UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                 SCHEDULE 13G


                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                              (Amendment No. 7)*


                            POWELL INDUSTRIES, INC.
                               (Name of Issuer)


                                 COMMON STOCK
                        (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   739128106
                                (CUSIP Number)


                               December 31, 2000
            (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

     [X]  Rule 13d-1(b)
     [ ]  Rule 13d-1(c)
     [ ]  Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

                               Page 1 of 6 pages



CUSIP No. 739128106                   13G                     Page 2 of 6 Pages
         -----------


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS.
 1    I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS

           HEARTLAND ADVISORS, INC.

           #39-1078128

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
 2                                                              (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4
           WISCONSIN, U.S.A.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF                 269,600

      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                               None
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING                  816,300

      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                               None

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
           816,300

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
10    (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
11
           7.5%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
12
           IA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



===============================================================================
CUSIP No.  739128106                  13G                     Page 3 of 6 Pages
          -----------


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS.
 1    I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY).

           WILLIAM J. NASGOVITZ      395-42-0703

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
 2                                                              (a) [_]
                                                                (b) [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      SEC USE ONLY
 3


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
 4
           U.S.A.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          SOLE VOTING POWER
                     5
     NUMBER OF                 507,400

      SHARES       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED VOTING POWER
   BENEFICIALLY      6
                               None
     OWNED BY
                   -----------------------------------------------------------
       EACH               SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                     7
    REPORTING                  None

      PERSON       -----------------------------------------------------------
                          SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
       WITH          8
                               None
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
 9
           507,400

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
10
                                                                    [_]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
11
           4.7%

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
12
           IN

------------------------------------------------------------------------------



CUSIP NUMBER  739128106                                       Page 4 Of 6 Pages
             -----------

Item 1.

    (a) Name of Issuer:    Powell Industries, Inc.
        --------------


    (b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
        -----------------------------------------------

        8550 Mosley Drive
        Houston,  TX   77075-1180


Item 2.

    (a) Name of Person Filing:   (1) Heartland Advisors, Inc.
        ---------------------
                                 (2)  William J. Nasgovitz

    (b) Address of Principal Business Office:
        ------------------------------------

         (1) 789 North Water Street     (2)  789 North Water Street
             Milwaukee, WI  53202            Milwaukee, WI  53202

    (c) Citizenship:     Heartland Advisors is a Wisconsin corporation.
        -----------      William J. Nasgovitz - U.S.A

    (d) Title of Class of Securities:     Common Stock
        ----------------------------

    (e)  CUSIP Number:    739128106
         ------------


Item 3. The persons filing this Schedule 13G are Heartland Advisors, Inc., an
investment adviser registered with the SEC, and William J. Nasgovitz, President
and principal shareholder of Heartland Advisors, Inc. Mr. Nasgovitz joins in
this filing pursuant to SEC staff positions authorizing certain individuals in
similar situations to join in a filing with a controlled entity eligible to file
on Schedule 13G. The reporting persons do not admit that they constitute a
group.


Item 4. Ownership.
        ---------

    (a) Amount beneficially owned:
        --------------------------

    816,300 shares may be deemed beneficially owned within the meaning of Rule
13d-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by (1) Heartland Advisors, Inc. by
virtue of its investment discretion and in some cases voting power over client
securities, which may be revoked; and (2) William J. Nasgovitz, as a result of
his position with and stock ownership of Heartland which could be deemed to
confer upon him voting and/or investment power over the shares Heartland
beneficially owns. Of these 816,300 shares, 507,400 shares also may be deemed
beneficially owned within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 by Mr. Nasgovitz as a result of his position as an officer and
director of Heartland Group, Inc. which could be deemed to confer upon him
voting power over the shares Heartland Group beneficially owns.

    (b) Percent of Class:
       -----------------

        7.5%

    (c) For information on voting and dispositive power with respect to the
above listed shares, see Items 5-8 of the Cover Page.


Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
        --------------------------------------------

    If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the



beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the
following:[ ]


Item 6. Ownership of more than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
        ---------------------------------------------------------------

     The shares of common stock to which this Schedule relates are held in
investment advisory accounts of Heartland Advisors, Inc. As a result, various
persons have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of
dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the securities. No such
account is known to have such an interest relating to more than 5% of the class.


Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the
        ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company.
        --------------------------------------------------------

      Not Applicable.


Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
        ---------------------------------------------------------

      Not Applicable.


Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
        ------------------------------

      Not Applicable.


Item 10.  Certification.
          -------------

     By signing below, the undersigned certify that, to the best of their
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are
held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held
for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of
the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or
effect.


                                   SIGNATURE

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

DATE: January 22, 2001

WILLIAM J. NASGOVITZ                   HEARTLAND ADVISORS, INC.

By: /s/  PAUL T. BESTE                 By: /s/ PAUL T. BESTE
----------------------                 ---------------------
    Paul T. Beste                              Paul T. Beste
    As Attorney in Fact for                    Chief Operating Officer
    William J. Nasgovitz


EXHIBIT INDEX

     Exhibit 1       Joint Filing Agreement



EXHIBIT 1


                            Joint Filing Agreement

The undersigned persons agree and consent to the joint filing on their behalf of
this Schedule 13G in connection with their beneficial ownership of Powell
Industries, Inc. at December 31, 2000.


WILLIAM J. NASGOVITZ

By: /s/ PAUL T. BESTE
        -------------
        Paul T. Beste
        As Attorney in Fact for
        William J. Nasgovitz



HEARTLAND ADVISORS, INC.


By: /s/ PAUL T. BESTE
        -------------
        Paul T. Beste
        Chief Operating Officer