CenterPoint Energy reports natural gas outage for customers in Seguin and McQueeney

Staff Reports

CenterPoint Energy is experiencing a natural gas outage in Seguin and McQueeney, Texas that is affecting more than 4,300 customers. The outage is a result of damage to another company’s pipeline that serves the towns.

“Safety will be our number-one priority as we work to restore natural gas service to impacted customers as safely and quickly as possible,” said Tal Centers, Vice President, Texas Gas at CenterPoint Energy. “As part of our safety procedures, we will start the process of turning off each customer’s natural gas meter. Repairs may take several days. Once the pipeline company finalizes its repairs, our crews will need to manually turn each meter back on.

“CenterPoint Energy is focused on providing service to critical facilities, such as hospitals, and will attempt to secure backup gas service to such critical facilities while the pipeline supplying natural gas to the towns is being repaired,” Centers added.

“More than 200 employees and contractors have been called to help with the restoration process,” Centers said. “At this time, no action is required on the part of the customer.”

In an update posted to Twitter, CenterPoint Energy said that crews will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore the service, though relights may take several days to complete. 

For safety reasons, the company urges customers not to turn any valves or tamper with the natural gas meter. Opening or turning any valves could allow air to enter the natural gas lines, which would hinder the restoration process.

As always, if smell natural gas, customers should leave the area immediately on foot and call CenterPoint Energy at 866-275-5252 and 911 to report; and not turn on or operate anything that might cause a spark like using light switches or cellphones.

For updates, follow CenterPoint Energy on Twitter: @CNPAlerts.