Significant Power Outages Persist
Nearly a million residences and businesses across Texas remained without electricity as of Friday, five days after the destructive arrival of Hurricane Beryl, which brought intense winds and heavy rain, toppling trees and damaging power infrastructure.
CenterPoint Energy, Texas’ largest electricity provider, reported that approximately 860,000 of its customers were still affected. The company has restored power to over 1.4 million customers since the hurricane struck, according to its website.
Entergy’s Progress
Utility company Entergy stated that its Texas crews had restored power to about 183,000 of the 252,460 customers impacted by Hurricane Beryl by Friday afternoon.
Entergy anticipates full restoration for all affected customers by Monday, with about 75% expected to have power back by the end of Friday.
Heat and Frustration Rise
Residents grew increasingly frustrated as temperatures in Houston soared, with the Heat Index exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius).
Many businesses remained closed due to the power outage, and residents had to dispose of groceries worth hundreds of dollars.
Concerns Over Future Storms
“The recent hurricane was only a Category 1. We will likely face more hurricanes, and they could be stronger. Are we going to have the same problems?
Will the company in charge of repairing the country be ready this time?” Soonkack Kook, a coffee shop owner in midtown Houston, expressed in an Instagram post.
Forecasts for a Busy Hurricane Season
Meteorologists at Colorado State University this week increased their forecast for the intensity of the 2024 hurricane season, naming Beryl as a precursor to what could be a very active period.
They now expect six major storms with winds exceeding 111 miles per hour, up from an earlier prediction of five.
Beryl’s Early Arrival and Impact
Beryl, the earliest Category 5 storm on record when it formed over a week ago, made landfall on the Texas coast as a Category 1 storm with winds around 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour).
Kook’s coffee shop has been operating a pop-up outside, as it has been without power for five days and cannot afford to remain closed for such an extended period.
CenterPoint’s Restoration Efforts
CenterPoint continues to work around the clock, expecting to restore power to 80% of affected customers by Sunday evening. Since Monday, crews have replaced over 2,000 poles and addressed damage caused by more than 6,000 fallen trees impacting lines and other electrical equipment.
Local residents without power searched for accommodations on platforms like Airbnb, but options were scarce and often expensive. Some considered leaving town for the weekend, unable to endure the heat and lack of electricity.
Heat and Habitation Study
A study last year by the U.S. Department of Energy and some national labs indicated that the median home in Houston would remain habitable for only four days during a heat event without power.
“When you lose air conditioning, the temperatures indoors get dangerous much more quickly in homes that are not well-insulated,” explained Lowell Ungar, director of federal policy for the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
Energy Recovery and Industrial Impact
Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda Bay in South Texas, close to Freeport, which hosts the nation’s third-largest liquefied natural gas facility and numerous chemical plants.
Freeport LNG, the third-largest liquefied natural gas facility in the U.S., shut down on Saturday in preparation for Hurricane Beryl and has not yet resumed production, according to LSEG data. The company did not provide a timeline for resuming operations.
Chemical Industry Disruptions
Dow Inc. reported a process instability and reduced production rates due to Hurricane Beryl, according to a regulatory filing. Power infrastructure issues in Freeport caused operational limitations at Dow’s Texas sites.
Chemical company Olin declared force majeure for some products and shipments after Beryl caused damage to its Freeport facilities.
BASF reported minimal impact and is working to resume normal operations at its Texas facilities. Formosa Plastics, after a gas compressor system malfunction, expects to return to normal operations by the end of next week, having sustained no severe damage from Beryl.
Port and Refinery Operations Resume
Ports along the Gulf Coast, which had closed ahead of the hurricane, have largely resumed operations and vessel traffic. A navigational aid repair at the port of Freeport is expected to be completed by Saturday, according to a shipping agent’s notice. The impact on refineries and offshore production platforms was limited.