CenterPoint Energy Foundation is donating 21 backup generators and other support in designated locations across 12 counties to support community resiliency as part of a $5 million grant from the Foundation
Houston – Feb. 7, 2025 – Today, at an announcement in Houston with elected officials and community leaders, CenterPoint Energy leaders announced the donation of a backup generator to the Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center as part of its Community Generator Donation Program to support local community resiliency. Through this program, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation is donating funds for 21 backup generators at key locations throughout its 12-county Greater Houston region. It is expected that there will be at least one generator or other support for each county.
The company is working in close collaboration with local Offices of Emergency Management (OEMs) and other county and city leaders to identify the appropriate locations for the donated generators to be able to have the greatest impact and local benefit.
The Community Generator Donation Program is part of CenterPoint’s Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI). The backup generators will help provide support for critical community partners during major weather events or other emergencies and will be funded through a $5 million grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation at no cost to customers. The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is a charitable giving organization focused on strengthening the quality of life in the communities served by the company. The foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.
“We are committed to improving resiliency in our local communities and working closely with our community partners to achieve this important goal. Today, we are announcing the donation of backup generation to support our partners in Harris County, and we look forward to sharing other locations for our Community Generator Donation Program with other counties and cities in the weeks and months ahead. These 21 generators are each capable of powering an entire large building and will help make the communities we are proud to serve even more resilient during major storms and other emergency events,” said Richard Leger, CenterPoint’s Senior Vice President of Gas Operations.
These backup generators will provide an additional power supply during major storms and other emergency events that cause outages. Facilities that receive the donated backup generators will be able to better serve their communities during outages, acting as hubs for essential services like medical care, cooling stations, water and food distribution, charging stations for critical devices and other services.
Working with Community Partners on Locations
To support local community needs, CenterPoint is working closely with county and city officials and OEMs to identify and select the ideal locations for the donated generators, with local officials ultimately deciding which critical facilities will receive the donations.
“On behalf of Precinct 2 and the Aldine community, particularly those living near Deputy Darren Almendarez Community Center, I am very grateful for our partnership with CenterPoint. With weather-related catastrophes becoming more frequent, having backup generation available at a center that serves so many people, this partnership is vital for the wellbeing and resiliency of the community. I am thrilled that we now have backup power ready to be deployed next time Mother Nature hands us our next emergency,” said Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia.
Over the next several months, CenterPoint will be coordinating with local community partners to ensure the backup generators are suitable to meet the specific needs of the critical facility they have identified. The goal is to have all generators installed and operational by June 1, 2025, to further resiliency ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.
CenterPoint is working with other county OEMs, and county and city leaders across the Greater Houston region to make similar announcements in the coming weeks and months.
PHOTO: From L to R: Keith Stephens, CenterPoint Senior Vice President and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer; Richard Leger, CenterPoint Senior Vice President, Gas Operations; Megan Maldonado, District Director for Texas State Senator Carol Alvarado; Adrian Garcia, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner; Armando Walle, Texas State Representative for District 140; Aaron Minervine, CenterPoint Service Area Director for Greenspoint and Humble; Noah Hunter, CenterPoint Service Area Manager for Humble; Keith Wall, CenterPoint Director of Regulatory Affairs for Southern Gas Operations; Olivia Chriss, CenterPoint Local Relations Manager; Gerard Torres, CenterPoint Government Affairs Director for Texas
More photos: CNP Digital Asset Mgmt