When will the power be back on? CenterPoint gives Saturday update, saying they're working to have most customers up by Wednesday
CenterPoint also said that customers whose weatherheads were damaged need to have a qualified electrian repair it before power can be turned back on.
HOUSTON — CenterPoint Energy gave an update on Saturday on efforts to restore power to the hundreds of thousands of customers still in the dark.
CenterPoint said that as of 10:30 a.m., more than 82% of their customers have power. That’s around 2.3 million customers. They also said more than 400,000 customers have had power restored since Thursday’s storms.
CenterPoint said they are working to have restorations substantially complete by Wednesday for customers who are able to get power. They caution that the estimates could shift because of challenges they may still encounter following the storm.
Editor's note: We've reached out to CenterPoint to clarify what they mean by customers who are able to get power. We'll update this story with that answer when we get it.
They also said they won’t be able to restore power to customers who had their weatherhead damaged in the storm. Customers who have had their weatherhead damaged will need to contact a qualified electrician for repairs. If you’re not familiar with a weatherhead, it’s the device where power comes into the home through an electrical service drop. It’s often a pipe located on the side of a home or building. Be careful around any wires near your weatherhead.
You can learn more about weatherheads on the CenterPoint Energy website.
For customers who rely on power for potential life-saving equipment, CenterPoint says even when the power comes back, they can’t guarantee there won't be interruptions, so they say to make sure there’s a reliable backup supply or alternate plan.
CenterPoint Energy also said they realize the online tracker has had issues loading. They're wroking to get that to be more reliable, as well.
If the CenterPoint Energy outage tracker isn't loading for you, you can check for outages on PowerOutage.us.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Friday that 10 transmission towers were damaged during the storms. She added it could take weeks to restore power in some areas. She suggested seeking out public libraries or other facilities that are open during the day.
The Public Utility Commission of Texas released a statement on the power outages in Southeast Texas:
"The Public Utility Commission of Texas’ top priority at all times is public safety, and our thoughts are with the communities and families throughout Southeast Texas who were impacted by last night’s storms. As utility crews work around the clock to repair damaged infrastructure and restore power, we want to remind all Texans to listen to their local emergency management officials and never approach downed power lines or flood water. Downed power lines can still be energized and electrify objects or water around them.
PUCT staff is in the State Operations Center coordinating closely with electric utilities and partner state agencies to ensure power is restored to all Texans as quickly and safely as possible. For up-to-date information on power outages, contact information for your local utility and other resources, please visit the PUCT's Storm Resources Page."
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