HOUSTON – With extreme weather conditions forecasted yet again in Houston, CenterPoint Energy is preparing for any type of emergency response that may come up.
SEE ALSO: ERCOT issues weather watch ahead of freezing temperatures in Houston area this week
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The energy giant said its Emergency Response and Preparedness Team, as well as its meteorologists, are actively looking at weather models to prepare people’s homes to be powered during a serious drop in temperatures.
As part of CenterPoint’s preparedness efforts, the energy giant says it has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its electric and natural gas infrastructure across Texas, as well as inspect and test cold-weather critical equipment ahead of potential severe cold weather.
CenterPoint is also preparing to deploy cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, developing plans to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation.
This update comes as the Energy Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) announced its own Weather Watch starting Wednesday, February 19 through Friday, Feb. 21, citing the possibility of “extreme cold weather across the ERCOT region, higher electrical demand, and the potential for lower reserves.”
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Bear in mind, however, KPRC 2′s weather team does not anticipate this freezing weather to be another snowstorm.
“In January, we had the most important ingredient, the icy cold air was already here before a storm system brought a bunch of rain/sleet/snow into SE Texas,” Meteorologist Justin Stapleton writes. “This time, the juicy air is well to the east of us before the cold air arrives. That means, yes, you will still likely need to cover sensitive plants and make sure the pets have some shelter from the wind, but as far as snowmen, we’re going to (hopefully) wait until next winter!”
Likewise, CenterPoint does not anticipate any snow or icy conditions but are still encouraging residents to have a plan.
“Though current forecasts are not predicting the kind of icy precipitation or snowy conditions the Greater Houston area experienced during last month’s cold snap, we will continue to monitor the weather models and prepare our response for any potential impacts from freezing temperatures” Don Daigler, CenterPoint Senior Vice President of Emergency Preparedness and Response explained in a statement. “We urge our customers to take this extreme cold weather seriously, stay alert of changing weather conditions and have an emergency plan in place.”
To learn more about CenterPoint Energy’s plan, check out its Winter Energy Guide by clicking here.