Houston residents doubtful of Centerpoint's pledge of better resilience
HOUSTON - Beryl landfall, plus 22 days, and on Dragonwick Drive, evidence of the storm's havoc abounds, as does the frustration felt with Houston's monopoly utility, Centerpoint Energy.
82-year-old Stella Colbert says on her side of the block, power has been restored, then lost, restored again, popped off, and thankfully flowing once more.
SUGGESTED: CenterPoint CEO grilled by Texas Senate committee over Hurricane Beryl failures
"Hey, I pay my bill every month, why can't I be comfortable with all this? So CenterPoint needs to do something."
Having spent her career as a VA hospital nurse, Stella Colbert knows more than a little about duty and responsibility.
Her message to CenterPoint, "With the company, I'm not pleased. No Lord, I'm not pleased," said Colbert.
Centerpoint's leader, Jason Wells, says he's listening and pledging to do better.
"Our response to the impacts of Hurricane Beryl and our communications were not acceptable. They did not meet our expectations, nor that of our customers, and I take personal accountability for that. I want to apologize to our customers and their families for the frustration they experienced," said Wells before a Texas Senate Committee.
55-year Dragonwick Drive resident Robert Hall says when it comes to keeping branches and trees out of the wires, Centerpoint's talk is cheap.
"I haven't seen them out here in three years now, as for as cutting the limbs off the wire. One day, one of them wires from the other side of the fence is going to hit my line, and how long is it going to be before my power is restored? My message to them is they need to do their job," said Hall.
FOX 26 spoke with State Senator Paul Bettencourt about the bipartisan effort to hold the utility accountable.
"They simply didn’t do their job. They’ve had five years to put on an effort to make this area resilient from hurricanes. They’ve done nothing," said Bettencourt.