Texans endure power outages and heat one week after Hurricane Beryl

More than 200,000 CenterPoint Energy customers remain without power in southeast Texas, facing heat and frustration a week after Hurricane Beryl.

Jaden Edison and Pooja Salhotra report for The Texas Tribune.


In short:

  • Hurricane Beryl left more than 200,000 CenterPoint Energy customers without power in southeast Texas.
  • Residents struggle with 90-degree heat, relying on generators and eating fast food to cope.
  • CenterPoint Energy has restored power to most but still faces criticism for delays and poor communication.

Key quote:

"It's like they’re just leaving me for last."

— Rodolfo Peña, Channelview resident

Why this matters:

Prolonged power outages during extreme heat waves can lead to a cascade of problems, from heatstroke and dehydration to the inability to preserve food and maintain essential medical equipment.

A pile of newspapers with the words Breaking News in red

Who will pay for climate reporting?

Though reporters are busy telling the stories of our rapidly changing world, the news business is in a two-decade decline.

An aerial view of Lake Mead with lower water levels showing

Arizona moves to join lawsuit against federal Colorado River plan

Officials warn the framework could dry up the Central Arizona Project, which serves nearly 6 million people.

A small creek winding through a forest
Credit: T/Unsplash+

Despite recent rain, drought has reached all areas of Maine

The conditions are already affecting the fall harvest for farmers, and there has been a rise in the number of dry well reports.

A French sign restricting cars from a street with Parisian buildings in the background

How the climate crisis fueled the youth protests roiling France

Youth protests for better school conditions have prompted a national political crisis; lack of adaptation to a hotter world is part of the story.

A coyote walking along a road

Animal control has always been tough work. Climate change is making it harder

Bears, coyotes, mountain lions: More wild animals are tangling with humans as increased drought and heat alter their behavior. Animal control officers are scrambling to keep up.
A helicopter flying over a large fire

Wildfires hit Southern California during red-flag conditions

The Bryson Fire sparked Thursday afternoon in Malibu and quickly ballooned, burning up to 200 acres in just a few hours. Near San Diego, another major blaze broke out at Camp Pendleton.
Sugarcane branches laying on green sugarcane leaves

El Niño threatens global sugar supply

A poor sugarcane crop in India, the world’s second-largest producer, is hurting consumers and farmers — and undermining the country’s energy security goals.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.