Texas Struggles with Power Outages After Hurricane Beryl

Summary of Article on Hurricane Beryl’s Impact in Texas
HOUSTON – Nearly a million homes and businesses in Texas remain without power five days after Hurricane Beryl hit the state. CenterPoint Energy, Texas’s largest power provider, reports around 860,000 customers are still affected, though power has been restored to over 1.4 million customers. Entergy has restored power to about 183,000 out of 252,460 impacted customers and expects full restoration by Monday.
The hurricane’s aftermath has led to significant frustrations among residents as temperatures in Houston exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, causing some businesses to remain closed and residents to discard spoiled groceries. Soonkack Kook, a local coffee shop owner, voiced concerns on social media about future hurricane preparedness.
Meteorologists have increased the forecast for the 2024 hurricane season’s severity, anticipating six major storms. Beryl, initially a Category 5 storm, made landfall as a Category 1 with winds around 80 mph.
CenterPoint Energy is working continuously to restore power, having replaced over 2,000 poles and addressed damage from more than 6,000 trees. Residents are seeking alternative accommodations due to the heat and power outage, but options are limited and expensive.
Energy infrastructure in South Texas, including the Freeport LNG facility and several chemical plants, experienced disruptions. Freeport LNG remains offline, and companies like Dow, Olin, and BASF are working to resume normal operations. Ports along the Gulf Coast have largely resumed activities.
Overall, the impact on refineries and offshore production platforms has been limited.