CenterPoint Energy Inc.

03/02/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/02/2026 08:50

CenterPoint Energy encourages Minnesotans to use available payment assistance resources to help manage winter heating bills

Minnesotans can access payment assistance options and programs this winter
2026-03-02T06:00:00Z

MINNEAPOLIS - March 2, 2026 - As winter weather continues, CenterPoint Energy understands that colder weather can create financial strain for many Minnesota households. Customers are encouraged to reach out now to explore options to help manage their natural gas bills and find out about support programs that may be available.
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"Whether experiencing temporary or ongoing challenges, our team is available to help guide customers through options available to them. From payment arrangements to payment assistance to energy efficiency programs, customers can use available tools and programs to manage their bills and reduce their energy use. Reaching out now can make a difference in keeping customers and their loved ones safe and warm throughout the heating season," said Brad Steber, CenterPoint Energy's Vice President, Minnesota Gas.

Cold weather protections for residential customers
Under Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule, residential customers having difficulty paying their heating bills can prevent disconnection of their service by setting up and maintaining a payment plan with their utility.

CenterPoint customers can arrange a payment plan by calling 800-245-2377 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday-Friday, or visiting CenterPointEnergy.com/PaymentAssistance. Payment agreements consider a customer's current financial situation, including recent changes.

Payment assistance and bill management resources
Customers can work with CenterPoint representatives to be referred to assistance through Minnesota's Energy Assistance Program, which helps income-eligible households with home heating costs and furnace repairs. Funds are available to Minnesotans this season.

Customers can also opt in to an Average Monthly Billing Plan to help spread costs throughout the year to balance out payments and manage winter payment peaks, at CenterPointEnergy.com/MyAccount or by calling 800-245-2377.

Energy efficiency programs help reduce energy use and manage costs
Residential customers, including renters, are encouraged to take part in CenterPoint's efficiency programs, such as:

  • Home energy assessment: CenterPoint and Xcel Energy's Home Energy Squad® provides customers with a home energy assessment that includes a personalized energy savings plan and support in identifying qualified contractors and rebates. Schedule a visit at: CenterPointEnergy.com/HomeEnergySquad.
  • Visit the online Energy Efficiency Store: Customers can access free and discounted products including smart and programmable thermostats, weatherstripping, low-flow showerheads and more at CenterPoint's online Energy Efficiency Store.
  • Air sealing and insulation rebates: Upgrading air sealing and insulation can reduce energy waste and improve home comfort. Residential customers can receive rebates of up to $3,000 for insulation work completed by a qualifying contractor.

For qualifying customers, programs may be available at a reduced rate or at no cost. Learn more about energy efficiency programs at CenterPointEnergy.com/SaveEnergy.​

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New CenterPoint Energy Foundation programs help local nonprofits and small businesses cut energy costs and reinvest in community services

​EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Feb. 27, 2026 - Nonprofits, small businesses and local manufacturers across southwestern Indiana will soon have new opportunities to lower their energy bills and strengthen their operations through three customer-focused programs announced today by the CenterPoint Energy Foundation. The new initiatives - Optimize for Good, Optimize for Local and Optimize for Growth - will offer up to $25,000 in matching grant funding.

These programs are the next phase of the Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund (CEIF), launched in October 2025 to support energy efficiency, weatherization and economic development across the region. Today's announcement marks the next phase of that commitment.

"We are continuing our commitment to be a community partner and provide new tools for all customer types," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. "These three new programs put real resources behind the local nonprofits, small businesses and small manufacturers that make southwestern Indiana what it is - helping them cut energy costs so they can focus on what they do best."

Optimize for Good: Helping nonprofits reinvest in their communities
Optimize for Good will help southwestern Indiana nonprofits lower facility energy costs. Each participating organization will receive a professional facility assessment with improvement recommendations and will be eligible for up to $25,000 in matching grant funding to implement a priority project - such as upgrading lighting, HVAC systems or building insulation. By reducing energy expenses, nonprofits can redirect limited dollars toward the community missions they serve.

Optimize for Local: Lowering energy usage and costs for neighborhood businesses
Optimize for Local will help locally owned independent restaurants and retailers make energy efficiency upgrades - such as improved HVAC, refrigeration or lighting - with up to $25,000 each in matching grant funding. The program supports the neighborhood businesses customers see and visit every day across southwestern Indiana.

