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Workers face violence as they try to restore power in Houston

Workers face violence as they try to restore power in Houston

Power line workers from across the country have gathered in Houston to restore power after Hurricane Beryl. Despite their essential work, many are facing verbal and physical attacks, highlighting the frustration and desperation felt by some residents.

The attacks on power grid workers not only put their lives at risk, but also slow down the critical work of restoring power to Houston. Many of these workers have traveled far from home, working long hours in dangerous conditions to restore power to the city.

At a press conference today, Texas Governor Abbott condemned the actions, urging residents to support the linemen rather than hinder their efforts.

SEE ALSO: CenterPoint Energy expects to restore 90% of power by Monday

“If you interfere with someone who is trying to restore power, you are not speeding up the process of restoring power; you are slowing down the process,” Abbott said.

The Houston Police Department reported a recent incident in which a man pointed a gun at a power company worker on Wilcrest Drive. The suspect, a 38-year-old man, was arrested shortly after the incident. Charges are pending and his identity will be released once formal charges are filed.

CenterPoint Energy has also been addressing the increasing threats its teams face. In a statement, the company revealed that there have been numerous incidents of criminal behavior toward utility property and workers. One particularly alarming report involved a drive-by shooting at one of their staging sites.

“The safety of our employees, contractors, mutual aid teams and support staff is our top priority,” the statement read. “That’s why we’ve decided to close the site until we’re sure it’s safe.”

LEARN MORE: 90% of power restored by Entergy Texas; remaining outages to be repaired by July 15

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, along with lineman union representatives and law enforcement officials, will hold a press conference at 3 p.m. today to call for an end to these threats. The event will take place at the Leonel Castillo Community Center in Houston. Commissioner Garcia will be joined by Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, HPD Interim Chief Larry Satterwhite, and union representatives from IBEW Local 66 who will share personal stories of the threats and attacks linemen have faced.

Additionally, this morning in Manvel, a CenterPoint crew from out of town who were providing mutual aid was assaulted. CenterPoint is currently working to gather more information to determine if anyone was injured, the exact location of the incident, and if the suspect has been apprehended.

In a social media post, CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells stressed the importance of keeping crews safe to maintain the pace of restoration.

“Threats against our crews and employees are counterproductive and only hinder our restoration efforts,” Wells said.

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