Texas
CenterPoint intends to ask Texas PUC for rate increase to recoup losses from Hurricane Beryl response
AUSTIN, Texas – As CenterPoint Energy remains in the hot seat, facing scrutiny for its response to Hurricane Beryl, the CEO has promised the energy giant will do better, but Texas lawmakers are wondering how much of that weight taxpayers will have to carry going forward.
During a hearing Monday held by a special senate committee in Austin, Senator Carol Alvarado asked CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells if the energy giant had any plans to go forward before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) for a rate increase and what that would look like and how taxpayers would be affected.
In summation, Wells admitted CenterPoint would ask for a rate increase, with the Senator sharing a brief bit of that exchange on X, formerly known as Twitter.
CenterPoint intends to increase their rates to recoup the cost of recovering from Hurricane Beryl, passing the cost on to the customer.
That dog won’t hunt. pic.twitter.com/QpTrJK9BkF
— Carol Alvarado (@CarolforTexas) July 30, 2024
“CenterPoint intends to increase their rates to recoup the cost of recovering from Hurricane Beryl, passing the cost on to the customer,” Alvarado said. “That dog won’t hunt.”
SEE ALSO: ‘We make no excuses:’ CenterPoint CEO sends letter to customers apologizing over Beryl response
Before the exchange shown on social media, Sen. Alvarado hoped to get a look at the bigger picture and asked Wells what CenterPoint looks for when they ask PUC for a rate increase to recoup efforts, noting they have to be “just and reasonable.”
Wells claimed the vast majority is to payback the lineworkers, vegetation management, and people who helped restore power, as well as materials used in the restoration efforts like power poles, and transformers. However, he emphasized the more than 50,000 workforce who helped restore service to over 2 million customers left in the dark for nearly a week.
Some customers, however, didn’t get their power back for more than a week and were forced to live in dangerously hot conditions inside their homes with no air conditioning, while temperatures outside soared into the 90s. Some of them lost their lives to heat illness.
What would a rate increase look like?
In pressing Wells during the hearing, Sen. Alvarado felt uneasy about even a $1 or $2 rate per customer per month “that never goes away,” and asked if the buck would stop there. That’s because CenterPoint already has a contending rate case with the PUC.
“We were required to file this rate case back in March of this year as part of our 2019 rate case for the company,” he said. “We made a commitment to file no later than the middle of March 2024 so we made it earlier this year.”
“What were you trying to recoup for?” Alvarado asked.
“This rate case covered all our capital investments that the company has made since the 2019 rate case as well as an update on our current level of operating and maintenance costs as well as a current update on the allowed return on the investment of our electric system,” Wells explained.
Is CenterPoint allowed to add additional costs?
“We basically submit the amount we spent for 2023 and use that as the basis for the request moving forward,” Wells added.
Still, Sen. Alvarado didn’t seem pleased with his response and pressed him again to ensure the rate increase would benefit the taxpayers despite having to pay extra on their electric bills.
“I just want to make sure you’re not doing less on proactive maintenance on vegetation,” Alvarado explained. “And waiting till a storm hits because you can recoup the cost once a tree hits the wire on a stem.”
“I can assure you, Senator we took proactive measures well beyond what we can recover in rates because it was the right thing to do given the impact the last several growing seasons have had on the trees in our area,” Wells said. “In the instance of the 35,000 trees we worked – that’s part of the restoration – that’s part of the cost we’d like to recover.”
That’s when the senator asked the question she shared in her video on social media: “Are you planning to go to the PUC on this storm and ask for a rate increase?”
“Yes, we are intending to file for recovery on the cost of this restoration,” Wells replied. “We have the burden of proof to prove those costs are prudent and reasonable but it is a cost – historically has been a cost that has been supported by the PUC.”
Sen. Alvarado, however, felt otherwise suggesting Wells would have to “jump through hoops” with the PUC to try and recoup the loss.
“I hope folks are really going to hone in on this and look carefully at what you’re asking for because there’s a lot of folks that are going to tune in; we’ve got a lot of our constituents [who] don’t want to pay – even if it’s a dollar or two extra a month when a lot of these costs could have been avoided.”
The hearing began at 10 a.m. Monday and the state livestreamed it, which you can find by clicking here.
Wells’ testimony comes just a week after his meeting with the PUC where he apologized to Houstonians.
“Let me begin by being very clear: our response to the impacts of Hurricane Beryl, including our communications, did not meet the high standard we expect of ourselves, let alone what the public expects of us,” Wells said.
