CenterPoint Energy says it remains vigilant and prepared for Tropical Storm Francine

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- CenterPoint Energy is readying for what could be its first test since Hurricane Beryl.

All eyes are on the Gulf this week due to the threat of tropical weather.

On Monday, Tropical Storm Francine formed east of Mexico and is expected to move north and northeast through the Gulf, aiming for the Louisiana coastline. It is expected to make landfall in Louisiana as at least a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday.

However, southeast Texas could experience some coastal impacts, including elevated tides, surges, rain, and gusty winds.

ABC13 checked to see what preparations utility providers, state, and local entities are making, and many people are questioning whether their power will stay on.

"We've been actively monitoring the weather over the weekend and are conducting our pre-storm activity, including preparing staging sites, crews and equipment, communicating safety actions to our customers and continuing to secure additional frontline resources from mutual assistance companies," Michelle Hundley with CenterPoint Energy said.

CenterPoint Energy said part of its preparations includes installing more than 1,100 fiberglass poles across the Houston area.

The company said it has also taken the following steps:

• Secured approximately 700 additional vegetation management personnel to help with pre-storm work

• Identified more than 5,000 additional frontline workers if needed for response

The company is also touting its new outage tracker.

RELATED: CenterPoint Energy unveils new outage tracker map amid pressure from state leaders

"It is now a cloud-based system. It is available online, and it is mobile friendly, and that's a really good improvement," Hundley said.

Across Houston, city officials say all necessary precautions are being taken.

Mayor John Whitmire said essential agencies, including the Houston fire and police departments, have reviewed emergency plans and prepared to activate them if needed.

Whitmire said readiness efforts include pre-positioning generators, deploying high-water rescue vehicles, and increasing staffing levels across critical departments.

READ MORE: Mayor John Whitmire addresses city's safety preparations on potential tropical storm this week