CenterPoint Energy has announced that it is monitoring the potential impacts of Hurricane Rafael across Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
In a statement released shortly before Rafael had been reclassified as a hurricane, the energy company said it is communicating with its customers across the three states. They also said they have been in close contact with emergency services in the area.
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The press release also said that the Greater Houston area is not expected to be heavily impacted by Rafael, although storms can be unpredictable.
"We remain vigilant as Tropical Storm Rafael's path becomes more defined, and we are prepared to respond to any potential impacts on both our electric and natural gas networks," Richard Leger, CenterPoint's senior vice president of gas business said. "CenterPoint will continue to coordinate with our emergency partners as we focus on getting ready to restore service to customers as safely and quickly as possible following the storm's impact. We will also continue sharing important safety information with our customers, and we urge everyone in the path of the storm to take the necessary preparation steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe."
MORE INFO: Rafael now a hurricane
In the press release, CenterPoint also included the following safety tips for its natural gas customers:
Do not turn off your natural gas service at the meter in advance of the storm; doing so could allow water to enter the natural gas lines should flooding occur. If you wish to discontinue gas service, turn off the natural gas at each appliance.Always be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to leave, too.If you smell natural gas, do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.Do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off.Once safely away from the area, call 1-888-876-5786 and CenterPoint will send a trained service technician.If your home is flooded, call a licensed plumber or natural gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint to reconnect service. This includes outdoor natural gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights.If you are planning any digging or clearing as part of your pre- or post-hurricane activities, please call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number, to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines.Know where your natural gas meter is located. As debris is put out for heavy trash pickup, make sure it is placed away from the meter. In many areas the meter may be located near the curb. If debris is near a natural gas meter, the mechanized equipment used by trash collectors could pull up the meter, damaging it and causing a potentially hazardous situation. If this happens, leave the area immediately and call CenterPoint at 1-888-876-5786.
Below is the full press release from CenterPoint:
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