‘Talk is cheap’: Outage victims react to CenterPoint’s apologies and promises to do better
As he did last week, Wells also announced initial action plans Monday to increase resiliency. For starters, CenterPoint has assured the public it will be introducing a new and improved online outage tracker by August 1.
“I take accountability for those areas where we fell short of our customer’s expectations, and I want to apologize for the frustration our customers and their families experienced as a result. There are no excuses. We will do better. We will improve. And we will act with a greater sense of urgency,” Wells said. “Hurricane Beryl impacted so many lives, and I want to express my condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones.”
CenterPoint’s plan of action, which was initially announced during a hearing with the Public Utility Commission of Texas on Thursday, July 25, reflects more than 40 initial actions that the company is taking immediately and over the intermediate- and long-term, including:
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Resiliency Investments: By accelerating the adoption of the latest construction standards, retrofitting existing assets on an accelerated basis, and using predictive modeling, AI and other advanced technologies, CenterPoint will harden its distribution system and speed restoration. The company will also take action to protect its electrical assets by nearly doubling the size of its vegetation management crews and targeting higher-risk vegetation to address the number one cause of damage and outages in Hurricane Beryl.
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Best-in-Class Customer Communications: To ensure customers have the information they need when they need it, CenterPoint will launch a new and more customer-oriented outage tracker by August 1. This online tool will provide better and more complete information during storms and is designed to handle increased demand during such events.
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Strengthened Partnerships: Effective emergency preparedness and response requires close coordination with government officials. CenterPoint will hire a seasoned emergency response leader to help the company rapidly accelerate its planning capabilities and develop close community partnerships to ease the burden of storm events on more vulnerable communities.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
Texas
Texas A&M Forward Transfer Seemingly on Visit to See Lady Vols Basketball | Rocky Top Insider

Lady Vols basketball is looking to add more pieces to its 2026-27 roster with high-level experience. After completing her junior season at Texas A&M, Fatmata Janneh has emerged as a Tennessee target for her final year of eligibility. According to her Instagram story on Sunday night, she is in Knoxville.
With the Aggies a year ago, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 11.4 points per game on 43.3% shooting from the field. She also showed off an ability to hit from range, posting 1.1 makes per game on 33% shooting from three.
Perhaps Janneh’s biggest strength is her rebounding, though. She ripped down 9.7 boards per contest, good for the fifth-most in the SEC. This featured 2.6 rebounds on the offensive end per outing.
Janneh also averaged 1.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. She appeared in 27 games, starting in each.
More From RTI: How Watching The NCAA Tournament Drew Terrence Hill Jr. To Tennessee Basketball
Janneh started her career with a pair of seasons at St. Peter’s. As a sophomore, she averaged a double-double, posting 18.2 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. This made her a sought-after transfer in the portal before landing at Texas A&M as the nation’s leading defensive rebounder. As a freshman, she averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds.
The forward is from London, England, attending Barking Abbey Sixth Form for her prep ball. She would be the second player from England to join the Tennessee roster if she committed. UT also added the commitment of incoming freshman and former Boston College signee Irene Oboavwoduo this offseason.
So far, Caldwell and the Lady Vols have landed five transfers in this portal cycle. This features Liberty guard Avery Mills, Northern Arizona guard Naomi White, Stanford forward Harper Peterson and Georgia forward Zhen Craft and guard Rylie Theuerkauf.
Tennessee will also roster a pair of incoming freshmen. Four-star recruit and top-50 prospect Gabby Minus is staying true to her signing despite the roster overhaul and assistant coaching changes, along with the addition of Oboavwoduo.
Texas
Texas needs at least $174 billion to avoid water crisis, state says
AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Texas communities will need to spend $174 billion in the next 50 years to avert a severe water crisis, a new state analysis revealed Thursday. That’s more than double the $80 billion projected four years ago, when the Texas Water Development Board last passed a state water plan.
The three-member board presiding over the agency authorized the highly anticipated draft blueprint Thursday, the first administrative step toward adopting the water development board’s plans for the next 50 years. The plan, released every five years, encompasses the projects that 16 regional water planning groups in Texas said are the most urgent, water development board officials said.
The board’s latest estimates come as the state’s water supply faces numerous threats. Growing communities across Texas are scrambling to secure water, keep up with construction costs and cope with a yearslong drought. This week, Corpus Christi officials said the city may be just months away from declaring a water emergency. Meanwhile, other rural cities by the Coastal Bend are rapidly drilling wells to avoid a crisis. Residents in North Texas have also been bracing for groundwater shortages.
