Centerpoint^® Outages | Map | Houston | 800-332-7143

Below you will find Centerpoint power outage information, convenient links for real time power outage maps, and severe weather information for the Houston area. You’ll also find information to help you with home insurance claims related to the storm and power outage, and important move-in, usage and rate information.

Centerpoint Power Outages

For Houston power outages, call Centerpoint Energy’s power outage number at 800-332-7143. Also, the Centerpoint Outage Tracker Map provides a local map and the status of electric outages at the street level. To check the impact of an electric outage on your energy usage, view your usage data using your address and ESID at Smart Meter Texas.

Check our power outage phone guide for energy provider numbers. Below are the best immediate resources for you to determine the status of Centerpoint outages and weather conditions in your area.

Centerpoint Energy Outage Map and Outage Tracker

As the transmission and distribution utility company (TDU, or TDSP) in the Houston area, Centerpoint Energy corrects power outages, checks meters, and maintains the wires, poles and electric infrastructure. The company serves more than 2 million customers and its Centerpoint Electric Outage Center provides a range of information.

The Centerpoint Energy Outage Tracking Map allows you to:

• Enter your street and intersection for a more granular view of power outages
• Sign up for power outage alerts to receive alerts by text, phone call and email
• View the number of unplanned and planned outages in your vicinity by city, county and zip code
• View the number of customers without power in each area as indicated by the following legend:

New improvements on CenterPoint’s electric Outage Tracker:

• Enhanced service maps
• Clickable outage clusters that allow for easy navigation and outage information
• Ongoing updates to estimated restoration times
• Updated outage causes to provide more transparency  to customers
• New message templates for Power Alert Service (PAS) registered customers

Best Weather Sites in Houston: Maps and Alerts

• KPRC Channel 2 TV: weather alerts
• KTRK Channel 13 TV: Accuweather and radar
• KHOU Channel 11 TV: weather and radar
• Weather.com: Houston weather map
• National Weather Service: Houston-Galveston map

Here is Houston’s current temperature and forecast summary.

Outage Info, Maps and Numbers for Other De-regulated Areas of Texas

Oncor Electric Outages: Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area (including Arlington, Plano, Garland, Irving and other nearby cities). Click here.

American Electric Power (AEP) Outages: Central/South Texas (including Corpus Christi, Abilene, McAllen, Harlingen, San Angelo, Vernon, Victoria, and Laredo). Click here.

Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) Outages: North, West, and Gulf Coast regions (including Texas City, League City, Alvin, Brazoria, Fort Stockton, and Lewisville). Click here.

Sharyland/Oncor Outages: West, Central, and Southern regions (including Arlington, Plano, Garland, and Irving). Click here.

Call the Transmission & Distribution Utility (TDU), not the Provider

When an electricity outage occurs, you’ll receive faster service by contacting the TDU rather than the retail electricity company (also called an energy provider or light company) who sells you electricity in Texas. It’s helpful to understand the difference between the TDU and retail electric company and to have a list of Texas utility company phone numbers you can call in Texas when an outage occurs based on your zone. For profiles on other TDUs in Texas, see our Texas Electric Utilities page.

If you wish to contact your electricity company, you’ll find phone numbers as well as other contact points and in-depth information on the top providers in Texas on our Electricity Companies page. For discount rates on energy plans from some of the top-rated providers in Texas, enter your zip code at the top of this page or perform a Google search for Reliant Energy rates, Gexa Energy rates, Pulse Power rates, Cirro Energy rates, and Green Mountain Energy rates.

Use Smart Meter Texas to Check the Impact of an Outage on your Usage

In the event of a Houston power outage, to check the impact that an outage has on your energy usage in a given month, go to Smart Meter Texas to access your meter usage data. If you wish to conveniently review your electricity meter usage history captured by Centerpoint Energy in the Houston metro area, you can start up an account at Smart Meter Texas. You may wish to first read our guide about Smart Meters.

Protect Yourself from Rate Spikes due to Demand Surges that Cause Outages

Electricity events such as outages caused by excess electricity demand can result in large energy rate spikes. These events can create significant increases in your monthly energy bills if you are not on a fixed-rate plan. Demand spikes especially occur in hot summer months.

Electricity Rates: if you are on a variable rate plan such as a month-to-month plan, index rate plan, or wholesale rate plan that floats with the market, you can avoid painful bill surprises by protecting yourself with a low-cost fixed-rate plan from the trusted Houston electricity companies on our home page. You can also check out business electricity rates and receive a custom quote.

Use our Electricity Fact Label Guide to understand how to determine whether an electricity plan is a good fit in relation to your home’s usage history. Here are links for other information:

• Electricity Providers – The 10 You Can Trust in Texas
• Best Texas Electricity Rates 
• Free Electricity (Free Nights and Weekends)
• No Deposit Electric Companies
• Electric Company Near Me

Houston Electricity Promo Code Deals: Use our exclusive Houston energy promo codes (also called referral codes and discount codes) to receive discounts off the regular Houston electricity rates of the best electric companies in Texas.

