Texas launches new investigation into Houston's power utility following deadly outages after Beryl
Texas has opened an investigation into a Houston area utility provider over allegations of fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars during its botched response to Hurricane Beryl
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas' attorney general launched an investigation Monday into Houston's electric utility over allegations of fraud and waste following Hurricane Beryl, adding to the mounting scrutiny after widespread power outages left millions without electricity for days.
The latest investigation of CenterPoint Energy comes after state regulators and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott have also demanded answers about storm preparations and the response to Beryl, a Category 1 hurricane that knocked out power to nearly 3 million people around the nation’s fourth-largest city.
The storm was blamed for at least three dozen deaths, including those of some residents who died in homes that were left without air conditioning in sweltering heat after the storm's passage.
“My office is aware of concerning allegations regarding CenterPoint and how its conduct affected readiness during Hurricane Beryl,” Ken Paxton, the state's Republican attorney general, said in a statement. “If the investigation uncovers unlawful activity, that activity will be met with the full force of the law.”
The utility pledged its support of the investigation.
“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,” CenterPoint spokesperson John Sousa said.
Paxton did not cite any specific allegations of waste or fraud in his announcement and his office did not respond to requests for comment.
Abbott has demanded answers from CenterPoint for what he called its slow restoration efforts
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