CenterPoint Energy Winter Storm Update: CenterPoint releases more than 500 contract frontline electric workers to support restoration efforts in other hard-hit areas of the country; more than 99 percent of customers maintained power through overnight winter weather

Rhea-AI Summary

CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) provided a winter storm update on Jan 25, 2026: as of 4:00 p.m. the company mobilized a 2,800-person electric workforce, released more than 500 contract crews to assist utilities in harder-hit states, and held a final daily operations briefing at 4:30 p.m. Approximately 2,000 customers (under 1% of ~2.9 million served) were experiencing weather-related outages; fewer than 30,000 customers have been restored since Saturday 6:00 a.m. CenterPoint continues inspections of 270 substations, natural gas regulator stations, staging of CNG trailers, deployment of frontline gas workers, and customer outreach while monitoring forecasts for hard freezes near 20°F.

Positive

• Mobilized 2,800 frontline electric workers for storm response
• Released >500 contract crews to assist harder-hit utilities
• Outages limited to ~2,000 customers (<1% of 2.9M service population)
• Inspected all 270 electric substations as part of readiness actions

Negative

• Forecasted hard freezes around 20°F may further affect equipment
• Overnight high winds, wintry precipitation and some ice impacted the electric system
• Fewer than 30,000 customers restored since Saturday 6:00 a.m., indicating ongoing restoration needs

Key Figures

Customers with power: More than 99% Customers currently impacted: Approximately 1,000 Customers in outage at 4 p.m.: Approximately 2,000 +5 more

8 metrics

Customers with power More than 99% Share of customers maintaining power through overnight winter weather

Customers currently impacted Approximately 1,000 Electric customers impacted at one point during restoration

Customers in outage at 4 p.m. Approximately 2,000 Weather-related outages as of 4 p.m., under 1% of base

Customers restored Less than 30,000 Customers restored since Saturday 6 a.m.

Total customers served 2.9 million Electric customers across 12 counties

Mobilized workforce 2,800 workers Frontline workforce fully mobilized for restoration

Contractors released More than 500 Contract frontline electric workers sent to other hard-hit states

Emergency training hours More than 19,000 Total emergency training hours in 2025

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 ahead of this update. high

Technical Shares at 38.78 are trading above the 200-day MA of 38.04 and sit 4.25% below the 52-week high of 40.5.

Peers on Argus

CNP slipped 0.23% with higher-than-average volume while key regulated electric p...

CNP slipped 0.23% with higher-than-average volume while key regulated electric peers were mixed: CMS -0.27%, DTE -0.52%, ES -1.19%, FE -1.25%, and FTS +0.86%. The momentum scanner shows no coordinated sector move, suggesting this trading reflects stock-specific dynamics rather than a broad utilities rotation.

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 preparations ahead of Jan 22–24 winter storm.
Jan 20	Earnings call notice	Neutral	+0.6%	Announcement of Q4 2025 earnings webcast details and access information.
Dec 11	Dividend declaration	Positive	+1.4%	Declared regular quarterly common dividend of $0.2300 per share.
Oct 23	Q3 2025 earnings	Positive	-1.1%	Reported stronger Q3 2025 results and reiterated 2025–2026 EPS guidance.
Oct 21	Asset sale announcement	Positive	-0.5%	Announced $2.62B sale of Ohio gas business and reiterated EPS growth plans.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive operational and financial announcements have sometimes seen negative next-day price reactions, indicating occasional divergences between news tone and price action.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, CenterPoint has combined routine investor communications with strategic and operational updates. A Jan 21, 2026 release detailed extensive winter-storm preparations, following a Jan 20 notice scheduling the Q4 2025 earnings call. In Dec 2025, the company declared a regular $0.2300 common dividend. Earlier, strong Q3 2025 results and reiterated 2025–2026 EPS guidance were reported, alongside an agreement to sell the Ohio natural gas business for $2.62 billion. Today’s storm-restoration update follows through on that resilience and reliability messaging.

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 filed on 2025-08-05, with at least 2 prospectus supplements (Form 424B5) used in late 2025. This provides pre-cleared flexibility to issue registered securities, as evidenced by the recent junior subordinated notes offerings, but no shelf capacity amounts are specified here.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement underscores CenterPoint’s operational resilience, with over 99% of its 2.9 million...

Analysis

This announcement underscores CenterPoint’s operational resilience, with over 99% of its 2.9 million customers maintaining power and fewer than 30,000 restored since Saturday. The company deployed a 2,800-person workforce, released over 500 contractors to harder-hit regions, and has invested more than 19,000 hours in emergency training. In the broader context of recent earnings strength, capital plans, and an effective S-3ASR shelf, investors may watch future updates on storm performance, infrastructure spending, and regulatory developments.

Key Terms

emergency operations center, compressed natural gas (cng)

2 terms

emergency operations center technical

"CenterPoint activated its Emergency Operations Center on January 21"

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.