Power Outage Insurance Claims

Houston-area residents can sustain property damage as a result of outages, such as during winter outages when homes can have burst pipes and sewer backups. If your property is damaged, there are some important things to keep in mind, according to Wham & Rogers, one of the top law firms that handles insurance claims in the area:

• Read your homeowner’s insurance policy carefully. It likely contains conditions about giving prompt notice of damage, and how and to whom you must give notice. Some insurance companies will use any failure to comply with conditions to deny claims. If you have already missed deadlines, you should still make an effort to comply; “substantial” (but not precise) compliance is often enough to protect your rights.
• Make sure to document all your damage by taking pictures and keeping copies of any repair quotes you receive. Save and bag all damaged materials.
• Do not give into pressure from an insurance company to accept a quick settlement before fully evaluating your damage.
• If your insurance company denies your claim, don’t simply take their word for it. After crises like this one, some insurers will start by issuing blanket denials of coverage (this happened after Hurricane Harvey, too). Your property damage may be covered even if your insurer says otherwise.

If you feel that your insurer has denied your claim in bad faith or is undervaluing your property damage, or if you simply want assistance navigating the process, you may wish to visit the Wham & Rogers website or call them for a free initial visit at 832-592-1108. You can also text them at 832-413-1428 or email Rene Rogers at renerogers@whamandrogers.com. The information above is being offered to assist our site visitors whose homes have been damaged due to the storm, and is not an advertisement. Wham & Rogers is a well established, reputable law firm based in The Woodlands, and Home Energy Club has periodically used its services.

What to Do in Case of a Power Outage?

• Electrical surges that take place after power outages can damage your electronic devices — so it’s recommended to disconnect your electronic devices after a power outage.
• Check with your neighbors to make sure that the outage is not only at your home.
• Make sure to keep your freezer and refrigerator closed.
• If it’s cold, don’t use a gas stove to heat your home.
• Try to find a power source for supplying power-dependent medical devices if you have any.
• Go to another location in case of an urgent need for cooling or heat.

The best thing to do first whenever there’s a power outage at your home is to disconnect all your electronic devices until the outage is over. Then, find the right number to call depending on your region from the table above in order to know when the outage will be over. After that, it’s very important to move to another place in case of any urgent need for cooling or heat, especially if you have older adults or young children at your home.

If you have a generator and want to use it, make sure to only place it outside your home and to keep it away from any windows. In case you live far away from the nearest city or town and you often rely on your generator, it’s advised to always have an extra supply of fuel that you can only use in case of emergencies.

If it’s cold and you can’t move to a warmer location, it’s recommended to never use a gas stove for heating, as it may lead to harmful consequences. The best thing to do in case you have frequent power outages is to prepare for them beforehand by having batteries or other power sources that you can rely on whenever an outage takes place. Also, make sure that you have a landline home phone available — those phones can work even without electricity so that you can make calls in case of emergencies. It’s also important to have an extra power source for any kind of medical devices you may have.

Now that you have the right number for the electric company to call in case of a power outage, make sure to keep it in a safe place that you can remember, or even save it in your phone. Don’t forget to follow the above-mentioned steps if there’s an outage in your area. And remember that in Texas you have the power to choose your energy provider and the plan that best suits your home.

Centerpoint Move-in Information for Starting your Electric Service

Below is step-by-step information for residents moving into homes with an existing meter and without a meter in the Houston area.

3 Easy Steps to Starting Electric Service in Houston if your Meter is Installed

Here are the steps if the home you are moving into already has a meter:

1. Choose an electric company (also called a retail electricity provider or light company)
   • See a list of electric companies in Texas, a list of the top 10 electric companies, and a list of the lowest electricity rates in Houston by entering your zip code.
   • Read our handy guide for choosing the right electricity plan for your home.
   • Read our guide about all things related to Houston electricity, from electricity rates to EV charging stations to service companies that help reduce your energy usage.
   • If you need to change or upgrade your existing meter or energy transmission to your home, find a Centerpoint Service Center near you.
2. Enroll in an energy plan from the electric company you choose. You can view vetted plans from trusted energy providers and enroll online in less than 10 minutes on our home page.
3. Your new electric company will send an order to start service to Centerpoint Energy. When Centerpoint receives the order, they will turn on your electricity on the date you request, assuming that the weather and their inventory of other jobs permits.

