NJNG COMPLETES RE-PRESSURIZATION PLANS FOR BAYHEAD TO SEASIDE; CONTINUES TO REINTRODUCE NATURAL GAS TO LBI

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

Monmouth County
In Sea Bright, we have now brought natural gas to the meters of each of our customers who are able to have their services safely restored.

In Manasquan, municipal crews continue to clear debris from First Avenue, and our crews are working directly behind them, installing new services and bringing natural gas to our customers’ meters on the 300 block of First Avenue and its side streets.

Ocean County Mainland
Natural gas is available to 5,415 of our affected customers’ meters, with 1,614 turned back on.

Bay Head to Seaside
We have corrected 26 percent of the anomalies that must be addressed before we can begin to re-pressurize our system from Bay Head to Seaside. These anomalies were identified during our initial damage assessments, which are now complete.  Our sectionalization valves are in place and re-pressurization plans are completed; we will be ready to implement them as soon as we address the anomalies in our mains and services.

Long Beach Island
Natural gas is now available to 2,254 of our customers’ meters.
Today, we are re-introducing natural gas into the fifth section of our main on Long Beach Island, from West Seashell Lane to Holly Drive. We expect to move onto the sixth section tomorrow, from Holly Drive to the northern tip of the island. Once we complete Barnegat Light, we will move to 49th Street in Brant Beach and work our way south.

Meters are now being rebuilt in the sections where natural gas has been reintroduced. 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 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 gas leaks immediately at 800-GAS-LEAK.

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