CenterPoint Energy's 3,300-person expanded electric workforce pre-positioned at area staging sites and ready to mobilize ahead of late-night winter weather

Rhea-AI Summary

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP) mobilized its expanded electric workforce ahead of a late-night winter storm forecasted to impact Southeast Texas beginning Jan. 24, 2026. The company said 100% of its 3,300 line skills, vegetation and contract crews and approximately 200 Emergency Operations Center staff are pre-positioned at two northeastern Greater Houston staging sites, with an additional 700 natural gas workers and contractors ready to support response.

Preparedness actions include 17 CNG trailers, inspections of nearly 200 gas regulator stations, heaters on equipment, pre-staged electric assets (9,200+ poles, 11,500+ transformers, 100,000+ cable splices), inspection of all 270 substations, donated 20 backup generators, monitoring of 100+ weather stations, and 19,000 hours of 2025 emergency training.

Positive

• Pre-positioned 3,300 electric workforce ready to respond
• Deployed approximately 700 natural gas workers and contractors
• Pre-staged > 9,200 distribution poles and > 11,500 transformers
• Inspected and prepared all 270 electric substations
• Positioned 17 CNG trailers and donated 20 backup generators
• Logged 19,000 emergency training hours in 2025

Negative

• Forecasted freezing temperatures and potential ice accumulation risk outages
• Highest probability of ice impacts in northeastern Greater Houston

Key Figures

Electric workforce: 3,300 workers Gas response staff: 700 workers Emergency Ops Center staff: 200 personnel +5 more

8 metrics

Electric workforce 3,300 workers Expanded electric workforce pre-positioned for winter weather response

Gas response staff 700 workers Natural gas workers and contractors ready to support response

Emergency Ops Center staff 200 personnel Approximate staff at fully activated Emergency Operations Center

CNG trailers 17 trailers Compressed natural gas trailers positioned to provide additional supply

Regulator stations inspected 200 stations Nearly 200 natural gas regulator stations inspected with heaters installed

Distribution poles staged 9,200+ poles Electric restoration equipment pre-staged for storm response

Transformers staged 11,500+ transformers Electric restoration equipment pre-staged at area sites

Training hours 19,000+ hours Emergency training completed in 2025 for personnel and contractors

Market Reality Check

Price: $38.78 Vol: Volume 7,803,976 is 1.77x...

high vol

$38.78 Last Close

Volume Volume 7,803,976 is 1.77x the 20-day average of 4,398,106, indicating elevated trading activity before this update. high

Technical Shares at $38.78 are trading slightly above the 200-day MA of $38.04 and about 4.25% below the 52-week high of $40.50.

Peers on Argus

CNP was down 0.23% while key peers were mixed: CMS -0.27%, DTE -0.52%, ES -1.19%...

CNP was down 0.23% while key peers were mixed: CMS -0.27%, DTE -0.52%, ES -1.19%, FE -1.25%, and FTS +0.86%. No coordinated sector momentum signal appeared in the scanner.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 21 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 21	Storm preparedness update	Positive	-1.7%	Expanded emergency workforce and resources ahead of January winter storm.
Jan 20	Earnings call notice	Neutral	+0.6%	Announcement of Q4 2025 earnings webcast and company overview details.
Dec 11	Dividend declaration	Positive	+1.4%	Declared regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.2300 per common share.
Oct 23	Q3 2025 earnings	Positive	-1.1%	Strong Q3 results and reiterated 2025–2026 non-GAAP EPS guidance ranges.
Oct 21	Asset sale announced	Positive	-0.5%	Sale of Ohio natural gas business for $2.62 billion to recycle capital.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows several positive or strategic updates (earnings, asset sale, dividend, storm prep) sometimes met with negative price reactions, indicating occasional divergences between news tone and short-term trading.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, CenterPoint reported stronger Q3 2025 results with reaffirmed 2025–2026 EPS guidance, announced a $2.62 billion Ohio gas business sale, and declared a regular $0.2300 quarterly dividend. It also communicated detailed winter-weather preparedness, including expanding its emergency workforce to about 3,300 workers. Price reactions have been mixed, with some positive news (earnings, asset sale, storm prep) followed by short-term declines, underscoring that operationally constructive updates do not always translate into immediate gains.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-08-05

The company has an effective S-3ASR shelf registration filed on 2025-08-05, expiring 2028-08-05. It has been used at least 2 times recently via 424B5 prospectus supplements dated 2025-09-30 and 2025-10-01, indicating an established mechanism for issuing securities.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details CenterPoint’s winter-storm readiness, including a 3,300-person electric wo...

Analysis

This announcement details CenterPoint’s winter-storm readiness, including a 3,300-person electric workforce, more than 700 gas workers, 17 CNG trailers, and extensive inspections of 270 substations and nearly 200 regulator stations. It builds on earlier storm-preparation communications and supports the company’s broader resilience strategy. Investors may watch how effectively these preparations limit service disruptions and costs, and how such operational performance aligns with previously communicated capital and earnings plans.

