Amid sub-freezing temperatures, more than a million Ve Energies customers across Wisconsin are being asked to conserve natural gas due to a pipeline failure
Ve Energies asked its customers to immediately turn their thermostats to 62 degrees or lower Friday night to prevent widespread service outages.
Guardian Pipeline notified customers Friday that it has restricted the northbound flow of gas on one of its interstate pipelines due to unscheduled maintenance at a compressor station in Illinois.
Ve Energies spokesman Brendan Conway said the Guardian had cut its gas supply by 30%.
Conway said the company is drawing from LPG and propane storage and has cut gas supplies to business customers whose contracts allow for service interruptions. But due to the extreme cold affecting most of the country, this company is unable to get gas from other pipeline suppliers.
A spokesman for the pipeline company said one of the two valves that were not working had been restored as of Friday night and crews were working on the other to restore capacity “in time.”
Ve Energies said it would reassess the situation and update customers on Saturday. No update since 6am Saturday.
In addition to turning off the thermostat, the company asked residents to avoid using secondary gas heaters, ovens, stoves and clothes dryers.
The National Weather Service forecast lows of zero to 14 below across Wisconsin Friday night and highs mostly in the single digits, with much of the state under a wind chill advisory.
Winter Survival Tips
With temperatures dipping below freezing and cold temperatures falling well below that, emergency officials are urging residents to stay safe. The combination of snow and freezing temperatures also makes the trip particularly treacherous. Here are some tips for weathering the storm.
• If possible, stay indoors. Limit outdoor time for pets.
• If you must go out, dress in a few loose-fitting layers. Wear a hat, gloves and snow boots. Use a scarf to cover your mouth and face.
• Know the signs and symptoms of hypothermia, including shivering, exhaustion, confusion, and slurred speech.
• Know the signs and symptoms of frostbite, including redness or pain anywhere on the skin.
• Check on friends, family and neighbors. The people most likely to be injured from the cold are older adults, infants, people who spend a lot of time outside, such as the homeless and hunters, and people who drink alcohol or use drugs.
• Prepare emergency kits for your home and vehicle that include blankets, snacks and water, medicine and other essentials. Keep the gas tank at least half full. Go to readivisconsin.vi.gov/make-a-kit for tips on how to prepare emergency kits.
• Check for snow blocking the vents of outdoor furnaces and hot water heaters, which could cause dangerous levels of carbon monoxide to build up in the home.
If your power goes out:
• Close unused spaces and limit the number of exterior door openings.
• Open cabinets to prevent pipes from freezing; in case of a longer outage, leave the faucet partially open to allow the water to move.
• Never use an unvented stove, oven, grill, or space heater to stay warm, and don’t run portable generators indoors because these devices release carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that can be fatal.
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