Over a million Texans without power, some turn to Whataburger for updates
By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Emma Stoltzfus (Video Editor)
More than 1.3 million homes remained without power in Texas on Thursday, July 11, in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl’s landfall on Monday. Houston’s power utility officials said that hundreds of thousands of customers will have electricity restored in the coming days. However, officials said that around 500,000 customers will still be without power heading into next week.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Houston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on abc NewsMore than 1 million Houston-area customers still without power after Beryl
Click to see story on CBS NewsHouston utility says it won’t have all power restored until next week
Click to see story on The Mercury newsNPR investigation reveals information about death row in Texas
Click to see story on nprHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Star TribuneOver 1 million homes in Texas still without power after Beryl
Click to see story on GMA Filipino News‘CenterPointless’ graffiti on I-10 sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc 13 Houston‘CenterPointless’ graffiti in Houston sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc11 RaleighHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Barrie TodayHouston utility says 500K Beryl electricity outages will persist into next week
Click to see story on NBC Dallas-Fort WorthHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on San Antonio Express-NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The Virginian PilotWhere Are We Now With Beryl and Where is CenterPoint
Click to see story on Houston PressHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Bowen Island UndercurrentHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on KIFIHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on KVIAHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Live MintHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WPLGHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on News 4 JAXHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WKMGHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Pioneer PressHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Click on Detroit‘CenterPointless’ graffiti in Houston sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc 7 ChicagoHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Portland Press HeraldOver 1.3 million in Texas remain without power after Beryl
Click to see story on WTVBHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on KOB 4Houston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week
Click to see story on Spectrum Local News500,000 Texans will remain without power through Sunday, CenterPoint says
Click to see story on Houston ChronicleHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on WHNT 19 NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on City NewsHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WCBDHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The ColumbianCenterPoint, Entergy release new timelines for power restoration in Houston area
Click to see story on Community ImpactHere’s what CenterPoint is saying about its response to Beryl in Houston
Click to see story on KHOU 11Houston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The ReporterCenterPoint Energy announces customer restoration times starting today
Click to see story on CW39 HoustonHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist – American Press
Click to see story on Lake Charles American PressHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The Times HeraldHouston power outages: 1 million-plus without electricity as CenterPoint promises restoration times
Click to see story on Houston Public MediaBeryl updates: Electricity returning for some CenterPoint customers, but hundreds of thousands won’t have power until next week
Click to see story on The Gilmer MirrorHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on MY NorthwestHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Boston HeraldHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Odessa AmericanRight
Untracked Bias
Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on My Mother LodeHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Elora Fergus TodayHurricane Beryl leaves millions in Texas without power and in extreme heat
Click to see story on O AntagonistaHouston Utility Says 500K Customers Still Won’t Have Electricity Next Week As Beryl Outages Persist – WCCB Charlotte’s CW
Click to see story on WCCB CharlotteWithout power over 1.3 million Texans after the storm Berryl.
Click to see story on CNN GreeceOver 1.3 million in Texas remain without power after Beryl
Click to see story on Blue Water Healthy LivingHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Temple Daily TelegramEastern Pacific and Nereus tankers make it into Houston as operations recover from storm Beryl
Click to see story on TradeWinds | Latest shipping and maritime newsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Moose Jaw TodayHouston City Council Grills CenterPoint as More Than a Million Are Without Power – Texas Scorecard
Click to see story on Texas ScorecardHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on thealbertan.comHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Western Investor“We’ve committed within 48 hours to get 50% of our customers back on.” Brad Tutunjian, the vice president of Regional Operations for CenterPoint Energy, said. “We, we are on target to do that.”
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
The lagging timetable is causing frustration among many Houston residents as they face dangerous heat and humidity. Many Houstonians search for places to cool off, get fuel or grab a bite to eat. Hospitals have been forced to reportedly send dozens of patients to a sports and event complex because of the electrical outages.
The continued struggle to restore power to customers in need is leading to questions from locals as to why utility, state and city officials were not more prepared for a Category 1 hurricane.
