Austin News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to CenterPoint Energy President and CEO Jason Wells, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reiterated his call for an after-action report from CenterPoint regarding its response to Hurricane Beryl and outlined expectations for future improvements.

Sen. Cruz stated, “CenterPoint’s response to Hurricane Beryl—a Category 1 hurricane that hit at the beginning of storm season—was a failure, and Texans deserve better from the largest utility company in the region.”

He further emphasized the need for transparency and communication: “As we discussed on the call, my conversations with constituents—and your customers—made absolutely clear that CenterPoint’s lack of transparency and communication threatened both lives and livelihoods.”

The letter highlighted several questions that need addressing in the after-action report:

- What mistakes did CenterPoint make regarding Hurricane Beryl?

- Did CenterPoint pre-position sufficient assets to respond quickly to power outages in Houston? How could this be improved?

- Would more pre-positioned linemen and equipment have made a material difference in response time?

- Did reliance on incorrect storm projections impact planning for major outages in Houston?

- Why did other power companies perform better in restoring power and communicating with customers than CenterPoint?

- What specific communication failures occurred, and how can they be rectified in future incidents?

- What was the prioritization order for restoring power to facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes?

- How can Houston's energy infrastructure be made more resilient to future storms?

Sen. Cruz also reflected on past efforts to aid Texas during disasters, including legislative actions following Hurricane Harvey, tornadoes, and flooding events.

Texans rely on CenterPoint for reliable power service, especially during natural disasters. The Texas delegation anticipates a thorough review of the company's response to ensure better preparedness for future storms.