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.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Download photos and videos of CenterPoint's winter weather response efforts here 

Overall system operated as designed with few customer outages, with less than 1% impacted

2,800 workers remain fully mobilized as crews restore impacted customers safely and as quickly as possible

Approximately 1,000 electric customers currently impacted; Less than 30,000 customers already restored since Saturday 6 a.m.

Company maintains readiness ahead of hard freezes overnight tonight and Monday

HOUSTON, Jan. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As of 4 p.m. today, CenterPoint Energy has determined the company has the resources necessary to continue supporting its severe weather response efforts in the Greater Houston area. The company has released more than 500 contractors from 9 states to support response efforts in states more heavily impacted by yesterday evening's winter weather system and will continue collaborating on meeting additional needs from other utilities through mutual aid.

CenterPoint Energy continues to actively deploy crews across the Greater Houston area to assess damage to electric and natural gas equipment and restore customers impacted by yesterday evening's severe winter weather. Overnight conditions including high winds, wintry precipitation, some ice accumulation and freezing temperatures impacted the electric system. As of 4 p.m., approximately 2,000 customers are experiencing weather-related outages, which represents less than 1% of the 2.9 million customers that CenterPoint serves across 12 counties. Since Saturday at 6 a.m., less than 30,000 customers have already been restored.

"We know how important it is for our customers to have electric service to power their daily lives, especially during cold weather and freezing conditions like we've seen this weekend. Our system continues to perform well, but tonight and tomorrow are forecasted to be hard freezes hovering around 20 degrees, which may impact our equipment in some places. We are currently responding to any outages safely and as quickly as we can, and we will continue to monitor our system diligently as winter weather conditions are exiting our service area. We want to thank our dedicated crews for braving this weather and supporting our community through this event, and we want to thank our customers for their continued patience," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint VP of Resilience and Capital Delivery.

CenterPoint will conduct its last daily operations briefing for this event today at 4:30 p.m.

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 a similar safe distance from objects touching downed lines (tree limbs, vehicles, fences, etc.) and immediately report downed power lines to CenterPoint. 

Actions CenterPoint is taking to respond
CenterPoint activated its Emergency Operations Center on January 21 and has been actively preparing for the impacts caused by winter storm, including:

• Deploying restoration electric workforce: Continuing to deploy its 2,800-person workforce to support winter storm response efforts and address potential equipment damage and outages;
• Releasing 500 contract crews to support restoration efforts for utilities in hard-hit areas;
• Staging more than 700 frontline natural gas workers to respond safely and quickly around the clock to any gas emergency calls and service interruptions;
• Keeping customers informed: Sharing safety and preparedness information and resources with CenterPoint customers through direct outreach, social media and other channels;
• Inspecting and testing critical electric equipment, including all 270 electric substations, executing enhanced tree trimming and conducting inspections to prepare for wintry precipitation and cold temperatures;
• Conducting outreach to Critical Care customers: Reaching out to identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Condition Residential electric customers by email, phone or text.
• Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to government officials on preparation activities and closely coordinating on customer support.
• Providing operational updates for media and public: Conducting daily press briefings to provide important updates related to its pre-storm activities and readiness posture; additional briefings may be held to provide operational updates on response and restoration efforts following the storm.

These emergency preparedness actions build on the winter readiness activities that CenterPoint has conducted since the fall of 2025, including annual weatherization requirements from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and Railroad Commission of Texas to prepare for winter storms. These actions include:

• Donated and installed more than 20 emergency backup generators at key locations across Greater Houston to improve local emergency preparedness and response efforts;
• 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;
• Inspecting nearly 200 natural gas regulator stations and installing heaters on equipment to prevent ice damage; 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.

Track what's happening in your neighborhood on Outage Tracker
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.

Customers can get storm-related electric and natural gas safety tips and the latest information at 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 customers were without power after the Jan 25, 2026 storm for CenterPoint Energy (CNP)?

As of Jan 25, 2026 at 4:00 p.m., about 2,000 customers were experiencing weather-related outages, representing <1% of the ~2.9 million customers served.

What workforce did CenterPoint Energy (CNP) deploy for the Jan 2026 winter storm response?

CenterPoint mobilized a 2,800-person electric workforce and staged more than 700 frontline natural gas workers; it also released >500 contract crews to help other utilities.

Will CenterPoint Energy (CNP) hold further operational briefings about the Jan 25, 2026 storm?

The company conducted its last daily operations briefing for this event on Jan 25, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.; additional briefings could occur if restoration needs change.

What precautions is CenterPoint Energy (CNP) taking to protect gas and electric infrastructure during the Jan 2026 freezes?

Actions include inspection/testing of 270 substations, heaters on nearly 200 gas regulator stations, positioning CNG trailers, enhanced tree trimming, and generator placements.

How can CenterPoint Energy (CNP) customers get outage updates during the Jan 2026 winter storm?

Customers can enroll in Power Alert Service® for personalized outage and restoration updates and use the bilingual Outage Tracker to view local outages by county, city, or ZIP.