Key Terms

compressed natural gas (CNG), Public Utility Commission of Texas, Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)

3 terms

compressed natural gas (CNG) technical

"Positioning 17 compressed natural gas (CNG) trailers to provide additional supply"

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is natural gas—primarily methane—stored at high pressure so it can be used as a fuel for vehicles, heating, or power generation; think of it like the same gas that cooks your stove but packed tightly like air in a pumped bicycle tire so it fits in a tank. Investors care because CNG can lower fuel costs, reduce some emissions, and drive spending on refueling stations and vehicle conversions, all of which affect operating margins and infrastructure investment decisions.

Public Utility Commission of Texas regulatory

"Coordinating with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability"

State agency that oversees and sets rules for utilities—mainly electricity, and certain telecommunications and water services—within Texas. Think of it as a referee and rulebook keeper that approves rates, enforces reliability and safety standards, and decides whether infrastructure projects move forward; its decisions can change utility revenues, costs and operational risk, so investors watch it closely for signals about future profits and regulatory exposure.

Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) regulatory

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

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is the grid operator that manages most of Texas’s electricity supply and demand, coordinating power plants, transmission lines, and real-time electricity flows like an air-traffic controller for the state’s power system. Investors care because ERCOT’s decisions on grid reliability, outage management, and market pricing directly affect utility revenues, energy company earnings, and the cost and availability of power—similar to how a central dispatcher influences delivery speed and cost in a logistics network.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Download photos and videos of CenterPoint's preparedness efforts here

100% of employees and contract resources will be in place by 12 p.m. Saturday 

Approximately 700 natural gas workers and contractors ready to support response 

Company encourages the public to heed state and local elected officials' guidance to stay off road Saturday night through Monday

Customers urged to have a plan and prepare for freezing temperatures, strong winds and potential ice accumulation

HOUSTON, Jan. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In preparation to support its customers and communities during the first major winter weather system of the season, which is forecasted to impact Southeast Texas tonight, CenterPoint Energy continues to mobilize emergency preparedness and response resources. 100% of CenterPoint's 3,300 line skills workers, vegetation management professionals and contract crews will be in place, mobilized and ready to respond at the Emergency Operations Center and two staging sites, both strategically placed in the northeastern Greater Houston area based on weather forecasts shifting northward of the Greater Houston area, as weather forecasts indicate the highest probability of ice impacts in this area.

The company's Emergency Operations Center — which has been fully activated and staffed since Wednesday with approximately 200 personnel — will remain open and operational through the storm's full impact as CenterPoint continues carrying out its cold weather action plans. The company is also deploying more than 700 gas workers and contractors to support the weekend response.

"Prioritizing our customers and communities is central to how we plan and prepare for severe weather. We have already pre-positioned our personnel, equipment, and resources needed to support our customers throughout this weekend's forecasted freezing temperatures, strong winds, and potential ice accumulations. Based on current forecasts, we've reallocated people, materials and supplies to the two north Houston staging areas which are expected to see the most significant impacts from the incoming weather. The actions we're taking reflect our commitment to restoring impacted customers safely and quickly in the areas where the need could be most significant. We urge customers to remain weather alert, activate their emergency plan and please stay off area roads and highways," said Nathan Brownell, Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery.

Safety reminder: Wires down 
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. 

Electric and Gas cold weather preparations
The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

• Positioning 17 compressed natural gas (CNG) trailers to provide additional supply for our customers, if needed, adding an additional trailer today to help strengthen preparedness; 
• Staging more than 700 frontline natural gas workers to respond safely and quickly around the clock to any gas emergency calls and service interruptions;
• Inspecting nearly 200 natural gas regulator stations and installing heaters on equipment to prevent ice damage;
• Prepping and pre-staging electric restoration equipment at staging sites, including
  • More than 9,200 distribution poles;
  • More than 11,500 transformers; and
  • More than 100,000 cable splices;
• Activating its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response and restoration efforts;
• 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;
• Monitoring more than 100 weather stations across the Greater Houston area to enhance situational awareness and storm preparation;
• 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;
• 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.

Stay informed with Power Alert Service^®
CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service® to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email.

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

How many workers did CenterPoint Energy (CNP) pre-position for the Jan. 24, 2026 storm?

CenterPoint pre-positioned 3,300 electric line skills, vegetation and contract crews plus about 700 gas workers and contractors.

What staging and equipment did CenterPoint (CNP) place before the Jan. 24, 2026 winter weather?

The company staged two northeast Houston sites with > 9,200 poles, > 11,500 transformers, > 100,000 cable splices and 17 CNG trailers.

What safety guidance did CenterPoint Energy (CNP) give ahead of the Jan. 24, 2026 storm?

Customers were urged to stay off roads, assume downed lines are energized and keep 35 feet distance from fallen lines.

How is CenterPoint Energy (CNP) monitoring and coordinating storm response on Jan. 24, 2026?

CenterPoint activated its Emergency Operations Center, is monitoring 100+ weather stations and coordinating with PUCT and ERCOT.

How can CNP electric customers get outage updates during the Jan. 24, 2026 storm?

Customers can enroll in Power Alert Service and use the Outage Tracker for county, city and zip-code updates.

What gas-infrastructure preparations did CenterPoint Energy (CNP) report for Jan. 24, 2026?

Inspections of nearly 200 gas regulator stations, heaters installed on equipment, and 700 staged gas personnel were reported.