NJNG TO RE-PRESSURIZE ENTIRE MAIN ON LBI, INCLUDING HOLGATE, BY END OF DAY

New Jersey Natural Gas will conduct normal holiday operations for Thanksgiving tomorrow, November 22. Full restoration activities and daily updates will resume on Friday, November 23. 

NJNG today provided the following restoration updates for the damaged portions of its system:

Bay Head to Seaside
We have replaced 1,330 feet of our damaged 12 inch main, which is the backbone of our system that serves the Seaside peninsula.

We expect to begin re-pressurizing our system at our regulator station south of the Mantoloking Bridge on 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 completed 90 percent of our work to replace damaged main along First Avenue. We have installed 30 percent of the new services that are needed.

In the Bayshore region of the county, we have made 36 meters gas-ready, while municipal assessment of the structural safety of homes is ongoing in Laurence Harbor.

Ocean County Mainland
Natural gas is now available to 9,514 of our affected customers’ meters, with 3,866 turned back on. Approximately 17,250 meters were affected. We have made natural gas available to 55 percent of our affected customers.  

Long Beach Island
Natural gas is now available to 9,878 of our customers’ meters, which is 69 percent of our total customers on Long Beach Island.

By the end of the day, we will have re-pressurized our entire main on Long Beach Island, including Holgate.

Meters have been repaired and replaced on the entire northern end of the island.  We are now completing our meter work on the southern end of the island, and expect to complete all rebuilds by Monday, November 26.

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.

Scheduling, details and updates on our LBI restoration work are available at http://www.njng.com/safety/hurricane-sandy-updates/lbi-service-restoration.asp. 

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 natural gas leaks immediately at 800-GAS-LEAK.

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