CenterPoint Energy ramps up customer communications as 3,300-person expanded workforce continues preparations and emergency response efforts ahead of winter weather system forecasted to impact Texas

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) activated its Emergency Operations Center and expanded its storm-response workforce to about 3,300 employees and contractors ahead of a forecasted winter weather system for Jan. 22–26, 2026.

Rhea-AI Summary

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) activated its Emergency Operations Center and expanded its storm-response workforce to about 3,300 employees and contractors ahead of a forecasted winter weather system for Jan. 22–26, 2026. The company opened three staging sites, positioned CNG trucks at 13 locations, inspected 270 electric substations, and donated/installed more than 20 emergency backup generators across Greater Houston.

CenterPoint is issuing daily briefings, increasing customer communications (email, text, phone), urging enrollment in Power Alert Service, and directing customers to its Action Center and Outage Tracker for updates and safety guidance.

Positive

• Expanded emergency workforce to ~3,300 workers
• Activated Emergency Operations Center and daily operational briefings
• Inspected and tested 270 electric substations
• Positioned CNG trucks at 13 strategic locations
• Donated/installed > 20 emergency backup generators
• Completed > 19,000 hours of emergency training in 2025

Negative

• Forecasted potential ice accumulation this weekend may cause outages
• Company warns of hazardous travel Sunday and a hard freeze Monday morning
• Emergency mobilization could indicate near-term operational strain if impacts materialize

Argus Jan 23 session

-0.23% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – CNP

On Jan 23, the first trading day after this news, CNP closed 0.23% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Jan 23 session.

Key Figures

Current price: $38.87 Workforce for storm prep: 3,300 workers Additional frontline workers: 600 workers +5 more

Current price

$38.87

Pre-news trading level on 2026-01-22

Workforce for storm prep

3,300 workers

Employees and contractors supporting preparation and restoration

Additional frontline workers

600 workers

Secured to expand winter storm response workforce

Electric substations inspected

270 substations

Critical equipment inspected and tested before winter weather

CNG truck locations

13 locations

Compressed Natural Gas trucks pre-positioned for gas system support

Weather stations monitored

100+ stations

Greater Houston area monitoring to enhance situational awareness

Emergency training

19,000+ hours

Emergency training completed in 2025 for operational personnel

Community preparedness grant

$1 million

Five-year CenterPoint Energy Foundation grant to The Salvation Army

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 11

5 events

1. Dec 11

   Dividend declaration

   24h Move

   +1.4%

   Announced regular quarterly dividend of $0.2300 per common share.

2. Oct 23

   Earnings release

   24h Move

   -1.1%

   Reported stronger Q3 2025 EPS and reiterated 2025–2026 guidance and growth plan.

3. Oct 21

   Asset sale

   24h Move

   -0.5%

   Announced $2.62 billion sale of Ohio natural gas business to National Fuel Gas.

4. Oct 03

   Earnings call notice

   24h Move

   +1.5%

   Scheduled Q3 2025 earnings webcast and reiterated customer base and asset base.

5. Oct 02

   Debt tender offer

   24h Move

   +0.3%

   Announced pricing of up to $500,000,000 in senior notes and bond tenders.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

emergency operations center, electric reliability council of texas, compressed natural gas, disaster declaration, +1 more

5 terms

emergency operations center technical

"Emergency Operations Center fully staffed and operating; three staging sites activating today"

A centralized command center where an organization gathers leaders, information and resources to coordinate its response during crises like natural disasters, cyberattacks, or major accidents. Think of it as a company’s “control room” that quickly makes decisions, assigns tasks and communicates with employees, regulators and customers. Investors pay attention because a well-run emergency operations center reduces downtime, limits financial and reputational damage, and shows the company can protect operations and assets under stress.

electric reliability council of texas regulatory

"Coordinating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) about statewide energy needs"

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is the organization that manages the flow of electricity across most of Texas, like an air traffic controller for the power grid: it matches supply and demand in real time, schedules power plants, and coordinates outages and emergency actions. Investors care because ERCOT’s decisions and grid conditions influence electricity prices, revenue for utilities and generators, and the risk of outages or regulatory actions that can affect company earnings and stock values.

compressed natural gas technical

"Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks at 13 strategic locations to be deployed"

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is methane stored under high pressure in tanks so it can be used as a fuel for vehicles, power generators and industrial equipment; think of it like keeping a fizzy drink in a pressurized can so the gas can be released to do work. It matters to investors because CNG can be a lower‑cost, lower‑pollution alternative to gasoline or diesel, affecting fuel demand, fleet operating costs, infrastructure spending and regulatory risk across energy and transportation businesses.

disaster declaration regulatory

"State of Texas issues disaster declaration ahead of potential impacts; ERCOT Weather Watch"

A disaster declaration is a formal government announcement that a natural or man-made event has caused serious damage and requires special aid and resources. For investors, it matters because the declaration can unlock emergency funding, insurance payouts, regulatory relief, or recovery contracts, while also signalling potential revenue disruption, repair costs, and supply-chain interruptions for affected businesses — like turning on a series of financial and operational switches.

weather watch technical

"ERCOT Weather Watch issued for Saturday to Tuesday; grid conditions expected to be normal"

A weather watch is an alert that conditions may soon produce hazardous weather—such as storms, heavy rainfall, extreme heat, or winds—that could disrupt operations, transport, crops, or energy systems. For investors it flags increased short-term risk to revenue, supply chains, commodity prices and insurance exposure, acting like a dashboard warning that prompts businesses and traders to prepare, hedge, or reassess near-term forecasts.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Approximately 3,300 CenterPoint employees and contract workers supporting storm preparation and potential restoration efforts across Houston and parts of Southeast Texas

Emergency Operations Center fully staffed and operating; three staging sites activating today

First daily operational briefing scheduled for this afternoon at the company's Emergency Operations Center

State of Texas issues disaster declaration ahead of potential impacts; ERCOT Weather Watch issued for Saturday to Tuesday; grid conditions expected to be normal

HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- To help its customers and communities stay informed and prepared ahead of this weekend's forecasted winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy is ramping up customer communications as the company continues executing its cold weather readiness plan. CenterPoint is sharing information with customers through a number of channels (emails, phone calls, text messages, and many others). It will also begin hosting daily operational briefings at its Emergency Operations Center this afternoon to provide an update on evolving weather models and give an in-depth overview of the company's expanded response efforts.

