bruxelle
Not making matters any better for Texans, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat advisories for the Houston area starting from Tuesday until Friday, with heat expected to reach 106 F.
Already So Hot
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Pheelings media
Although Saturday’s temperatures cooled down with some rain and peaked in the 90s, the NWS forecast on the same day predicted high temperatures on a “generally increasing trend” into this week, expected to reach the mid- to upper 90s.
Pay Up…
Image Credit: Shutterstock / ABCDstock
Schlegelmilch said it’s important for state leaders and power companies to assess their priorities for funding and invest in modernizing the power grid. This comes as global warming and variations in weather patterns place higher demand on power infrastructure, plus a future of progressively dangerous storms.
…and Catch Up
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Yevhen Prozhyrko
“We’re really behind in terms of being able to meet the need for day-to-day (power usage), as well as resiliency for storms like Beryl,” Schlegelmilch said.
Not All Affected Equally
Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes
He continued by emphasizing that low-income and communities of color take the brunt of those impacts.
“We see this along racial lines. We see it along socioeconomic lines. Even though climate change is affecting all of us, it’s affecting the most vulnerable among us, and these are the echoes of housing policy from a century ago drawn along racial lines, socioeconomic lines, that still haunt us to this day,” Schlegelmilch claimed.
What’s the Holdup?
Image Credit: Shutterstock / stock_photo_world
Gov. Abbott pointed a finger at CenterPoint, claiming they didn’t have “an adequate number of workers pre-staged” before the storm hit.
He added that he will be sending a letter to the Public Utility Commission of Texas to ask them to investigate why restoration is taking so long and what can be done to speed things up.
We Need Answers
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Valery Zotev
As the end of hurricane season is still months away, Abbott said CenterPoint has a deadline until the end of this month to specify its next steps regarding reducing or eliminating power outages in the event of more storms.
Tree Felling, Anyone?
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Bilanol
Part of what this will include, according to Abbott, will be detailed plans on removing vegetation still threatening power lines.
On It!
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Pressmaster
In the aftermath of Abbott’s news conference, CenterPoint replied that its number-one priority was to provide “power to the remaining impacted customers as safely and quickly as possible”.
The company also added that it expects to have restored power to 90% of its customers by Monday.
We’ll Do Better
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Elle photo
On Sunday, CenterPoint said that it’s been “investing for years” to reinforce the region’s resilience to such storms.
The utility also stated that it was committed to working with state- and local leaders in a “thorough review of our response”.
More Staff
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Kichigin
The company has also defended its preparation for Beryl and said that it has introduced about 12,000 extra workers from outside Houston.
In addition, CenterPoint also stated that it would have been unsafe to send those workers to the predicted storm impact area before the hurricane hit.
Major Damage
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Nuttapong punna
Last week, Vice President for Regulatory Policy for CenterPoint Energy Brad Tutunjian said the widespread damage to trees and power poles hindered their ability to restore power to the area quickly.
Work to Be Done
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Song_about_summer
On Sunday, CEO and President of CenterPoint Jason Wells posted on the company website that more than 2,100 utility poles were damaged during the hurricane.
Additionally, over 18,600 trees had to be removed from power lines, which affected over 75% of the company’s distribution circuits.
Oil Dumping Scandal Rocks Ships Heading to New Orleans
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Aerial-motion
Two shipping companies have been fined after knowingly hiding a large oil spill in the Atlantic Ocean. Oil Dumping Scandal Rocks Ships Heading to New Orleans
20 Eye-Opening Realities Facing Retiring Baby Boomers
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jack Frog
As Baby Boomers approach retirement, the promise of leisure and security often seems unattainable. This generation faces unique challenges that could redefine retirement. Here’s a stark look at the realities shaping their outlook. 20 Eye-Opening Realities Facing Retiring Baby Boomers
Retail Apocalypse: Massive Closures Sweep Across U.S. Brands
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images
Stores across the U.S. are closing at unprecedented levels, according to new research from advisory firm Coresight Research. Read on for more information about the impact this could have on you and your communities. Retail Apocalypse: Massive Closures Sweep Across U.S. Brands
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / stock_photo_world.
