News Release > Entergy Texas honored with the Key to the City of Conroe for Hurricane Beryl response

For Immediate Release

Entergy Texas honored with the Key to the City of Conroe for Hurricane Beryl response

08/27/2024

Pictured left to right: Stuart Barrett, vice president of customer service (accepting the award on behalf of Eliecer Viamontes), Kenny Muhammad, regional customer service manager, Corrin Barrow, Conroe customer service manager, and Conroe City Councilman Howard Wood
Pictured left to right: Stuart Barrett, vice president of customer service (accepting the award on behalf of Eliecer Viamontes), Kenny Muhammad, regional customer service manager, Corrin Barrow, Conroe customer service manager, and Conroe City Councilman Howard Wood

The company was recognized for timely, reliable communications to customers before, during and after the storm

CONROE, Texas – Entergy Texas employees received a prestigious award from the City of Conroe for "surpassing expectations” throughout the company’s Hurricane Beryl storm response. During the City of Conroe’s August City Council meeting, Entergy Texas president and CEO Eliecer Viamontes, regional customer service manager Kenny Muhammad and Conroe customer service manager Corrin Barrow received a Key to the City– an award given to those who go above and beyond in their service to the community.  

During a special recognition ceremony, Conroe Mayor Duke W. Coon and city council members thanked the team for their leadership, effective communication and outstanding stakeholder engagement before, during, and after the storm.

“Keeping our citizens informed, especially during an emergency situation like a hurricane, is the City of Conroe’s priority,” said Councilman Howard Wood. “The commitment that Entergy Texas showed to keeping our community informed, even while managing their own personal matters, is simply commendable, and they truly made a difference in a time of crisis.”

Hurricane Beryl, which entered the Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane, knocked out power to approximately 252,460 Entergy Texas customers on July 8. The storm brought heavy rain and extreme winds up to 97 mph, causing widespread damage and significant challenges across Southeast Texas.

“In times of crisis, our priority is the safety and well-being of our customers, and I’m incredibly proud of how our employees rose to the challenge during Hurricane Beryl,” said Eliecer Viamontes, president and CEO of Entergy Texas. “We are deeply honored to receive the Key to the City of Conroe, and this recognition serves as a reflection of the collective commitment we have to our customers every single day. We remain dedicated to keeping the community informed and making the necessary multiyear resiliency investments to strengthen the grid.”

Entergy Texas continues to make strategic investments to improve service reliability and make the Southeast Texas power grid more resilient against extreme weather events like hurricanes. In June, prior to Hurricane Beryl, the company filed Phase I of its Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Once approved, the investments included in Phase I are expected to benefit customers by decreasing future storm restoration costs by approximately $129 million and reducing the duration of power outages following significant weather events by 4.5 billion minutes over the next fifty years. 

Learn more about the Texas Future Ready Resiliency Plan.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 512,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. We’re investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For the latest news from Entergy Texas, visit the Newsroom and connect with @EntergyTX on social media.