Michigan Gas Utilities (MGU) has visited all customers in Allegan County who lost service last week. Crews have restored service to more than 80% of customers and left information for the remaining customers who were not at home.
On Monday, utility crews are again going door to door to the remaining customers who were not available during the first visit.
We believe there are hundreds of homes that are summer homes or second homes where the customer may not be regularly available. In those cases we would ask the homeowner to work with a trusted neighbor to let our crews access the home to restore service and relight appliances.
MGU is keeping extra crews in the area this week to help restore service to the remaining customers as quickly and safely as possible.
The MGU pipeline lost natural gas service on April 9 when the natural gas transmission pipeline line that serves MGU was damaged.
The transmission pipeline operator, TC Energy, worked around the clock to repair the damage to their pipeline. The damage was caused by a third party unaffiliated with MGU or TC Energy.
Service was restored to the MGU pipeline on April 11. Utility crews have been working around the clock since the initial incident to safely secure the MGU distribution system and restore service to the 5,200 customers impacted.
We appreciate customers’ patience and all of the kind words and gestures from the community. From the thank you messages and hand waves to food and water drop offs, we are grateful.
What can I do to prepare for crews arriving?
For the safety of our crews, please lock any pets in a room our crews will not need to access. Please make sure crews have a clear path to access all natural gas appliances. Also, please put your thermostat in the off position.
Customers should verify their contact information is up to date on the MGU app or the My Account section of MGU’s website
What can I do if I am not at home when crews come to turn gas back on?
Crews will need access to the customer’s home or business. Anyone over the age of 18 with access to the home can provide access. If no one is able to provide access, crews will leave a tag on the door with a number to call and our crews will come back.
Why am I seeing other utility workers in my community?
Utility workers from across the Midwest are in in Allegan County to help address this situation. You may see workers from Consumers Energy, We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Minnesota Energy Resources, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. We appreciate these workers willingness to come and help.
What is the difference between a natural gas transmission pipeline and a natural gas distribution pipeline?
Think of the transmission pipeline as the interstate and the distribution line as a local road. Transmission pipelines carry natural gas across the country. Utilities like MGU receive natural gas from these transmission pipelines, and bring that natural gas to customers in smaller distribution pipelines.
Why did you turn off gas meters if you were just going to have to turn them back on?
We needed to turn off service to meters for safety. If we left the service to meters on, once natural gas starts flowing back into our system it could travel uncontrolled into customer’s homes and businesses, creating safety hazards. That is why, once natural gas is flowing, we go to each meter to turn it on and make sure natural gas appliances are working safely.