NJNG COMPLETES SERVICE ASSESSMENTS IN MAINLAND OCEAN COUNTY AND MAJORITY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY

Update Issued at 3 p.m.

New Jersey Natural Gas today announced that our service assessment is complete in Monmouth County, with the exception of Sea Bright and Belford, where work continues.  We are now developing our service restoration plan for coastal Monmouth County.

On Long Beach Island, we have completed 12,020 service assessments, with 2,200 remaining. We expect to complete all LBI service assessments today.  Restoration planning continues.

On the mainland of Ocean County, we have completed service assessments and restoration and are pleased to announce that 660 customers in Tuckerton are now ready for re-establishment of service - with the important reminder that before calling to schedule a turn-on, each home and business must have electricity, be habitable and occupied, and any natural gas equipment exposed to flooding or other storm-related damage must be serviced and determined to be safe for use by qualified technicians.

Although we are dealing with significant access constraints in the Bay Head to Seaside portion of our system, we are beginning our service and main assessments in this area.

As businesses, homeowners and others in the affected areas begin to gain access to their buildings and homes, we are reminding all customers and the general public that federal, New Jersey and local safety codes prohibit tampering with natural gas meters and service lines.  Even if natural gas service has not been restored to your area, this could significantly hamper efforts to restore service.

All customers who have had service interrupted—both within and outside the shut-off areas-- should be advised that when natural gas service returns to their area federal and state safety codes require the following conditions must be met before natural gas service can be safely restored:

• homes and businesses must have electricity,
• homes and businesses must be habitable and occupied, and
• any furnaces, boilers or other appliances exposed to flooding or other storm related damage must be serviced and determined to be safe for use by qualified technicians.

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.