CenterPoint CEO rejects calls for his resignation at Senate hearing – Houston Public Media

A Senate committee grilled Jason Wells, CEO and COO of CenterPoint Energy, for hours Monday about the company’s response to Hurricane Beryl. Wells resisted suggestions that he should resign.

Houston Sen. Paul Bettencourt, among others, grilled Wells on issues ranging from CenterPoint’s failure to restore its outage tracking system before Beryl; the five-year deadline CenterPoint gave to trim vegetation, about 4 1/2 years after completion; and the utility of its $800 million purchase of mobile generators, which so far have gone unused.

“Now what would you say to the average person,” Bettencourt asked, “to make them resign?”

Screenshot/Texas Senate

Wells, who has repeatedly said he accepts full responsibility for CenterPoint’s failures before, during and after Beryl, responded by saying such a move would hamper CenterPoint’s efforts to address the problems that hurt customers the most.

“We’ve put forward here an ambitious set of 40 actions to immediately improve our resiliency, our communications and our partnerships during this hurricane season,” Wells said. “I think if I resign today, we’ll lose momentum on the things that will have the greatest impact on the Greater Houston region.”

Wells’ answers do not appear to satisfy senators, particularly those from the Houston area, including Sens. Carol Alvarado, Joan Huffman, Lois Kolkhorst, Borris Miles, Mayes Middleton and Brandon Creighton.

Several members of the Houston delegation pledged before the CEO spoke to introduce legislation in the next session to improve his and CenterPoint’s handling of the storm. Bettencourt, for example, promised to introduce legislation that would recover taxpayer funds spent on mobile generators.

CenterPoint is expected to submit an improvement plan to Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday, July 31.

Other witnesses included Houston Mayor John Whitmire, himself until recently a senator. Mr. Whitmire asked his former colleagues to help him hold CenterPoint to account, citing the company’s high profit margins.

“I’m disappointed. I’m out of patience. No more excuses. CenterPoint is making a great comeback, and they’re just going to have to spend it on preparation, operations and recovery,” Whitmire said.

Screenshot/Texas Senate