Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking into allegations that actions by a Houston utility during Hurricane Beryl contributed to lengthy outages and potential rate increases in the aftermath of the July storm.
The investigation by Paxton, a Republican, follows other probes by state officials and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) that have called into question the strength of CenterPoint Energy’s infrastructure and the company’s ability to communicate with customers.
Paxton said in a statement Monday that his office will focus on allegations of fraud, waste and misuse of taxpayer funds.
“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.”
