CenterPoint Energy 2005 Annual Report Download - page 7

ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION
IN 2005, OUR ELECTRIC UTILITY BUSINESS IMPROVED IN NEARLY EVERY AREA. We increased the
number of new metered customers by 3.2 percent, bringing the total number of electric delivery customers
we serve to almost 2 million. Operating income for the year, excluding amounts related to our transition
bonds, was $448 million – in line with amounts earned in 2004 – and a clear demonstration of this unit’s
consistent earning power.
IMPROVING SYSTEM RELIABILITY: Last year we stood out in restoring power in the Houston area and excelled
in assisting other utilities when they needed help. In our own service territory, we continued to improve
the quality of our electric delivery service,
with electric reliability, as measured by
our “System Average Interruption Duration
Index,” improving 6.6 percent over 2004.
The dedication and skill of our employees in providing reliable electric
service was most evident when Hurricane Rita struck our service
territory, knocking out power to more than 700,000 customers. Working
16-hour days, CenterPoint Energy employees – joined by 2,400 workers
from as far away as Ohio – restored power to 500,000 customers during the
first 36 hours after the storm. Within four days, we had restored power to
97 percent of those affected by the hurricane.
Our crews also answered the call for help from neighboring utilities.
CenterPoint Energy employees assisted Westar Energy, Mississippi Power,
Alabama Power, Entergy and Florida Power & Light (FPL) following a severe
ice storm and devastating hurricanes. We dispatched 426 employees and
261 vehicles to work a total of 69,000 hours to help fellow utilities get their
customers’ power back on.
CENT ERPOINT E NERGY 2 0 05 AN N UA L R E PO R T [5]