KATY/Sugar Land Texas (Covering Katy News) — Residents in Katy, Sugar Land and other communities have been seeing an unusual sight along area roads: large power poles lying on the ground near existing utility poles.
The poles are part of CenterPoint Energy's massive effort to strengthen the electrical grid against hurricane-force winds and severe weather — work that comes in the wake of Hurricane Beryl's devastating impact in 2024.
New Storm-Resistant Poles Staged for Installation
The new poles, made of fiberglass and other materials, are designed to better withstand extreme weather. They are being delivered for installation along roadsides so crews can replace the existing wooden poles. The process requires careful coordination and can't happen overnight.
Once installed, another issue often puzzles homeowners: two poles standing side by side for extended periods. This "double pole" situation occurs when CenterPoint replaces its pole, but the old one remains standing because other utility companies — including phone, cable and internet providers — also use the pole for their lines and must transfer their equipment before the old pole can be removed.
Covering Katy News
Crews working along S. Mason Road in Cinco Ranch on Friday, Oct. 18, 2025, installing reinforced power poles.
Why Old Poles Remain After New Ones Are Installed
"In some cases, older poles may remain temporarily in place until all equipment is safely transferred, and final removal can be scheduled," a CenterPoint spokesperson told KPRC 2 in July after similar issues were reported. The company has acknowledged the inconvenience and pledged to work with the other providers to speed up the removal process.
CenterPoint's $53 Billion Grid Upgrade Plan
The current work is part of a series of investments beyond the initial, time-sensitive rebuild that followed extreme weather events. In August 2025, CenterPoint outlined a sweeping $53 billion capital investment plan, paired with a massive workforce expansion, to strengthen resiliency across its service area over the next decade. This followed a multi-year plan submitted in January 2025 proposing to upgrade or replace 130,000 poles.
The broader effort includes not only installing new, storm-resilient poles but also selectively moving power lines underground, where they are less vulnerable to storm damage.
Hurricane Beryl Sparked Major Infrastructure Improvements
The work started after Hurricane Beryl left millions of customers in the area without power in 2024. In May, CenterPoint announced it had finished its Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative, a focused effort to replace more than 26,000 poles and make other grid improvements ahead of the 2025 hurricane season.
At the time, CenterPoint President and CEO Jason Wells was clear that the effort was just one step. "There is more work to come throughout the summer and the rest of the year," he said. The work currently visible in Katy and Sugar Land is that next step, as the utility continues its long-term strategy of hardening the grid against increasingly extreme weather.