Texas regulators trim, approve $2.7B CenterPoint system resiliency plan

AI generated summary

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has approved a revised $2.7 billion resiliency plan for CenterPoint Energy, significantly reduced from the initial $5.75 billion proposal submitted in January. Following a settlement that lowered the request to $3.2 billion, the commission further trimmed the budget during a recent meeting. This plan is part of a broader legislative requirement for electric utilities in Texas to enhance grid reliability through strategic investments over the next three years.

Commissioner Courtney Hjaltman expressed concerns regarding the transparency of the vegetation management costs included in the plan, suggesting that some elements appeared to overlap with existing maintenance budgets. Despite these concerns, the commission voted unanimously to approve the plan, which encompasses over two dozen projects aimed at improving the utility's resilience against extreme weather events. CenterPoint anticipates that these initiatives will significantly reduce outage times and enhance recovery efforts following storms.