Optimize for Growth: Strengthening local industry and regional growth
Optimize for Growth will help small industrial businesses - including small manufacturers, processors and fabricators - complete energy efficiency improvements with up to $25,000 in matching grant funding. Supporting these businesses helps strengthen the region's economic base and the ability of the businesses to scale and compete.

For all three programs, matching grant funding means the CEIF shares the cost of approved projects with participating organizations. Participants will be selected through an application process, with applications expected to open this spring. Program details, eligibility and application information will be available at CenterPointEnergy.com/Optimize. Optimize participants may also be eligible for additional rebates on qualifying equipment through CenterPoint's existing commercial energy efficiency programs. More information is available at CenterPointEnergy.com/INBusinessRebates.

Ongoing commitment to affordability
The three new programs join the CEIF's first initiative, the Home Repair & Care program, which launched in January in partnership with Community One to help homeowners make critical repairs that reduce energy waste and improve efficiency. Since its launch, Home Repair & Care is currently serving 36 households, with more on the way.

The CEIF is part of CenterPoint's broader Community Affordability Actions, a series of steps taken since October 2025 to support southwestern Indiana customers. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools, expanded customer support programs and implemented additional protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement - such as annual late-fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and safeguards for medically vulnerable customers.

Residential customers looking for ways to manage energy costs can explore energy efficiency programs, bill assistance and other resources at CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub.​

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New Home Repair & Care program helps southwestern Indiana families save money and complete essential home repairs

​EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Feb. 26, 2026 - CenterPoint Energy's southwestern Indiana customers are already seeing meaningful savings as a result of the company's new Home Care & Repair program. Since launching in January, more than 850 applications have been received, with 36 households receiving essential repairs and many more in progress.

When Evansville retiree Bill Sigler and his wife bought their home seven years ago, it came with a water heater that was already showing its age. The 23-year-old unit would pop and gurgle each time it kicked on, a sign of heavy sediment buildup after years without maintenance. Living on a fixed income, Bill and his wife knew it would need to be replaced eventually but had been putting it off.

"I was always thinking, that thing's going to go out anytime," Sigler said. "We're retired and on a fixed income. A major repair like that isn't something you can just absorb."

Then Sigler received an email about the Home Repair & Care program, backed by the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund (CEIF) and implemented by Community One. He applied, and within days, a representative from Community One visited his home to assess the project. By the following Monday, the aging unit was replaced with a new, more energy-efficient 40-gallon water heater at no cost to the family.

"I was surprised that we qualified," Sigler said. "There aren't a lot of programs out there for people in our situation. This saved us money and now we have peace of mind. We don't have to worry about the water heater going out."

A program designed to fill the gap
Since launching, Home Repair & Care has helped CenterPoint customers who may not have qualified for existing assistance programs make critical repairs that reduce energy waste and save money over time.

"Bill's story is exactly why Home Repair & Care exists. Whether it's a new, more efficient water heater, a roof repair or added insulation, these projects are designed to help customers use less energy while making their homes safer and more comfortable," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. "We made a commitment to take meaningful action to support our customers and communities, and I'm proud of our local team and the team at Community One for delivering on that promise, helping families make their homes safer, more comfortable and more energy efficient."

Strong demand across region
Since January, the program has seen strong demand from customers across the region:

  • 855 applications received from CenterPoint Energy customers
  • 521 applications submitted in the first 48 hours
  • 36 homes already receiving repairs, with more underway

This high demand reflects significant home repair and energy efficiency needs across the region. Due to the volume of applications, Community One will pause new applications in April to focus on delivering quality improvements for current eligible applicants.

"This program is reaching homeowners who have real repair needs but haven't had a way to address them. When a major home repair is completed it provides neighbors with peace of mind and contributes to their overall stability and wellbeing," said Jessica Welcher, Executive Director of Community One.

Continued commitment to customers
Home Repair & Care is the first initiative to launch under the CEIF, CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million commitment to support weatherization, energy efficiency and cost-saving programs across southwestern Indiana. The Foundation expects to announce additional initiatives soon.

The program builds on a series of Community Affordability Actions CenterPoint launched in October 2025. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools and programs for southwestern Indiana customers and proposed customer protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement, such as annual late fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and additional safeguards for medically vulnerable customers.

As repairs are completed, CenterPoint and Community One will share additional customer impact stories in the coming months.