Houston’s mayor told the city’s utility company, CenterPoint Energy, to do better. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is the acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott, R, is on a trip to Asia, said that the time it has taken to restore power is “unacceptable.”
Adding to the trouble for residents is the fact that CenterPoint reportedly does not have a properly functioning outage map. As many residents searched for updates after the storm, the lack of information from CenterPoint had many turning to Whataburger’s app for power outage updates.
“The Whataburger app works as a power outage tracker, handy since the electric company doesn’t show a map,” one Houstonian posted on X.
Similar to the Waffle House Index, an unofficial outage indicator, the Whataburger app shows which locations are open the area. Houston residents said that the when the app shows that a location is open, it has been pretty safe to assume that power in the area has been or is being restored in the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, CenterPoint said that the majority of power outages were caused by falling trees and tree limbs. Workers completed damage surveys on more than 8,500 miles of power lines.
Unbiased news.
Directly to your inbox. Free!
Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
At least eight U.S. deaths have been attributed to Beryl, including six in Texas and one each in Louisiana and Vermont. Beryl also caused 11 deaths in the Caribbean.
[JACK AYLMER]
HURRICANE BERYL IS LONG GONE – BUT THE IMPACT ITS LEFT ON THE POWER GRID LOOMS LARGE.
MORE THAN A MILLION HOMES REMAIN IN THE DARK IN TEXAS NEARLY FOUR DAYS AFTER THE STORM MADE LANDFALL.
AND OFFICIALS WARN IT WILL BE SEVERAL MORE – UNTIL MANY PEOPLE GET THEIR POWER BACK.
OFFICIALS SAYING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS WILL HAVE POWER RESTORED IN THE COMING DAYS– BUT AROUND 500-THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WON’T HAVE ELECTRICITY UNTIL NEXT WEEK.
THE LAGGING PROGRESS IS CAUSING FRUSTRATION AMONG HOUSTON RESIDENTS WHO FACE DANGEROUS HEAT AND HUMIDITY AS THEY SEARCH FOR PLACES TO COOL OFF, GET FUEL OR GRAB A BITE TO EAT.
EVEN HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO SEND DOZENS OF PATIENTS TO A SPORTS COMPLEX BECAUSE OF OUTAGES.
THE CONTINUED TROUBLES ARE LEADING TO QUESTIONS FROM LOCALS AS TO WHY UTILITY, STATE AND CITY OFFICIALS WEREN’T MORE PREPARED FOR THIS STORM.
HOUSTON’S POWER UTILITY, CENTERPOINT ENERGY, ACKNOWLEDGED MOST OF THE 12-THOUSAND WORKERS BROUGHT IN TO HELP IN HOUSTON WEREN’T THERE WHEN THE HURRICANE HIT BUT ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO RESTORE ELECTRICITY NOW.
ADDING TO RESIDENTS’ TROUBLES– CENTERPOINT ENERGY DOESN’T HAVE A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING OUTAGE MAP.
THE LACK OF ACCURATE INFORMATION HAS EVEN INSPIRED SOME TEXANS TO TURN TO WHATABURGER FOR OUTAGE UPDATES.
ONE HOUSTONIAN POSTING ON X:
“THE WHATABURGER APP WORKS AS A POWER OUTAGE TRACKER, HANDY SINCE THE ELECTRIC COMPANY DOESN’T SHOW A MAP.”
SIMILAR TO THE WAFFLE HOUSE INDEX, AN UNOFFICIAL OUTAGE INDICATOR FOR THOSE UNFAMILIAR, THE WHATABURGER APP SHOWS WHICH LOCATIONS ARE OPEN IN YOUR AREA.
THOSE LIVING IN HOUSTON SAY WHEN THE APP SHOWS A LOCATION OPEN– IT’S BEEN SAFE TO ASSUME POWER IN THE AREA IS RESTORED.
MEANWHILE, THE TEXAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS CALLING THE PACE OF RESTORATION UNACCEPTABLE.
HE AND THE MAYOR OF HOUSTON ARE DEMANDING CENTERPOINT STEP UP THEIR EFFORTS TO RESTORE POWER.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE RECOVERY – AND YOU CAN TOO.
DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP – AND SIGN UP FOR NOTIFICATIONS ON NEWS UPDATES SO YOU NEVER MISS AN IMPORTANT STORY.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Houston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on abc NewsMore than 1 million Houston-area customers still without power after Beryl
Click to see story on CBS NewsHouston utility says it won’t have all power restored until next week
Click to see story on The Mercury newsNPR investigation reveals information about death row in Texas
Click to see story on nprHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Star TribuneOver 1 million homes in Texas still without power after Beryl
Click to see story on GMA Filipino News‘CenterPointless’ graffiti on I-10 sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc 13 Houston‘CenterPointless’ graffiti in Houston sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc11 RaleighHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Barrie TodayHouston utility says 500K Beryl electricity outages will persist into next week
Click to see story on NBC Dallas-Fort WorthHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on San Antonio Express-NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The Virginian PilotWhere Are We Now With Beryl and Where is CenterPoint
Click to see story on Houston PressHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Bowen Island UndercurrentHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on KIFIHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on KVIAHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Live MintHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WPLGHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on News 4 JAXHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WKMGHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Pioneer PressHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Click on Detroit‘CenterPointless’ graffiti in Houston sums up customers’ feelings with over 1M still without power
Click to see story on abc 7 ChicagoHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Portland Press HeraldOver 1.3 million in Texas remain without power after Beryl
Click to see story on WTVBHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on KOB 4Houston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week
Click to see story on Spectrum Local News500,000 Texans will remain without power through Sunday, CenterPoint says
Click to see story on Houston ChronicleHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on WHNT 19 NewsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on City NewsHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on WCBDHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The ColumbianCenterPoint, Entergy release new timelines for power restoration in Houston area
Click to see story on Community ImpactHere’s what CenterPoint is saying about its response to Beryl in Houston
Click to see story on KHOU 11Houston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The ReporterCenterPoint Energy announces customer restoration times starting today
Click to see story on CW39 HoustonHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist – American Press
Click to see story on Lake Charles American PressHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on The Times HeraldHouston power outages: 1 million-plus without electricity as CenterPoint promises restoration times
Click to see story on Houston Public MediaBeryl updates: Electricity returning for some CenterPoint customers, but hundreds of thousands won’t have power until next week
Click to see story on The Gilmer MirrorHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on MY NorthwestHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Boston HeraldHouston keeps buckling under storms like Beryl. The fixes aren’t coming fast enough
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Odessa AmericanRight
Untracked Bias
Half a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Airdrie City ViewHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on My Mother LodeHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Elora Fergus TodayHurricane Beryl leaves millions in Texas without power and in extreme heat
Click to see story on O AntagonistaHouston Utility Says 500K Customers Still Won’t Have Electricity Next Week As Beryl Outages Persist – WCCB Charlotte’s CW
Click to see story on WCCB CharlotteWithout power over 1.3 million Texans after the storm Berryl.
Click to see story on CNN GreeceOver 1.3 million in Texas remain without power after Beryl
Click to see story on Blue Water Healthy LivingHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on Temple Daily TelegramEastern Pacific and Nereus tankers make it into Houston as operations recover from storm Beryl
Click to see story on TradeWinds | Latest shipping and maritime newsHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Moose Jaw TodayHouston City Council Grills CenterPoint as More Than a Million Are Without Power – Texas Scorecard
Click to see story on Texas ScorecardHalf a million Houston-area homes and businesses still won’t have power into next week, utility says
Click to see story on thealbertan.comHouston utility says 500K customers still won’t have electricity next week as Beryl outages persist
Click to see story on Western InvestorStraight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
MOST POPULAR
-
News ratings down after election, MSNBC sees 54% fall, CNN down 36%
Watch 3:526 hrs ago -
China unveils new stealth jet and ‘space-air fighter’
Watch 6:048 hrs ago -
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Department of Government Efficiency
Watch 6:5814 hrs ago -
US Army implementing new strategies amid recruiting challenges
Watch 6:0117 hrs ago