hurricane readiness

CenterPoint reports grid resilience updates as hurricane season begins

Hurricane season began June 1. Photo via Pexels

As hurricane season descends upon the region, CenterPoint Energy has shared the latest update on its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI) that’s been working to make grid upgrades and introduce weather-related tech since 2024.

As of April 2026, CenterPoint had:

  • Replaced more than 65,000 poles with stronger storm-resistant infrastructure
  • Trimmed or cleared more than 10,000 miles of vegetation
  • Undergrounded more than 500 miles of power lines
  • Installed more than 600 automation devices
  • Installed more than 150 weather stations

In May, CenterPoint announced its new Community Progress Tracker, which helps residents track electronic infrastructure improvements. In terms of other technology, CenterPoint has announced its partnership with weather, wildfire and flood modeling software Technosylva. The software is expected to help CenterPoint track weather conditions in advance to better prepare crews.

CenterPoint has also added 150 weather stations to improve weather monitoring, conducted a full-scale hurricane response exercise involving more than 400 employees and completed more than 25,000 hours of FEMA training across more than 800 employees. The company opened a new year-round Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate with emergency response partners, local and state officials, and media during major weather events.

“We are proud of the progress made in 2025, which helped deliver more than 100 million fewer outage minutes when compared to 2024, and we are determined to make even more progress in 2026 as we work toward our defining goal: building the nation's most resilient coastal grid,” Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's vice president of resilience and capital delivery, previously said in a news release.

According to the company, the GHRI aims to improve overall grid resiliency and reliability and to reduce outages for customers. CenterPoint projects its efforts can reduce customer outages by 150 million by the end of 2026.

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A View From HETI

Pelican Energy Partners has made its second nuclear-related acquisition of 2026. Photo via Pexels

Houston-based private equity firm Pelican Energy Partners has acquired California-based Veridiam for an undisclosed amount in an effort to further increase the firm’s focus on the nuclear energy sector.

Veridiam is a strategic manufacturer that specializes in the precision fabrication of components and assemblies made from exotic metals or advanced alloys for the nuclear, aerospace, defense, space and medical fields.

Following the acquisition, Veridiam will continue to operate under its existing name and will led by its current management team, including CEO Brian Joyal.

“Joining the Pelican platform accelerates our strategic trajectory," Joyal said in a news release. "With Pelican's support, we will accelerate the modernization and expansion of our manufacturing capabilities to meet unprecedented demand across the nuclear, aerospace, defense, and medical sectors. This partnership also enables us to expand our portfolio of mission-critical products and engineered solutions while maintaining the uncompromising quality, precision, and reliability standards that have defined Veridiam for more than 60 years."

Since 2011, Pelican has raised over $1 billion in committed capital and has realized over 15 investments. Currently, Pelican is investing from its fourth fund, which aims to support and advance companies that provide critical services and products to the nuclear power industry.

In 2024, Pelican raised a $450 million fund to invest in nuclear energy services and equipment companies.

The Veridiam deal comes after Pelican has completed several nuclear acquisitions. The PE firm acquired New Hampshire-based Environmental Alternatives Inc., which provides nuclear decontamination services, in April; it acquired Georgia-based WSI Welding Solution in December, which services the nuclear sector.

"Veridiam sits at the center of our investment thesis and reflects the kind of deal Pelican does best," Mike Scott, managing partner and founder of Pelican Energy Partners, added in the news release. "With the right capital and operating support, we see a clear opportunity to strengthen the business, invest in its capabilities, and create long-term value for customers and shareholders."

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