CenterPoint Energy receives $50M DOE grid upgrade award

CenterPoint Energy, a major energy delivery company serving over 2.9 million customers in the Greater Houston area, has been awarded a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The funding, announced by Assistant Secretary Katie Jereza, will be used to install Siemens Energy's advanced grid stabilizing technology at CenterPoint substations. This marks one of the first deployments of this technology by a U.S. utility.

The project is part of the DOE's Speed to Power through Accelerated Reconductoring and other Key Advanced Transmission Technology Upgrades (SPARK) program. This initiative aims to support electrical infrastructure modernization projects, helping utilities manage growing energy demand and reduce electricity costs for approximately 100 million Americans. CenterPoint Energy anticipates that the project will create more than 500 local jobs during construction and installation.

Jason Ryan, CenterPoint Energy’s Executive Vice President, Regulatory Services & Government Affairs, expressed gratitude for the DOE's investment in Houston's and Texas's energy infrastructure. The grant is contingent upon final negotiations with the DOE. CenterPoint Energy, based in Indiana, Minnesota, and Texas, operates electric transmission and distribution, power generation, and natural gas distribution services for approximately 7 million metered customers. As of June 30, 2026, the company's assets amounted to around $48.3 billion.