"We are focused on delivering for our customers and communities and we want them to know  we're taking action now and preparing to respond to any impacts from this weather to our system, because we know how important it is for the communities we serve to have reliable electric and natural gas service they expect and deserve. Right now, as conditions continue to evolve, staying informed is one of the most important things we can do to keep our customers and their loved ones safe," said Tony Gardner, CenterPoint's Chief Customer Officer. "We urge customers to prepare now and to bookmark our Action Center for storm-related safety tips in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and to make sure they're enrolled in Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates."

Weather update
"Weather models have generally trended toward a somewhat less impactful forecast outcome in the Houston area since yesterday. While those trends are positive and continue, we are continuing to use both internal and publicly available weather model guidance to shape our forecast expectations and will adjust as needed," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Chief Meteorologist. "Still, with cold and at least some ice expected in the region, we encourage customers and communities to be prepared for hazardous travel on Sunday and a hard freeze, especially Monday morning."

The current weather forecast for CenterPoint's Houston electric service territory indicates the potential for ice accumulation this weekend, subject to updated forecasts. The company reminds customers and community members to always assume downed lines or wires are energized and potentially dangerous if contacted. Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines or fallen wires and keep a safe distance from objects touching downed lines (tree limbs, vehicles, fences, etc.) and immediately report downed power lines to CenterPoint. 

Additional resources
Following several days of actively preparing for this weekend's forecasted severe winter weather system, CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center yesterday morning and secured more than 600 additional frontline workers for an expanded workforce of 3,300 workers and personnel to address the approaching winter storm.

Staging sites
The company's three staging sites are strategically placed to pre-position resources in locations where the winter weather system's impact is forecasted to be the most severe. These sites will host approximately 3,300 workers and help pre-position crews, vehicles, equipment and materiel needed for restoration across its service territory.

Public Official Coordination
CenterPoint continues to work closely with government officials and emergency agencies to prepare for the approaching winter weather system and continues to diligently monitor weather models and deploy cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure. CenterPoint is also actively working to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation for this weekend's weather.

Cold weather preparations
The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

• Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts;
• Coordinating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) about statewide energy needs;
• Communicating with customers to provide safety and preparedness information directly via email and help keep customers informed and prepared;
• Conducting outreach to critical care customers by email, phone or text;
• Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming and conducting inspections to prepare for wintery precipitation and cold temperatures;
• Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks at 13 strategic locations to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed;
• Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation;
• Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts; and
• Conducted more than 19,000 total hours of emergency training in 2025 for hundreds of operational, emergency response and other personnel and contractors to strengthen severe weather preparation and response efforts.

Supporting community preparedness
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting community preparedness and resilience, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded a $1 million, five‑year grant to The Salvation Army last year to support disaster response capabilities across the Greater Houston area. This grant supports operations at The Salvation Army's Multi‑Purpose Distribution Center in Houston, a critical regional hub that coordinates emergency relief efforts and delivers essential services to vulnerable populations — including families, youth, seniors, and individuals experiencing homelessness — during hurricanes and other severe weather events. Funded separately and financially independent from the utility, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation continues to serve as a catalyst for good by leveraging its resources to enhance the safety, resilience and vibrancy of the communities CenterPoint serves. Learn more at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

Have a plan and stay safe
CenterPoint encourages customers to prepare and have a plan to stay safe during severe winter weather. Customers can get storm-related safety tips at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter — available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Customers can also stay up to date on outages with CenterPoint's Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish. The Outage Tracker is built to handle increased traffic during storms, is mobile-friendly, accessible for those with disabilities and allows customers to see outages by county, city and zip code.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on X and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter. 

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of September 30, 2025, the company owned approximately $45 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

For more information, contact:
Communications
Media.Relations@CenterPointEnergy.com

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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What actions did CenterPoint Energy (CNP) take ahead of the Jan. 22, 2026 winter storm?

CenterPoint activated its Emergency Operations Center, expanded its workforce to about 3,300, opened three staging sites, inspected 270 substations, and positioned CNG trucks at 13 locations.

How can CNP customers get outage and restoration updates during the Jan. 2026 storm?

Customers can enroll in Power Alert Service, use the mobile-friendly Outage Tracker, and visit the Action Center for updates in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Will CenterPoint (CNP) hold public briefings about the winter weather response?

Yes. CenterPoint began hosting daily operational briefings at its Emergency Operations Center starting the afternoon of Jan. 22, 2026.

What safety guidance is CenterPoint Energy (CNP) giving for the Jan. 2026 winter system?

The company urges customers to assume downed lines are energized, stay at least 35 feet away from downed lines, report hazards immediately, and review storm safety tips on the Action Center.

How many additional frontline workers did CenterPoint secure for storm response on Jan. 22, 2026?

CenterPoint secured more than 600 additional frontline workers to bring the total storm-response workforce to about 3,300.