ONG Urges Energy Conservation to Avoid Outages

Oklahoma Natural Gas sent an email to customers Tuesday morning urging energy conservation to avoid widespread outages caused by extreme winter weather.

ONG's message to consumers is below:

The unprecedented cold weather has led to many questions about what we are doing to continue delivering gas safely to your home. Because your safety is our top priority, our employees are working around the clock to do everything they can to keep your service up and running.

But, we need your help to reduce the number of people who could potentially lose service during these extremely cold conditions.
 
Given the historic nature of this weather, it will take all of us to avoid a large outage situation. Below you will find answers that explain why there is such a great need for energy conservation and what steps we are taking to prevent any loss of service.  
 
Why has this weather caused so many problems?
Due to the unprecedented, historically low temperatures over an extended period, we are seeing much higher natural gas use coupled with supply issues. As of this morning, our suppliers of natural gas are experiencing freezing gas wells due to the duration of the extreme cold. This is impacting the amount of gas they are able to provide to us.
 
Are you experiencing natural gas outages?
At this time, we’ve been fortunate to have very few outages given the deteriorating weather conditions. However, with below freezing temperatures forecast through the end of the week, we are planning for shortages and putting measures in place to keep gas service to our customers and critical facilities. That’s why we are asking for your help.

What can I do to prevent an outage?
There are very small actions you can take that could result in big impacts as more people conserve. These tips include:

• Lowering your thermostat by a few degrees
• Adjusting the temperature on your water heater
• Sealing leaks around doors and windows using blankets or towels
• Change or clear the filter on your furnace
• Take a break from doing laundry or washing dishes for a few days
• Close blinds and curtains

How does conserving my energy usage help?
Conservation is critical right now to avoid any widespread outages. If an outage situation occurs, it will take an extended length of time to get your service restored. Once our system is operating again, we need to visit each home to check for leaks and re-establish gas service. This would lead to longer periods without service.
 
What should I do if I lose electricity?
During the electrical outage, we ask that you turn off your furnace. Once power comes back on, please wait 10 minutes, then restart your furnace. This will help our natural gas system adjust to the increase in usage and avoid any further disruptions.
 
Thank you in advance for conserving and helping us keep our community safe and warm. If we all do our part, it can help reduce the number of people who could lose their natural gas service in these extremely cold conditions.
 
If you have any questions about the information provided in this email, please connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or email us at media@oklahomanaturalgas.com. 
 
You can also stay updated on our efforts throughout this winter storm and find tips at OklahomaNatualGas.com/SevereCold.
 
As always, if you smell gas, leave the area immediately, then call 911 and call 800-458-4251. We will respond as quickly and as safely as conditions allow.