Atlanta Gas Light Temporarily Suspends Field Operations
ATLANTA – Sept. 11, 2017 – Atlanta Gas Light continues to implement our comprehensive emergency response plan. Due to the severity of weather conditions from Hurricane Irma, Atlanta Gas Light began temporarily suspending field response to leak and emergency calls in Southeast Georgia (Jesup, Brunswick, Savannah, Vidalia, Valdosta, and Waycross) Sunday at 4 p.m. We will log all leak and emergency calls received during this time and respond as soon as it is safe to do so.
Please continue to report any smell of gas or other gas related emergencies, call 911 then our 24-hour emergency response number at 1-877-427-4321.
Please note across all of Georgia non-emergency customer appointments scheduled for Monday through Friday (Sept. 11-15) of this week will need to be rescheduled.
The safety of the community and our employees is our highest priority. Atlanta Gas Light is reminding customers to remain safe during the severe weather events and is providing the following guidelines associated with natural gas safety:
Appliance Safety Before and After the Storm
- Customers are advised to leave their natural gas service operational during a hurricane or severe storm. Most modern gas appliances have safety valves that shut off the flow of natural gas automatically with a loss of gas pressure or flooding of the appliances.
- Leaving the appliance operational could prevent further damage of water getting into the customer’s fuel line or appliance control valves.
- Electronic ignition appliances will not come on when the power source has been impacted.
- Lowering the temperature on the central heat at the thermostat and turning the water heater to its lowest hot water setting would be the best option.
- If you are uncomfortable leaving your appliances operational, contact a trained professional (certified plumber or HVAC rep) to shut off your appliances at the cutoff valves. When it is safe to do so, have them return to turn the valves back on, leak test the line, and turn on and test the appliance for safe operation.
- If flooding occurs at a residence or business and the gas appliances are under water, customers are advised not to operate their appliances until a safety inspection is conducted by a certified plumber or HVAC representative.
Detecting Gas Leaks
- If customers smell the rotten egg odor that is often associated with natural gas, they should immediately leave the affected area and call 911 then the 24-hour emergency response line at 1-877-427-4321 from a safe location.
- Residents should never try to identify the source of a leak themselves.
- If the odor of gas is present, do not use a telephone or cellular phone, turn light switches on or off, operate any appliance or do anything that might cause a spark, such as lighting a match.
About Atlanta Gas Light
Atlanta Gas Light is one of seven natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Atlanta Gas Light provides natural gas delivery service to more than 1.6 million customers in Georgia. In operation since 1856, the company is one of the oldest corporations in the state. For more information, visit atlantagaslight.com.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.6 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in seven states and more than 1 million retail customers through its companies that market natural gas and related home services. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit Southern Company Gas at southerncompanygas.com.
Media Contact:
Mekka Parish
o: 404.584.4165 | c: 404.387.8067 | msparish@southernco.com
