Nearly 300,000 Without Power in Texas One Week After Hurricane Beryl

Nearly 300,000 energy customers in southeastern Texas are still without power a week after Hurricane Beryl hit the state. The hurricane brought down power lines and caused extensive damage, leaving many without air conditioning amidst a persistent heat wave. The National Weather Service reported temperatures reaching up to 100 degrees, exacerbating the discomfort for residents.

Gov. Greg Abbott has demanded that CenterPoint Energy, the primary electricity provider in the Greater Houston area, explain how it plans to improve hurricane preparation by the end of the month. He emphasized that power restoration is a critical life-based issue. Abbott has instructed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to investigate the prolonged outages and has warned that failure to address the problem could result in an executive order to ensure power reliability during severe weather.

CenterPoint Energy stated that it has reconnected nearly 90% of affected customers and is working around the clock to restore power to the remaining areas with significant structural damage. The company acknowledged customer frustrations and highlighted the deployment of 3,000 staff to respond to the unexpected path of the hurricane.

In response to the disaster, Abbott has added 17 counties to a FEMA individual assistance program, allowing residents and business owners to apply for financial aid. The hurricane has caused eight confirmed fatalities in Harris County, which includes Houston.