DAILY RESTORATION UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 26, 2012

New Jersey Natural Gas today provided the following updates on the restoration of service for damaged portions of its system:

Bay Head to Seaside

We have replaced 3,015 feet, 58 percent, of our damaged 12 inch main, which is the backbone of our system that serves the Seaside peninsula. Our crews have completed the plugging and capping of all meters, and are retiring individual services where required; both of these steps are necessary for the re-pressurization of our system, which is scheduled to begin December 3.

Barring unforeseen conditions that may delay our work, we anticipate restoring natural gas service by the end of December to all of our customers whose homes have not sustained such major damage that we cannot safely restore their service.

Monmouth County

In Manasquan, we have replaced the damaged main along First Avenue, and installed and repaired 86 services, 48 percent of our affected customers.  We continue to install, repair and turn on services as needed throughout Monmouth County.

Ocean County Mainland

We continue to install, repair and turn on services as needed throughout Ocean County.  All but 4,879 customers now have natural gas to their meters.

Long Beach Island

Our crews have completed the re-pressurization of the gas main on LBI and natural gas is now available to 14,018, 98 percent, of our customers’ meters.  All domestic meters are now completed, and we expect to complete the remaining meters by the end of the day.

Once a meter has been re-established and you see a tag on the customer gas valve just past your meter, your home’s natural gas service may be turned on by your qualified technician-- but only after electricity has been restored, you have safely returned to your home, and your qualified technician has determined that your natural gas equipment is safe to operate. 

Long Beach Island’s Joint Office of Emergency Management is requesting that residents with restored natural gas service bring back their electric space heaters to the Long Beach Township Police Department, so they can be reused by those who do not yet have service restored.

Federal, New Jersey and local safety codes prohibit tampering with natural gas meters and service lines. Even if natural gas service has not yet been restored to your area, this could significantly hamper efforts to restore service.

If you smell an odor of natural gas, leave the building immediately. Do not light matches, touch electrical switches or appliances, or use your telephone. From a safe location, customers should notify us of all gas leaks immediately at 1-800-GAS-LEAK. 

With natural gas now restored to some affected areas and property clean-up underway, please remember that at least three business days prior to outdoor construction or digging, contractors and property owners – whoever is excavating – must call New Jersey One Call at 811 or 800-272-1000 and take the following steps:

• Wait for the site to be marked with paint, flags or stakes. Yellow indicates the presence of underground natural gas lines.
• Respect the marks and dig with care.
• Hand dig only (no mechanized equipment) within two feet of buried piping and facilities.
• Be mindful that inclement weather may wash away the painted markings.

For additional information, visit our Hurricane Sandy Resource Center at www.njng.com.