More ways for customers to save
CenterPoint customers can explore additional energy efficiency programs and tools to help manage energy costs at CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub.​

About the CenterPoint Energy Foundation
The CenterPoint Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where CenterPoint Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. More information about the Foundation can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/Foundation.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of December 31, 2025, the company owned approximately $46.5 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

About Community One
Community One is a Christian nonprofit that is transforming the city of Evansville from the inside out by helping neighbors love their neighbors. They do this by connecting and mobilizing people from every corner of the community to serve one another through tangible acts of love. By coming together and helping one another, every neighbor and neighborhood can experience social, physical, and spiritual restoration. To learn more about Community One or to join their efforts through volunteering, donating, or sponsoring a project, visit their website at community1.org or email [email protected].

CenterPoint Energy Indiana Electric customers saw fewer outages and shorter outage times in 2025, driven by infrastructure reliability investments

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Feb. 24, 2026 - CenterPoint Energy today shared how its reliability performance across the company's Indiana electric system improved across key performance measures in 2025. This continues a positive reliability improvement trend driven by years of local infrastructure investments to strengthen the electric grid serving the region's approximately 150,000 electric customers.​​

CenterPoint measures reliability using industry-standard benchmarks, the same measures used by electric utilities across the country to track performance. In 2024, those measures placed CenterPoint's Indiana electric system among the top-performing utilities nationally, including the lowest system average outage duration among Indiana utilities, a top-25% ranking nationwide for fewest customers experiencing repeat outages and a top-half ranking for outage frequency and duration.

In 2025, the company further improved on key measures, including:

  • Fewer outages: The average number of outages customers experienced dropped by nearly 10% compared to 2024, continuing a trend of year-over-year improvement since 2022.
  • Shorter outages: When outages did occur, the system's average duration decreased by 14%, meaning power was restored sooner for customers across the service territory.
  • Fewer repeat outages: The number of customers who experienced four or more outages in a year dropped by 10%, driven by a targeted program that identifies areas with repeated outages and prioritizes improvements.

Additionally, outage minutes attributed to equipment failure have dropped 58% since 2019 as the company has continued to replace and upgrade infrastructure through its grid modernization program.

"Our crews are dedicated to upgrading and strengthening the electric system across southwestern Indiana so that if severe weather hits, our customers can continue counting on us. The investments we have made in the electric system are delivering results," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana.

New generation resources delivering reliable power
In addition to a stronger delivery system, CenterPoint's new generation resources are reliably meeting the energy needs of southwestern Indiana. Two 230 MW natural gas combustion turbines at the A.B. Brown generating station, a 191 MW solar array in Posey County, and 170 MW in wind generation were placed into service in 2025. These resources reliably served customers through peak summer demand and continue to deliver through the current winter season. An additional 150 MW in solar generation is expected to be in service by the end of February.

Ongoing commitment to customers
CenterPoint's prudent investments in reliability are part of a broader commitment to southwestern Indiana customers that includes prioritizing affordability. Over the past year, the company has taken a series of actions to manage costs for customers, including cancelling nearly $1 billion in generation projects that were no longer economical, saving residential customers approximately $18 per month in avoided costs through 2027.

In October 2025, CenterPoint launched an initial series of Community Affordability Actions, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools and programs for southwestern Indiana customers and customer protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement, such as annual late fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and additional safeguards for medically vulnerable customers. The company expects to announce additional customer resources in the coming weeks.​

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CenterPoint Energy continues "Community Connect" program to meet and engage customers in their local community spaces

​EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Feb. 23, 2026 - CenterPoint Energy today announced the expansion of its Community Connect program for 2026, bringing year-round customer support and engagement activities directly into southwestern Indiana neighborhoods, workplaces and community spaces making it easier for customers to ask questions and learn about resources.

The expanded effort builds on the success of five Community Connect events hosted in Rockport, Mt. Vernon, Evansville and Newburgh in November 2025, where customers met face-to-face with local CenterPoint employees for account support and conversations about available programs. Building on that feedback, the company is increasing opportunities to access personalized assistance closer to where they live and work.

