AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office opened an investigation into CenterPoint Energy over its conduct during Hurricane Beryl.
The investigation will look into “potential violations of Texas law relating to its conduct during Hurricane Beryl,” and “examine allegations of fraud, waste, and improper use of taxpayer-provided funds,” according to a press release issued by the AG’s office Monday morning.
CenterPoint Energy is the electrical utility company that largely covers the greater Houston area. The company has faced scrutiny about its preparedness for Hurricane Beryl, which left over 2.7 million people without power . More than a week after the storm landed, around half a million Texans were still without electricity.
“My office is aware of concerning allegations regarding CenterPoint and how its conduct affected readiness during Hurricane Beryl, a storm that left millions of Texans without power,” Paxton said. “If the investigation uncovers unlawful activity, that activity will be met with the full force of the law.”
CenterPoint issued the following statement in response to Paxton opening the investigation:
Since Hurricane Beryl, we have demonstrated our absolute commitment to transparency and cooperation through our participation in three separate hearings at the PUCT, the Senate, and the House. We look forward to cooperating with the Texas Attorney General or any other agency and have made clear our commitment to upholding the values of our company. We urge any party that has information concerning these issues to come forward and provide such information to us, our regulator, or the Texas Attorney General immediately.
CenterPoint Spokesperson John Sousa