resiliency plan

CenterPoint launches real-time tracker to map Houston’s power grid upgrades

CenterPoint Energy has launched a new Community Progress Tracker. Screenshot via centerpointenergy.com

Houstonians can now track electronic infrastructure improvements via CenterPoint’s new Community Progress Tracker, part of the company’s ongoing Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative.

The tracker allows users to search by zip code and see completed work in real time, as well as updates on upcoming projects that highlight infrastructure improvements and efforts to strengthen the power grid in the face of extreme weather. Users can view icons on a map that track automation and intelligence projects, storm-resilient pole and equipment installations, undergrounding work and tree trimmings.

CenterPoint had installed 10,000 storm-resilient poles, cleared 1,600 miles of higher-risk vegetation, completed 99 miles of power line undergrounding and hardened 220 miles of power lines by the end of Q1 2026, according to the company.

For the rest of 2026, CenterPoint aims to install 35,000 stronger, storm-resilient poles, clear high-risk vegetation from 8,000 miles of power lines and harden 500 transmission structures against storms.

Via centerpointenergy.com

“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, said in a news release. “To date, we are ahead of schedule in making critical 2026 GHRI improvements, and we will continue to build the stronger, smarter infrastructure necessary to further improve systemwide reliability and strengthen resiliency, reducing the likelihood and impact of outages for our customers.”

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A View From HETI

SEG Solar is planning a 500,000-square-foot facility in Cypress. Image courtesy SEG Solar

Houston-based SEG Solar plans to open a new 4-gigawatt solar module manufacturing facility in Cypress.

The facility represents more than a $200 million investment and will raise SEG's total annual U.S. module production capacity to approximately 6 gigawatts, according to a new release. The expansion is part of SEG’s long-term goal of becoming one of the largest 100 percent U.S.-owned module manufacturers.

The new 500,000-square-foot facility will be located on Telge Road and is expected to create 800 new jobs, according to reports.

“This new facility marks an important milestone for SEG,” Timothy Johnson, VP of operations, said in the release. “It will further strengthen our U.S. manufacturing capabilities while supporting ongoing technology innovation. The plant is designed with the flexibility to integrate next-generation technologies, including (heterojunction solar technology) as the industry evolves.”

Commercial operations at the new facility are expected to commence in Q3 2026.

SEG is also developing a 5-gigawatt ingot and wafer manufacturing facility in Indonesia. Construction on the facility is expected to begin in Q2 2026.

In 2024, SEG Solar opened a new $60 million, 250,000-square-foot facility in Houston to house its production workshops, raw material warehouses, administrative offices, finished goods warehouses and supporting infrastructure. Read more here.

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