Aquila nearing end of gas restoration effort
Aquila officials say roughly 90 percent of its customers in Beatrice now have their gas restored.
“We’re at the point where we’ve restored service to all customers we’ve had contact with,” Aquila spokesman Bob McKeon said at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
He said Aquila employees would be working through the night and into Sunday to restore gas to customers who call.
But with people out of town for the holiday weekend, it could be Monday or Tuesday before everyone has service, he said.
“If we haven’t been there, call us and we’ll be there,” McKeon said.
Customers should also call if they have a tag on their door notifying them an Aquila employee came while they were out, or if a service flag is in their yard, said Rick Schwartz, region operations manager for Aquila’s south region. He said the flags are being used as a visual aid to help Aquila employees see which houses have been reconnected and which haven’t.
The toll-free service number is (800) 303-0752.
The company began restoring natural gas service in Beatrice on Friday.
On Wednesday, an Aquila employee didn’t properly turn on an underground valve after routine maintenance. The natural gas distribution system lost pressure and about 4,500 of Beatrice’s 4,800 gas meters had to be shut down so Aquila could repressurize it overnight Thursday, then begin the task of individually turning each meter back on.
About 100 Aquila employees worked in Beatrice on Saturday, knocking on doors and turning on gas meters, Schwartz said.
People should not turn the meters on themselves, he said.
Residents who detect a natural gas odor should immediately leave their homes, without turning off lights, and call Aquila’s emergency line from a cell phone outside or a neighbor’s home. Using a phone or turning lights on or off could cause a spark, which is dangerous if there is a natural gas leak.
The emergency number is (800) 303-0357.
“We’re at the point where we’ve restored service to all customers we’ve had contact with,” Aquila spokesman Bob McKeon said at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
He said Aquila employees would be working through the night and into Sunday to restore gas to customers who call.
But with people out of town for the holiday weekend, it could be Monday or Tuesday before everyone has service, he said.
“If we haven’t been there, call us and we’ll be there,” McKeon said.
Customers should also call if they have a tag on their door notifying them an Aquila employee came while they were out, or if a service flag is in their yard, said Rick Schwartz, region operations manager for Aquila’s south region. He said the flags are being used as a visual aid to help Aquila employees see which houses have been reconnected and which haven’t.
The toll-free service number is (800) 303-0752.
The company began restoring natural gas service in Beatrice on Friday.
On Wednesday, an Aquila employee didn’t properly turn on an underground valve after routine maintenance. The natural gas distribution system lost pressure and about 4,500 of Beatrice’s 4,800 gas meters had to be shut down so Aquila could repressurize it overnight Thursday, then begin the task of individually turning each meter back on.
About 100 Aquila employees worked in Beatrice on Saturday, knocking on doors and turning on gas meters, Schwartz said.
People should not turn the meters on themselves, he said.
Residents who detect a natural gas odor should immediately leave their homes, without turning off lights, and call Aquila’s emergency line from a cell phone outside or a neighbor’s home. Using a phone or turning lights on or off could cause a spark, which is dangerous if there is a natural gas leak.
The emergency number is (800) 303-0357.
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