Upcoming events
Customers, stakeholders and community members are invited to meet CenterPoint team members for one-on-one account assistance, learn about available programs and provide feedback at upcoming Community Connect events:

  • Wednesday, February 25 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - CenterPoint will participate in City of Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry's Traveling City Hall at University of Southern Indiana, Carter Hall, 8600 University Blvd, Evansville. CenterPoint will have team members on-site providing one-on-one customer assistance and information about customer resources.
  • Wednesday, March 4 from 4 - 6 p.m. - CenterPoint will host a Community Connect at the CK Newsome Community Center, 100 E. Walnut St., Evansville.
  • Wednesday, March 18 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - CenterPoint will host a Community Connect at the CenterPoint Energy Plaza.
  • Thursday, March 19 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. - CenterPoint will participate in the Evansville and Vanderburgh County Commission on Homelessness annual Homeless Connect event at Old National Events Plaza, 715 Locust St., Evansville. Open to all community members, the event brings together organizations to connect individuals with a wide range of services. CenterPoint will have team members on-site providing one-on-one customer assistance and information about customer resources.
  • Wednesday, April 8 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - CenterPoint will host a Community Connect at the CenterPoint Energy Plaza.
  • Tuesday, April 14 from 4 - 6 p.m. - CenterPoint will host a Community Connect in collaboration with YMCA of Southwestern Indiana at the CenterPoint Energy YMCA, 3720 S. Indiana Ave., Evansville.
  • Thursday, May 21 from 4 - 6 p.m. - In collaboration with Dream Center Evansville at 1516 N Main St., Evansville
  • Wednesday, July 15 from 5 - 8 p.m. - In collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Evansville at 700 Bellemeade Ave., Evansville.

"Last fall, our Community Connect events brought customers face-to-face with our local teams. We listened and heard they want us to be more visible and accessible," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. "We will show up in new ways this year as we continue our commitment to be transparent and available. We're adding events and bringing our teams where customers already spend their time."

More ways to connect
The expanded Community Connects are designed to give customers more convenient access to resources. In the coming months, CenterPoint teams will:

  • Visit neighborhood gathering spaces like association meetings and community rooms to engage customers where they live.
  • Participate in community events and collaborate with local organizations across the region.
  • Bring resources directly to area workplaces so customers can connect without taking time away from their day.

Beyond these direct customer touchpoints, CenterPoint teams will also continue to engage with elected officials and stakeholders, offering hands-on energy education and hosting behind-the-scenes facility tours. CenterPoint welcomes requests from community organizations interested in having the company host or participate in a local event.

Additional Community Connect dates and locations will be added throughout the year and posted at CenterPointEnergy.com/CommunityConnect.

Ongoing commitment to affordability
In October 2025, CenterPoint launched its initial series of Community Affordability Actions, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools, expanded customer support programs and implemented additional protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement - such as annual late-fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and safeguards for medically vulnerable customers. Additional customer resources are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.​

CenterPoint Energy encourages Indiana Electric customers to take advantage of new ways to save and enroll in Smart Cycle ahead of Spring season

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Feb. 18, 2026 - CenterPoint Energy is encouraging southwestern Indiana Electric customers take advantage of new ways to save and enroll in Smart Cycle before the 2026 program season begins in March. The voluntary energy management program gives customers an opportunity to earn bill credits while supporting a more reliable grid during times of high demand.

Smart Cycle uses participating customers' smart thermostats to automatically adjust temperatures by up to four degrees during high-demand periods, reducing strain on the electric grid when electricity use is the highest. Customers retain full control and can override any adjustment at any time through their thermostat or app.

During the 2025 program season, approximately 8,000 Smart Cycle participants provided peak demand reduction potential of 11 MWs across the region while earning approximately $855,500 in bill credits.

Bill credits add up
Enrolled customers can earn:

  • A one-time $75 enrollment credit after registering
  • A $7.50 bill credit per device each month from March through November, totaling up to $67.50 per year in monthly bill credits across the nine-month season

"Programs like Smart Cycle help customers control their energy costs while strengthening reliability for our region," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana. "When customers participate, they're earning real savings on their bills and helping reduce strain on the electric grid during peak summer demand."

Getting started

Customers interested in enrolling can check eligibility and sign up at CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartCycle.

Those who need a smart thermostat have several ways to purchase. Online, customers can take advantage of limited-time savings at CenterPointEnergy.com/Shop, including $30 off the Sensi Smart Thermostat, $20 off the Sensi 2 and free energy efficiency products like window insulation kits. Eligible rebates are applied instantly at checkout.

Ongoing commitment to affordability

In October 2025, CenterPoint launched an initial series of Community Affordability Actions, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund. Since then, the company has introduced additional bill management tools and programs for southwestern Indiana customers and customer protections as part of the Indiana Electric rate case settlement, such as annual late fee waivers upon request, reduced reconnection fees and additional safeguards for medically vulnerable customers. The company expects to announce additional customer resources in the coming weeks.

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CenterPoint Energy Inc. published this content on March 02, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 02, 2026 at 14:50 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]