HOUSTON, Sept. 13, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CenterPoint Energy would like to remind the public of important natural gas safety tips following Hurricane Ike:
* When you return to your home or business, be alert for the smell of natural gas. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and tell others to leave too. * Do not turn the lights on or off, smoke, strike a match, use a cell phone or operate anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator. * Do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off. Once safely away from the area, call 888-876-5786, and CenterPoint Energy will send a trained service technician immediately. * If your home was flooded, call a licensed plumber or gas appliance technician to inspect your appliances and gas piping to make sure they are in good operating condition before calling CenterPoint Energy to reconnect service. This includes outdoor gas appliances including pool heaters, gas grills and gas lights. * Call 811, the nationwide Call Before You Dig number, to locate underground natural gas lines and other underground utility lines before digging on property or conducting debris clean-up. * Customers should know where their natural gas meter is located. As debris is put out for heavy trash pick up, make sure it is placed away from the meter. In many areas the meter may be located near the curb and trash collectors use mechanized equipment to pick up heavy debris. If debris is near a gas meter, the equipment could pull up the meter damaging it and causing a potentially hazardous situation. If this does happen, leave the area immediately and call CenterPoint Energy at 888-876-5786.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total over $18 billion. With about 8,600 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.
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