Austin Energy has dispatched 21 lineworkers and support personnel to Houston in response to the severe storms that left over a million people without power. The team, equipped with bucket trucks and support vehicles, is set to depart at 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, with plans to assist in power restoration efforts for up to two weeks. However, this timeline may be subject to change depending on the direct impacts of the storm.
Elton Richards, Austin Energy Vice President of Electric System Field Operations, commented on the company's initiative: “Providing mutual aid in natural disasters is a tradition among public utilities and this will offer tremendous training opportunities for our crews. I am honored to work with such caring individuals who work not only on behalf of the Austin community but are also willing to help others in need.”
CenterPoint Energy's damage assessment and restoration efforts are currently underway. The company has requested approximately 4,000 lineworkers and 1,000 vegetation professionals for mutual assistance support. A strong storm system with winds exceeding 85 miles per hour caused significant damage to CenterPoint's electric system in areas including Bellaire, Cypress, Baytown, Greenspoint, Humble and Spring Branch.
Restoration efforts in these severely affected areas are anticipated to take several days or longer. Despite extensive damage yet to be assessed fully, crews have made considerable progress overnight by restoring power for more than 180,000 customers within the last 12 hours. As of 9:30 a.m., over 72% of CenterPoint Energy's customers — approximately two million individuals — have regained power. At its peak, the severe weather resulted in electric service interruptions for nearly 922,000 customers.
Austin Energy is an electric utility owned by the City of Austin that serves over one million residents across more than 550,000 customer accounts in Greater Austin. Since its establishment in 1895, Austin Energy has been guided by its mission to safely deliver clean, affordable, reliable energy and excellent customer service.