5 Steps to Starting Electric Service in Houston if you Don’t have a Meter Installed

Here are the steps you will need to take if your new home does not have a meter installed:

1. Call Centerpoint Energy at one of the following numbers:
   • If you are a homeowner, call 713-207-2222 to have Centerpoint create an Electric Service Identifier number (ESI ID).
   • If you are a commercial business owner, call 713-207-2222 to have Centerpoint create an Electric Service Identifier number (ESI ID).
2. Choose an electric company (also called a retail electricity provider or light company) at least 2 business days after you receive your ESI ID number.
   • See a list of electric companies in Texas, a list of the top 10 electric companies, and a list of the lowest rates in Houston by entering your zip code.
   • Read our handy guide for choosing the right electricity plan for your home.
   • Read our guide about all things related to Houston electricity, from rates to EV charging stations to service companies that help reduce your energy usage.
3. Enroll in an energy plan from the electric company you choose. You can view vetted plans from trusted providers and enroll online in less than 10 minutes on our home page.
4. Your new electric company will send an order to start service to Centerpoint Energy. When Centerpoint receives the order, they will turn on your electricity generally within 7 business days of the date you request, assuming that the weather and their workload other jobs permits.
5. Obtain your permit by checking with the permitting entity for your area. Call 713-207-2222 or 800-332-7143 for more information.

Need help with electricity terminology? Read our handy glossary of terms related to electricity.

About Centerpoint Energy

Centerpoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 140 years.​ In 1866, Houston Gas Lig​ht Company was formed to supply gas made from oyster shells and coal for the street lights in a co​​astal village in southeast Texas. In 1882, the company, operating as Houston Electric Light & Power, was granted a franchise by the Houston City Council. For the next century, HL&P generated​ electricity for sale and delivery to retail customers in the Houston area.

​The company was renamed Reliant Energy in 1999, and with the restructuring of the electricity market in Texas, the retail electric division was spun off as Reliant Resources and the company also sold off its electric generation assets. The remaining regulated energy transmission company (TDU) was named Centerpoint Energy, servicing the greater Houston area.

Houston is located in a de-regulated energy zone in Texas, where consumers can choose their electricity provider and receive competitive energy rates. Examples of regulated Texas cities with energy monopolies include Austin, San Antonio, and Beaumont. In other states, examples of utilities in regulated cities which provide power include: the Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power (which provides electricity and corrects power outages in Los Angeles), and San Diego Gas and Electric.

Examples of combination energy provider-TDUs  in other de-regulated states include Con Edison, which corrects power outages in New York City, and PECO which corrects power outages in Philadelphia.

Note on Covid-19: Centerpoint has programs for customers needing payment assistance during this challenging time.

Power Outage Maps for Cities in Houston Area

Centerpoint Power Outage Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for power to be turned on after an outage?

Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs) such as Centerpoint in Houston transmit electricity and read meters, and are responsible for turning your power back on. The amount of time required to correct an outage varies depending on conditions. Here’s where you can find answers if you’re experiencing an outage:

• Check Home Energy Club’s outage guide and phone list to learn who to call to get your power turned back on in case of an outage.
• Read power outage and weather updates, and view your Houston-area outage tracking map at HomeEnergyClub.com.

Why did my electric bill increase after a power outage?

Excess power demand which causes power outages can also cause electricity commodity price spikes. If you aren’t enrolled in a fixed-rate electricity plan in Texas, your utility bill could have an ugly bill surprise following price spikes caused by demand surges. Here are resources to help you:

• HomeEnergyClub.com offers a wide range of fixed-rate energy plans from top electricity providers in the Houston area to protect you from price spikes.
• Check the status of your energy usage by viewing our Smart Meter Texas guide, and visit SmartMeterTexas.com to see your historical usage data collected by Centerpoint.

Where do I report a power outage in Houston?

If you experience a power outage in the Houston area, you should always call Centerpoint’s power outage number at 800-332-7143.  You can also report a Centerpoint power outage by visiting their power outage map on the Centerpoint Outage Page at HomeEnergyClub.com. If you have a different TDU, such as Entergy in The Woodlands area and TNMP south of Houston, you can view our guide on who to call if you have a power outage.

What causes power outages?

Bad weather is the most common cause of power outages. Lightning strikes during thunderstorms can disrupt power. Flooding, ice storms, and strong winds that knock down trees are among other leading causes of power outages. Utility companies also must undergo maintenance to provide the best service, so sometimes power outages are scheduled. To learn more about outages and Transmission and Distribution Utilities (TDUs), visit the Home Energy Club page for Texas electric utility companies.

How long is refrigerated food okay during a power outage?

Studies show that food can last up to 4 hours in a fridge without power. It is recommended to keep the door closed as much as possible. To ensure that you have enough food, you should stock up on non-perishable foods and keep a supply throughout the year in case of an emergency. To learn more outage tips, visit Home Energy Club’s power outage guide.

What is the first thing I should do during a power outage?

The first thing you should do if your power goes out is to unplug all your electronic devices. If power is restored while they are plugged in, the surge of electricity can heavily damage or destroy your devices. It’s advisable to have all of your electronics plugged into surge protectors, especially in case you aren’t home during an outage. For more helpful tips visit HomeEnergyClub.com.