Tag Archives: CenterPoint

A bit of business pushback against voter suppression

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start, but much more is needed. A group of 72 Black business leaders are calling on companies to publicly oppose a series of bills being advanced by Republicans in at least 43 states that could dramatically curb access … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Freeze-related lawsuit filed against CenterPoint

Posted on March 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Several more Houston families of victims of the February freeze are among the latest to sue CenterPoint Energy for allowing vulnerable people to languish without power during what were supposed to be brief blackouts. Travis Flowers, 66, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

These blackouts don’t roll

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

How it started. Texas’ electrical grid operator is implementing rolling blackouts across most of the state Monday after a massive winter storm brought unprecedented demand for electricity and forced multiple power-generating units offline. The blackouts began at 1:25 a.m. Central … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Harris County reaches bike trail deal with CenterPoint

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Biking between bayous in Harris County is closer to reality, now that local leaders and the monopoly that manages local power lines have inked a deal. Harris County officials Tuesday approved an agreement between the county and CenterPoint Energy … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The draft bike plan is out

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here it is, in all its glory. I encourage you to look at the draft plan and play with the interactive map. Then, when you start to feel overwhelmed and wish someone would explain it all to you, go read … Continue reading →

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Use less, pay more

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t utility deregulation grand? More than 70 percent of electric plans offered in the Houston area contain terms that may penalize customers who don’t use a certain amount of power, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of more than 300 … Continue reading →

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2015 Mayoral manifesto: Transportation

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Preliminaries Please note that I have called this part of my manifesto “Transportation” and not “Traffic”. I agree that traffic sucks and that the Mayoral candidates ought to have some ideas for how to deal with it. It’s my opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It pays to go green

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a simple enough formula – reduce energy usage, save money. As Houston leaders push the counter-intuitive notion that the world’s energy capital can go green, and pledge ever-lower emissions goals for municipal operations, installing energy-efficient lighting and low-flow toilets … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

City strikes two deals with CenterPoint

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

One on street lights, and one on bike trails. Both are great news. All 165,000 of Houston’s streetlights will be converted to more efficient LEDs over the next five years, halving electricity use and cutting air pollution in what Mayor … Continue reading →

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Bike trails bill signed

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a brief blurb about Rick Perry signing the bill that will allow the CenterPoint rights of way in Harris County to be used as hike and bike trails. See here for the background, and here for a … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bike trails bill

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A bill that will clear the way for bike trails to be built on CenterPoint utility rights of way in Harris County has passed both chambers in the Lege and now awaits Rick Perry’s signature. “We are really, really pleased … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bike trail on utility rights-of-way bills filed

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is a big show of support for making bike trails on CenterPoint’s rights of way happen. Houston voters last fall approved a $166 million bond measure to expand the city’s trail system, to be matched by $105 million in … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How much protection from liability do they need?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

State Impact asks a good question. The electricity industry is among the biggest of the big spenders on lobbying the Texas legislature. So when bills are introduced giving the industry extraordinary protection from law suits, you can bet somebody’s going … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dan Wallach: Energy pricing 2012

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is a guest post that follows up on an earlier guest post. Last year, I wrote a guest article for Off The Kuff where I discussed the complexity of trying to get a good price on your electric bill. … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

On getting the best deal with variable electric rates

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Note: The following was written by my friend Dan Wallach, who thought I might be interested in sharing it here. He was right. My thanks to Dan for putting this together. Everybody in Houston has the ability to select any … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Smart meters

Posted on February 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Ever wanted to check your house’s power usage online? You will, or at least you’ll be able to. CenterPoint Energy, along with other distribution utilities and IBM, is expected to launch an online portal, www.smartmetertexas.com, this month that will allow … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments