Frustration mounts in Houston after storm leaves millions without power

Houston residents are facing extended power outages following Hurricane Beryl, and millions are still in the dark after the storm passed.

J. David Goodman and Ivan Penn report for The New York Times.

In short:

• Hurricane Beryl caused major power outages in Houston, affecting up to 2.7 million customers.
• CenterPoint Energy has promised to restore power to 1 million customers by Wednesday, but many are still without electricity.
• State officials questioned the preparedness and response of utilities, given that the intensity of the storm was not unexpected.

Key quote:

“The fact that a Category 1 hurricane causes more than a million customer power outages immediately following a hurricane demonstrates that there is a critical need for investment to build resilience.”

— Wei Due, Energy Expert, PA Consulting

Why it matters:

Houston’s infrastructure is struggling to cope with increasingly severe weather, highlighting the need to invest in more resilient systems. Residents are facing recurring disruptions, raising concerns about future preparedness and response effectiveness.