When Hurricane Ike hit the gulf coast of Texas on Sept. 13, 2008, its 110-mile-per-hour hurricane-force winds mowed down 50-foot-tall trees and flooded coastal areas. CenterPoint Energy’s (CNP) electric delivery system took a direct hit from Ike, resulting in the largest power outage in Texas history. More than 95 percent of CNP’s electric delivery customers lost power: 2.15 million at the storm’s peak. Across the state, more than 3 million lost power.

The impact on Houston – the fourth-largest city in the nation, home to N.A.S.A. and the Texas Medical Center, the “energy capital of the world” – was huge. Damage estimates have ranged from $6 billion to $18 billion, which could make Ike one of the costliest U.S. storms ever. Due to the severity of Hurricane Ike, this year’s Hurricane Workshop has been themed, Remembering Ike in an effort to remind residents of the Gulf Coast about the importance of being prepared.