CenterPoint Energy’s Historic Strides in Grid Resiliency: A New Era of Reliability
In just under a year, CenterPoint Energy, Houston’s leading energy provider, has taken significant strides in enhancing the city’s power grid resiliency. As of April 2025, the second phase of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) has seen the completion of an impressive 350 miles of targeted undergrounding, installation of over 17,500 stronger poles, clearance of 2,900+ miles of vegetation, and placement of 3,380+ automated reliability devices.
Improving Customer Reliability
These actions, according to CenterPoint Energy, will collectively improve customer reliability by reducing power outages by more than 125 million minutes annually. This equates to approximately 2 million hours of restored power or enough time for over 400,000 Houstonians to enjoy a week-long vacation without interruption.
Enhancing Grid Resiliency
Undergrounding power lines is a key component of the GHRI, as it helps protect against storm damage and reduces the risk of power outages. Meanwhile, the installation of stronger, storm-resilient poles and automated reliability devices ensures a more robust grid capable of self-healing in the face of extreme weather events.
The Impact on Houstonians
These improvements signify a significant shift in the way Houstonians experience power outages. With a more resilient grid, residents can expect fewer interruptions during storms and faster restoration times when outages do occur. Furthermore, the undergrounding of power lines will help minimize the impact of extreme weather events on power delivery, ensuring a more consistent power supply for businesses and households.
A Global Perspective
CenterPoint Energy’s efforts to enhance grid resiliency are not unique to Houston. Across the globe, energy providers are recognizing the importance of investing in resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events and ensure uninterrupted power supply. As climate change continues to shape the global energy landscape, the need for more resilient grids will only grow.
The Role of Technology
Automated reliability devices and self-healing grids are just a few examples of the technological advancements that are driving the shift towards more resilient power systems. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will play a crucial role in helping energy providers adapt to the challenges of an increasingly unpredictable climate.
Conclusion
CenterPoint Energy’s progress in the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative represents a major step forward in the quest for a more reliable and resilient power grid. With the completion of these historic actions, Houstonians can look forward to fewer power outages and a more consistent power supply, even in the face of extreme weather events. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, the importance of investing in resilient energy infrastructure will only grow.
- CenterPoint Energy completes 350 miles of targeted undergrounding
- Installs over 17,500 stronger, storm-resistant poles
- Clears 2,900+ miles of vegetation
- Places 3,380+ automated reliability devices
- Reduces power outages by over 125 million minutes annually
- Significantly improves grid resiliency
- Positive impact on Houstonians and businesses
- Global significance in the face of climate change