In an effort to restrain the crisis, lawmakers last year called an election in which voters approved a $20 billion boost for communities to use on water-related expenses. The water development board’s estimate shows that what lawmakers proposed on the ballot falls dramatically short of the needed cash, experts said.
“What this number tells me at the end of the day is if we don’t get serious about (funding water projects), there are going to be serious consequences for Texas,” said Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network. “Even with the billion-dollar-a-year plan kicking in, it’s not going to be enough to offset the costs of the projects that are going to have to be executed.”
The new estimate accounts for 3,000 projects, from regional infrastructure upgrades to smaller endeavors such as drilling new water wells. Texas’ water supplies are expected to drop by roughly 10% between 2030 and 2080, according to the water plan. In that same time frame, the maximum amount of water communities can draw is also expected to decline by 9%.
The 80-page plan notes approximately 6,700 recommended strategies that would add water to the state’s dwindling portfolio. The recommendations — which are not accounted for in the cost — include developing new supplies from aquifer storage and recovery, brackish groundwater, desalination and recycled water. It also calls for water conservation.
The report suggested that if Texas does not implement the plans and recommendations, the state is one severe drought away from an estimated $91 billion in economic damages in 2030.
The state’s plan attributes a variety of reasons for the bigger price tag, such as higher costs of construction due to inflation, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains, and a growing backlog of water supply projects.
“There’s a plan that can meet our needs,” said Matt Nelson, deputy executive administrator for the Office of Planning at the water development board, adding that they take their cues from the regional planning groups. “These are local projects that folks need to implement; they’re needed regardless of how they’re funded. It’s important to remember these are not top-down projects or state projects.”
Experts told The Texas Tribune that the board’s estimate is only a fraction of what Texas communities will need to ensure they have water in 50 years’ time, saying growth and development are outpacing the state’s ability to keep up.
“This is a bigger water plan in terms of volume strategies and capital costs compared to anything we’ve ever seen before,” said Jeremy Mazur, the director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at think tank Texas 2036.
Mazur suggested that the $174 billion only covers water supply projects and does not account for updating aging infrastructure, adding that the actual price could amount to a quarter of a trillion dollars.
“There’s a substantial magnitude with regard to the capital investment needed to both fix our aging and current systems and potentially develop the water infrastructure, water supply projects that we need.“
The report largely confirmed what many water experts have warned regarding threats to the state’s water supply, said Sarah Kirkle, director of policy at the Texas Water Association.
“Population growth, extreme weather, and economic development needs are all increasing demands on our infrastructure, and the state is going to need more water, sooner,” Kirkle said. “This is all while water projects are becoming more costly and complex because the easiest and cheapest local projects have already been developed.”
Fowler, with the infrastructure network, said he expects the Texas Legislature to take up the issue next year, when lawmakers meet for the 90th legislative session. He said the state should take a bigger role in ensuring that communities can afford their respective water projects.
“It’s going to have to be a top-down priority, there’s no way around it,” he said. “The challenges are so immense that it’s going to take all hands on deck.”
Texas residents have until the end of May to comment on the proposal. Water development board officials must adopt it by January 2027.
Alejandra Martinez contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans – and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Texas
Co‑worker confesses to killing missing North Texas man and stealing his car, police say
A North Texas man reported missing earlier this week was found dead Friday, and police say a co‑worker has confessed to fatally shooting him and stealing his car.
The suspect, Gregory D. Lewis, 34, remains in custody and faces a forthcoming capital murder charge, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.
Lewis is accused of killing 31‑year‑old Thomas King, who had been last seen in his Taco Casa work uniform. King was reported missing on Tuesday after failing to return home Monday from the fast‑food restaurant in the 1100 block of Bridgewood Drive.
Car found at Arlington motel
Police said King’s car was found at the Quality Inn on I‑20 in Arlington, and surveillance video showed Lewis arriving in King’s vehicle shortly after King left work.
Detectives identified the man in the video and arrested him on unrelated charges.
Body discovered on Fort Worth’s East Side
King’s body was located on Friday in an open field on Fort Worth’s East Side, authorities said.
According to police, Lewis confessed to shooting the victim and stealing his car.
Medical examiner review pending
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.
CBS News Texas has reached out to Taco Casa for comment.
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