On average, Houston enjoys over 200 sunny days each year, with annual temperatures fluctuating between highs of around 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and the low 90s in the summer. While the mild climate is a major draw for Texas residents and visitors alike, this Gulf Coast state is no stranger to inclement weather.

Increasingly frequent weather events like hurricanes and cold snaps have left residents and businesses facing power outages and the challenges that follow. Learn how San Antonio-based supermarket chain H-E-B is taking steps to keep the power flowing.

Worsening Weather Conditions in Texas

A study by Climate Central revealed that Texas has had the worst track record in the nation for weather-related power outages over the last 23 years. In the past decade alone, the state suffered major outages during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Hurricane Beryl in June 2024, and the disastrous winter storm in February 2021.

Commercial interests like H-E-B and Walmart are leading the way in proactive solutions that ensure an uninterrupted flow of power when outages strike. How are they keeping the lights on and their doors open despite more frequent natural disasters over the past several years?

H-E-B Partners With Enchanted Rock

Until 2016, H-E-B stores responded to power outages with backup generators running on diesel fuel. The main drawback of this solution was the need to refuel every 24 hours. When the company teamed up with Enchanted Rock to upgrade to microgrids in 2016, it gained a much more reliable and cost-effective source of energy.

A self-proclaimed leader in electrical resiliency, Houston-based Enchanted Rock creates and maintains microgrids. This technology uses a series of natural gas generators to conveniently take over where the power grid leaves off during outages. According to Pete DiSanto, Enchanted Rock’s president of operations, “CenterPoint’s gas is very reliable.”

Each unit is about the size of a garden shed and is easily stored on-site, typically in a parking lot. Units generate 450 kW of power and can be grouped together infinitely to scale up supply as needed. A massive supermarket or big box store like H-E-B or Walmart could operate on a microgrid comprising as few as four units.

Connected to the Texas electrical grid, these units are dormant until power disappears, at which point they automatically turn on. Thanks to a reliable and uninterrupted supply of natural gas, the power can remain on indefinitely. Even better, excess power could be sold back to the grid, just like solar power.

With natural gas microgrids in place, a gap in the power supply could be limited to as little as just a few seconds. To date, H-E-B has installed microgrids at 85 locations, including supermarkets, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities.

The Importance of Keeping Stores Open During Outages

When major cities suffer utility outages, especially due to inclement weather, consumers may need a variety of supplies. Supermarkets can become an essential provider during these times — if they can keep foodstuffs fresh and their doors open, that is.

When Hurricane Beryl recently struck, H-E-B stores were able to safely reopen within just a few hours. This allowed them to provide customers with not only cold beverages and fresh food but also a safe haven to enjoy air conditioning and charging stations.

Microgrids at many area stores have allowed for an unmatched level of energy self-sufficiency that ensures consumer access and could reduce strain on the energy grid at critical times. The reliable service over the past few years has even prompted some Texans to opine that H-E-B should take over the state government.

Microgrids Make the Grade

With a proactive approach to energy self-sufficiency, H-E-B has earned a reputation for reliable service. The company is always exploring emerging technologies like modular nuclear reactors, which are still in development.

At the moment, natural gas remains a relatively inexpensive solution that is more reliable than solar power and more convenient and cost-effective than diesel. In addition, microgrids have become available, and they offer a much more manageable price point and footprint than nuclear solutions. 

For now, H-E-B’s investment in Enchanted Rock microgrids continues to pay off in big ways and looks to continue doing so for the foreseeable future. To learn more about this story, check out the original article by Chron.