After weekend storms, some west Houston residents are still without power because of a broken utility pole.
HOUSTON — Several residents at a west Houston apartment complex are still without power days after strong weekend storms knocked down a utility pole on the property.
The outage is affecting multiple buildings at the 600 Nottingham Apartments, off Memorial Drive near Dairy Ashford. Tenants say they’ve spent days without air conditioning or refrigeration while waiting for repairs.
“I’ve lost hundreds of dollars in food, my house is just hot,” said resident Sarah Rohus, a mother of four.
Rohus told KHOU 11 she even booked a hotel room for her family to escape the heat.
“I’ve spent almost $300 staying here when I could be at my house that I pay rent for and lights for,” she said.
Residents say they initially were confused about what roles the apartment management and CenterPoint Energy each play in restoring power. They reached out to KHOU 11 for answers.
According to CenterPoint, the damaged pole is not part of the utility’s system.
“CenterPoint Energy is committed to working with our customers and addressing any concerns safely and as quickly as possible,” the company said in a statement. “The pole pictured at 600 Nottingham Oaks Trail is a customer-owned distribution pole and is not owned or maintained by CenterPoint.”
CenterPoint later clarified that once a privately owned pole is repaired and deemed safe, the company must conduct a safety check before power can be re-energized.
That means repairs first have to be completed by the apartment complex before CenterPoint can restore service.
Managers at 600 Nottingham confirmed the broken pole belongs to the property. They told KHOU 11 it was a “busy weekend,” making it difficult to get a repair crew out sooner.
Crews were seen Monday cutting down the old pole and installing a new one, though some residents said they were told power might not be fully restored for another 24 to 48 hours.
Management also said residents are required to carry renters insurance, which may cover losses such as spoiled food or temporary lodging.
When asked whether the complex would offer any compensation, managers could not say if that would happen.
As of Monday evening, crews were still working on repairs.
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Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.