INFORMATION #4 08-01-2005
INFORMATION
Klaers, Pat
From:
Sent:
Subject:
Arnold R Hendrickson [arnold.hendrickson@centerpointenergy.com]
Thursday, July 14, 2005 2:18 PM
CenterPoint Energy Service Line Replacement -- Project Update
(Embedded image moved to file: pic16519.gif)
Hendrickson
Arne
Local Government Relations
Dear City Official,
As you know, Centerpoint Energy is engaged in a major service line
replacement project that affects your community. I want to briefly
update you about the project and address a few issues that have
arisen during the course of our work. I have also included the
latest version of the project Q&A which contains helpful information
for the public.
As always, please contact me if you have any questions about this
project or any other matter. Also, please let me know if there is
any other information you would like to receive regarding this
project or if there is another format in which you would like to
receive it.
Sincerely,
Arne Hendrickson
Local Government Relations
612-321-5375
Service Line Replacement Project Update
A dedicated phone number for all Service Line Replacement Project
inquiries has been established:
1-800-595-8171 (Mon.-Fri., 9 am-7 pm).
The number of service lines replaced to date is over 3800.
Service line replacement work continues in 17 communities, with
three more coming on line in July.
Six construction companies are currently assisting company
employees with the project: Arbys, Michels, InfraSource, Northern
Pipeline Construction Company, KS Energy Resources, and
Contracting & Material Company.
The company is now communicating information about the project to
customers using small lawn signs and door hangers. The lawn signs
are yellow information cards attached to stakes and will be placed
in a visible location on a customer's property.
Updated information about the project is available at
www.CenterPointEnergy.com/SrvcReplace.
SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Frequently Asked Questions
July 6, 2005
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BACKGROUND
What is the service line replacement project? Centerpoint Energy has
begun a project to remove from service all couplings in the former
Midwest Gas service area that might have been installed improperly.
To do this, we will replace up to 32,000 natural gas service lines in
37 Minnesota communities in 2005.
Why is it necessary? In 1993, Centerpoint Energy (formerly
Minnegasco) purchased the Minnesota properties of Midwest Gas, an
Iowa-based distributor of natural gas that at the time served 80,000
customers in Minnesota. Prior to this purchase, Midwest Gas had
acquired North Central Public Service Co. in 1986. North Central
Public Service Co. is the utility that originally installed gas
service to all the customers acquired by Midwest Gas. An
investigation by Centerpoint Energy has revealed that prior to 1984
North Central Public Service Co. improperly used metal couplings to
join plastic pipe on some of its residential and commercial service
lines. The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety reached the same
conclusion after it investigated the December 2004 building explosion
in Ramsey.
Is it related to a December 2004 explosion in Ramsey? Yes. The city
of Ramsey is one of the 37 communities in the former Midwest Gas
service area, and the Ramsey incident involved a coupling that was
improperly installed by North Central Public Service Company.
SCOPE
How many service lines will be replaced? Centerpoint Energy is
conducting a careful, deliberative records search and field work to
define the scope of potentially affected customers and communities.
We believe the maximum number of service lines that might have
improperly installed couplings is 32,000.
Why don't we know exactly how many service lines need to be replaced?
The service line replacement figure continues to change because the
customer records we acquired from Midwest Gas in 1993 are incomplete
and in many cases do not provide the information necessary to
determine if a service line should be replaced. Additionally, many
of our billing addresses are not necessarily the same as the service
line address. As a result, much of the scope work is rrlanual and time
consuming. We will accurately determine all service lines that need
to be replaced. In a situation where we cannot satisfactorily
determine whether a service line meets the scoping criteria, the
service line will be replaced.
How will a customer know if they are affected by this project? We
have developed criteria to determine if a customers' home or business
would receive a new natural gas service line. A customer's service
line will be replaced if their home or business meets the following
criteria:
It is located in one of the 37 communities formerly served by
Midwest Gas
It was built before January 1, 1984
It had natural gas service installed before January 1, 1984
The company determines the service line is plastic
Note: The service line will not need to be replaced if the company
determines it to be a steel service line or if the original plastic
service line was replaced after 1984.
A customer will know that their natural gas service line is to be
replaced when one or more of the following occurs:
They received a letter confirming that their home or business will
have a new service line installed; (No letters have been sent
since June 11, 2005) or
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They are contacted by a company employee or an authorized
contractor working for the company about 48 hours prior to work
beginning at their address; or
A door hanger or a small lawn sign, which is a bright yellow card
attached to a stake in the ground, is left on their property.
