Texas Senators Grill Utility Executives About Massive Power Failure After Hurricane Beryl

HOUSTON, TEXAS – JULY 11: Linemen tend to fallen power lines in the East End neighborhood of Houston, days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Houston. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A special committee of the Texas Senate has convened to hear executives from Houston’s largest utility provider explain the massive electricity failure that occurred when Hurricane Beryl hit the city on July 8. CenterPoint Energy’s chief executive officer told a panel of state senators in the Texas Capitol on Monday that he takes “personal accountability for not meeting our customer’s expectations during Hurricane Beryl.” Senators contend that CenterPoint Energy did not appear to be prepared for the hurricane. Nearly 3 million people lost power in the Houston area after Beryl, a Category 1 hurricane, made landfall on July 8.