doubling down

CenterPoint Energy announces $5B expanded resiliency plan

CenterPoint has committed to "the largest investment in Greater Houston infrastructure in the company's nearly 160-year history." Photo via Getty Images

CenterPoint Energy disclosed that it's completed its core resiliency actions first phase of its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative. The company also reports that it's outlined extra upcoming efforts.

Following the unprecedented outages of Hurricane Beryl, CenterPoint outlined its GHRI in August. As of last week, the first phase, which included more than 40 critical actions in total to strengthen the electric grid, has been completed ahead of schedule.

The company also announced a second phase of GHRI and approximately $5 billion in resiliency investment from 2026 to 2028, a figure that's around twice as much as initially promised.

"We have heard the call to action from our customers and elected officials, and we are responding with bold actions," says Jason Wells, CenterPoint president and CEO, in a statement. "Our defining goal, going forward, is this: to build the most resilient coastal grid in the country that can better withstand the extreme weather of the future. To achieve this ambition, we will undertake a historic level of resiliency actions and investment, because this is what the people of the Greater Houston area expect and deserve."

According to CenterPoint, the second phase will include system hardening, strategic undergrounding, self-healing grid technology, and further enhancements to the company's outage tracker.

CenterPoint outlined its recently completed efforts, including installing over 300 automation devices and more than 1,000 stronger poles, as well as removing hazardous vegetation from more than 2,000 miles of power lines. Next up, CenterPoint says it's near-term actions will include further grid strengthening, public communication improvements, and enhancements to local, community, and emergency partnerships. The details of this phase, which will take place between September 1 to June 1, will be released by September 30.

In the company's longer-term action plan, CenterPoint commits to $5 billion in upgrades from 2026 to 2028 — "the largest investment in Greater Houston infrastructure in the company's nearly 160-year history."

"The mission of this longer-term plan of action is to build the most resilient coastal grid in the country by investing in a smarter grid of the future that can better withstand a broad spectrum of risks," reads the statement. "The proposal, and the entire scope of these actions will be outlined in a new system resiliency plan that is expected to be filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas on or before January 31, 2025."

CenterPoint reports that lawmakers have received this information directly, and that the plan will be shaped by feedback from its customers, experts, and stakeholders, including elected officials and local agencies.

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A View From HETI

Haotian Wang, co-founder of Solidec, a 2025 Houston Startup of the Year finalist. Photo courtesy Welch Foundation.

We're just two weeks away from the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards, presented by InnovationMap.com, and while an expert panel of judges will determine the winners in most categories, one award is up to the public.

Voting is now open for 2025 Houston Startup of the Year, the people's choice award. Six exceptional finalists are in the running for the title, including three from the energy transition sector.

From next-gen biobased materials to technology that creates chemicals without carbon emissions, these companies are shaping the future.

Read about all of the Startup of the Year finalists and their missions below, then cast your vote. You can vote once per day through November 12.

The winner, along with winners in all other categories, will be revealed live on November 13 at Greentown Labs. Tickets to the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards are available now — get yours today.

2025 Houston Startup of the Year finalists:

Eclipse Energy

Eclipse Energy, previously known as Gold H2, is a climatetech startup converting end-of-life oil fields into low-cost, sustainable hydrogen sources. The company completed its first field trial this summer, which demonstrated subsurface bio-stimulated hydrogen production. Eclipse Energy says Its technology could yield up to 250 billion kilograms of low-carbon hydrogen.

Rheom Materials

Rheom Materials is a next-generation startup developing biobased materials for a more sustainable future. Its two flagship offerings are Shorai, a sustainable leather alternative that is usable for apparel, accessories, car interiors, and more, and Benree, an alternative to plastic without the carbon footprint.

Solidec

Solidec is a chemical manufacturing company developing autonomous generators that extract molecules from water and air and convert them into pure chemicals and fuels that are free of carbon emissions. The technology eliminates the need for transport, storage, and permitting.

FlowCare

FlowCare is developing a period health platform that integrates smart dispensers, education, and healthcare into one system to make free, high-quality, organic period products more accessible. FlowCare is live at prominent Houston venues, including Discovery Green, Texas Medical Center, The Ion, and, most recently, Space Center Houston, helping make Houston a “period positivity” city.

MyoStep

MyoStep is a next-generation, lightweight, soft exoskeleton developed at University of Houston for children with cerebral palsy. The soft skeleton aims to address motor impairments that impact their ability to participate in physical activities, self-care, and academics, via an affordable, child-friendly solution that empowers mobility and independence.

Persona AI

Persona AI is a humanoid robotics startup that is creating rugged, autonomous robots for skilled, heavy industry work for various "4D" (dull, dirty, dangerous, and declining) jobs. In May, the company announced a memorandum of understanding with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Robotic, and Vazil Company to create and deploy humanoid robots for complex welding tasks in shipyards. The project will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026.

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The Houston Innovation Awards program is sponsored by Houston Community College, Houston Powder Coaters, FLIGHT by Yuengling, and more to be announced soon. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact sales@innovationmap.com.

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