In order for CenterPoint Energy to safely repair any damage and to remove water from the natural gas system if flooding has occurred, CenterPoint Energy may have to isolate the affected gas mains and shut off gas service to customers served by the system before repairs can be made to the damaged piping. Gas technicians will need to access each gas meter in the area to physically disconnect gas service. We will need to work with customers to gain access to meters.
The time it takes to restore gas service depends on the amount of damage to gas mains and the extent of any necessary repairs. After flooding, repairs are subject to water receding and the time it takes to pump all water and debris from gas pipes. Additionally, the restoration timeframe is influenced by how long it takes to access all affected customer properties and disconnect service to gas meters.
Once all meters have been disconnected and the gas mains are repaired and purged, CenterPoint Energy can begin the process of introducing gas back to the mains and restoring gas service to individual customers. This again requires a gas technician to access the meter to restore service and relight gas appliances. However, gas service cannot be restored if water has entered a customer’s piping and appliances. Customer-owned equipment such as piping and gas-fed appliances located on the customer’s side of the gas meter must be inspected and repaired by the customer’s licensed plumber before CenterPoint Energy can fully restore service.