What if a customer's service line is not replaced but their
neighbor's was? A customer's service line may be skipped for two
reasons: 1) We are still investigating whether the service line at
that address requires replacement, in which case it will be replaced
if determined to be in scope, or 2) we will not replace the service
line at that address because we have determined it to be out of scope
(e.g., a common reason would be where we have already replaced the
service line since 1983).
PROJECT
When will we be in each community? A replacement schedule is
available at www.CenterPointEnergy.com/SrvcReplace. In addition to
the ongoing work in Buffalo, crews began replacing service lines in
11 other communities in early June. Other communities will come on
line throughout the summer and fall.
How did we determine the project schedule? We used the age of
existing service lines to prioritize replacement of the oldest
equipment first. We also grouped communities by geographic proximity
to promote efficient replacements. We remain committed to completing
this work before year-end.
Is it safe for customers whose lines not be replaced immediately?
Serious incidents involving natural gas are very rare. We
continuously monitor and conduct leak surveys in our system to ensure
it is safe. We have identified a potential problem and are committed
to removing improperly installed couplings from service to ensure
safe and reliable gas service to your home. As always, if you smell
gas, leave immediately, go to a safe location and call Centerpoint
Energy at 612-372-5050 or 1-800-722-9326, or call 911.
A customer has an event at their home on a specific date this summer.
Can we either wait to do the work until after the party is over, or
complete the work before it happens? We will try to work with
customers to find a solution that meets everyone's needs, with safety
as our first priority.
How long will each replacement take? Does the customer need to be
home while we're there?
Approximately two to four hours. A customer does not need to be home
while the work is being done, but they do need to be home to allow us
to relight appliances after the work is completed. We will leave
behind information on how to contact us to get their service restored
and appliances re-lit. We will restore service shortly after a
customer calls us.
What is involved in replacing a service line? Are we going to dig up
yards and ruin landscaping?
Service lines will be replaced from the meter to the street. We will
need to dig a hole at the meter and in or near the street where the
main line is located. We will then disconnect the old service line
and leave it in place -- a standard and safe practice. The new
service line will be installed in a manner that is minimally
intrusive, and we will use the least disruptive process when possible
to replace a service line.
Before we dig on a customer's property, we will ask the customer to
mark their own underground facilities -- sprinkler systems, invisible
dog fences and septic systems. A customer should draw these
locations on paper (provided with the small lawn sign) and place them
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near each facility. A customer may also contact the company at
1-800-595-8171 or discuss the locations with crews when they arrive.
How will we restore a customer's property? After the service line is
replaced, a restoration crew will return typically within a week to
restore the customer's property. After our authorized restoration
contractor repairs the area, we will need the customer's help caring
for the new grass. The customer will be given instructions on a card
staked next to the area, asking them to water the grass daily until
it takes root and then refrain from mowing the grass until it is 5
inches high. Contact phone numbers and a ruler will be provided on
that card.
Are our rate payers going to end up paying higher rates as a result
of the replacement project?
Right now we are focused on getting this project done before
year-end. We will consider recovering these costs from our customers
in the future. The costs are being incurred to ensure the safety and
reliability of our system, and it is standard practice to recover
them through utility rates.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Is there anything customers and the public should be doing to make
sure they are safe? As always, we'd like to remind you that there
are two important ways you can help maintain the safety and integrity
of our natural gas distribution system:
If you smell gas:
Leave immediately. Do not use electrical
anything that could cause a spark. Do not
permission by the utility or public safety
Go immediately to a safe location and call
Emergency Gas/Leak Hotline: (612) 372-5050
911
Alert your neighbors.
leak.
Leave all repairs to trained utility technicians.
repair a leak yourself.
If you plan to dig or excavate:
Call ahead to Gopher State One Call (651) 454-0002 (metro area) or
(800) 252-1166 (greater Minnesota) to have the location of
underground utilities marked.
switches, your phone, or
return until given
officials.
the Centerpoint Energy
or 1-(800) 722-9326 or
Do not assume anyone else has reported the
Never try to
Company Contact Information:
Project Information: 1-800-595-8171
Mon.-Fri., 9 am-7 pm
Appliance Re-Lighting: 612-333-6466
24 hours
Project Web Site: www.CenterPointEnergy.com/SrvcReplace
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