As Hurricane Rafael Crosses the South-Central Gulf of Mexico, CenterPoint Energy Continues to Monitor and Remains Ready to Respond

Core Points - CenterPoint Energy is actively preparing for potential impacts from Hurricane Rafael, which has intensified to a Category 3 hurricane [1][4] - The company has suspended natural gas disconnections in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to focus on emergency preparedness [5] - CenterPoint has identified over 13,000 mutual assistance resources to support emergency response efforts if needed [2] Emergency Preparedness - The company is conducting pre-landfall emergency preparedness protocols and is ready to deploy enhanced staffing plans across its Gulf Coast service area [2][4] - CenterPoint is collaborating with emergency responders and sharing safety information with customers [3][9] - The company emphasizes the importance of having a safety plan and encourages customers to prepare for the storm [9] Customer Communication - CenterPoint electric customers are advised to enroll in the Power Alert Service® for real-time outage updates [7] - The company has launched a new cloud-based Outage Tracker to provide customers with information on outages by county, city, and zip code [8] - Customers can access storm-related safety tips and preparation best practices through CenterPoint's website [9][10] Company Overview - CenterPoint Energy serves over 7 million metered customers across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi [11] - The company has been in operation for over 150 years and employs approximately 9,000 people [11]