CenterPoint Energy (CNP) has successfully completed the installation of 400 miles of underground power lines as part of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) Phase Two, achieving 100% of its strategic undergrounding goal ahead of the 2025 hurricane season. This milestone contributes to the company's broader objective of having more than 50% of its electric system underground to enhance resiliency.
The critical infrastructure upgrade, completed over eight months, aims to strengthen the system against extreme weather conditions, high winds, falling vegetation, and vehicle collisions. Once all GHRI milestones are achieved, these improvements are expected to reduce customer outages by over 125 million minutes annually, advancing CenterPoint's goal of building the most resilient coastal grid in the country.
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CenterPoint completed 400 miles of strategic underground power lines ahead of schedule, enhancing grid resilience before hurricane season and supporting long-term reliability improvements.
CenterPoint Energy has completed 400 miles of underground power lines, achieving 100% of its strategic undergrounding goal ahead of the 2025 hurricane season. This infrastructure improvement directly addresses common outage causes in the Houston area: extreme weather, falling vegetation, and vehicle collisions. As part of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), this milestone supports CenterPoint's objective of having more than 50% of their electric system undergrounded for enhanced resilience.
The eight-month implementation timeline demonstrates efficient project execution, particularly important given the scale of underground conversion work, which typically involves complex permitting, excavation, and restoration activities. By completing this work before hurricane season, CenterPoint ensures these critical infrastructure improvements will protect the system during the highest-risk weather period.
The strategic nature of this undergrounding effort is noteworthy—rather than attempting to underground the entire system (which would be prohibitively expensive), the company has targeted 400 miles of critical infrastructure that delivers the highest resilience return on investment. When combined with other GHRI initiatives, these improvements are projected to reduce customer outages by more than 125 million minutes annually, representing a substantial reliability enhancement that will benefit both residential and commercial customers in the Houston region.
CenterPoint Energy's ahead-of-schedule completion of its strategic undergrounding initiative demonstrates strong operational execution capabilities—a key performance indicator for utility investors. The completion of 400 miles of underground power lines represents significant capital deployment that typically becomes part of a utility's rate base, potentially supporting long-term earnings growth through regulated returns.
By completing this work before the 2025 hurricane season, CenterPoint positions itself to potentially avoid some of the substantial restoration costs that typically impact Gulf Coast utilities during severe weather events. This proactive approach to grid hardening shows management's commitment to long-term system resilience rather than reactive emergency repairs.
The projected reduction of 125 million customer outage minutes annually (once all GHRI initiatives are complete) should translate to improved operational performance metrics, as utilities often face regulatory requirements related to system reliability. This achievement aligns with the industry's increasing focus on climate adaptation and system hardening—themes that continue to drive capital investment cycles across the utility sector. The company's transparency commitment through regular GHRI progress updates also supports stakeholder confidence in management execution.
05/06/2025 - 04:22 PM
Underground power lines installed ahead of schedule, with all Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) Phase Two resiliency actions on track to be completed by June 1
Historic suite of GHRI actions will improve system resiliency and reliability, resulting in the reduction of more than 125 million outage minutes annually
HOUSTON, May 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to build the most resilient coastal grid in the country, CenterPoint Energy announced that it has installed 400 miles of underground power lines over the past eight months, completing 100% of its strategic undergrounding goal before the start of the 2025 hurricane season. The critical undergrounding work will help strengthen the system against extreme weather and improve overall resiliency by reducing potential outages caused by high winds, falling vegetation, vehicle collisions and other hazards. The work, which is part of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI), was completed ahead of schedule and will help CenterPoint achieve its broader goal of achieving more than 50% of the electric system being ungrounded to further improve resiliency.
"All of us at CenterPoint are laser-focused on preparing for the 2025 hurricane season and strengthening the system against more powerful storms and extreme weather. We will continue working hard every day to build on the significant progress we've made since launching the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, as we continue toward our goal of building the most resilient coastal grid in the country," said Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of Electric Business.
When all GHRI milestones are achieved, these system improvements and actions will further strengthen resiliency and are projected to reduce outages for customers by more than 125 million minutes annually.
As part of its commitment to transparency, CenterPoint will continue to provide regular updates on its progress toward completing its critical resiliency actions and other GHRI commitments. More information and real-time updates are available at CenterPointEnergy.com/TakingAction.
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 approximately 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2025, the company had approximately $44 billion in assets. With approximately 8,300 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been serving customers for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.
Forward-looking statementsThis news release, as well as the website pages related to the GHRI, includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release or the website pages related to the GHRI, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding the GHRI and longer-term resiliency plans, including effectiveness, timing and related matters, are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release or the website pages related to the GHRI and other emergency preparations regarding future events that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release or the website pages related to the GHRI, including expected benefits, speaks only as of the date of this release or the date that such statement is made, as applicable. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) business strategies and strategic initiatives, restructurings, joint ventures, acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses involving CenterPoint Energy or its industry; (2) CenterPoint Energy's ability to fund and invest planned capital, and the timely recovery of its investments; (3) financial market and general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory, legislative and political actions or developments; and (5) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, contact:Communications[email protected]
SOURCE CenterPoint Energy
FAQ
CenterPoint Energy completed the installation of 400 miles of underground power lines, achieving 100% of its strategic undergrounding goal ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.
The GHRI system improvements are projected to reduce customer outages by more than 125 million minutes annually.
CenterPoint Energy aims to achieve more than 50% of its electric system being underground to improve resiliency.
The underground power lines will protect against extreme weather, high winds, falling vegetation, vehicle collisions, and other hazards.
CenterPoint Energy completed the 400-mile power line undergrounding over a period of eight months.