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‘CenterPointle$$’: Houston graffiti expresses public frustration with utility’s response to Hurricane Beryl – Houston Public Media

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Daisy Espinoza / Houston Public Media

New graffiti highlights the city’s grievances with CenterPoint Energy as one million customers remain without power Thursday. Photo taken Thursday, July 11, 2024.

It’s been four days since Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas and swept through Houston, knocking out power to more than two million CenterPoint Energy customers as it moved forward.

Still, more than a million customers were without power Thursday, and Houston residents are starting to get fed up.

A graffiti mural that appeared Wednesday on an I-10 West underpass could be an indication of their trust in the energy giant: “CenterPointle$$.” The message appeared near the highway and Studewood Street. It was not immediately clear Thursday who painted the graffiti.

This message resonates with others who have expressed frustration with this week’s long-awaited and slow restorations.

Some Houston residents have been without lights and air conditioning since Monday morning, under a heat alert that has lasted for several days.

CenterPoint blamed the damage on trees that were toppled during Monday’s storm. The company said many of the city’s trees were vulnerable due to severe freezes, drought and heavy rains over the past three years.

RELATED: Houston power outages: More than 1 million without power as CenterPoint promises restoration times

Lynnae Wilson, a spokeswoman for CenterPoint, said the company has completed damage assessment and restoration for customers affected by the circuit-related outages.

Crews will now focus on repairing localized damage, including in areas hardest hit by Beryl.

When will my electricity be restored?

In a news release Thursday, the energy company said an additional 400,000 customers in the Houston area should have power restored by the end of Friday.

Another 350,000 people will have power restored by the end of Sunday. But that still leaves about 500,000 customers who could potentially be without power early next week, Jason Ryan, executive vice president of CenterPoint, told utility commissioners Thursday.

RELATED: Half a million CenterPoint customers still without power by Monday, PUC official tells

“We understand how difficult it is for our customers to be without power, especially during this summer heat,” Wilson said.

The company posted a map online showing areas where power repairs are underway and where power has been restored. But residents condemned the map, which was quietly released Wednesday, pointing out inaccuracies in the power statuses displayed.

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