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CenterPoint Energy’s Community Impact 2009
The more than 1,300 employees who work at CenterPoint Energy recognize that respect for the communities in which we operate is a core value upon which the company has operated for more than 135 years. We serve more than 800,000 customers in Minnesota. In 2009, employees and retirees volunteered 15,123 hours in communities all across Minnesota. Community • The company and employees contributed more than $260,500 to the Greater Twin Cities and Greater Mankato United Way offices. • Volunteers worked with Tree Trust at Jefferson Elementary School in Minneapolis to plant 26 trees and shrubs and four benches. The forestry program provides training and technical assistance for schools, individuals and organizations on the uses, care and benefits of community trees in an urban natural environment. • Employees rolled up their sleeves and donated more than 140 units of blood for Memorial Blood Centers. • Employees play a leadership role through membership in nearly 90 chambers of commerce. Energy Assistance • Thanks to the partnership between Salvation Army, CenterPoint Energy and our customers, thousands of Minnesotans struggling to pay their heating bills were helped through the Salvation Army HeatShare Program. In 2009, customers donated approximately $450,000 toward the program to support others in need. • For a second year, Home Service Plus® technicians and others donated time to perform free 15-point furnace tune-ups, safety checks and emergency repairs for qualified low-income customers. • CenterPoint Energy distributed energy assistance messages to nearly 1,500 area churches and food shelves. Safety • The company awarded 69 cities in its service area Community Partnership Grants totaling $124,700 to assist in purchasing safety equipment for police and fire departments. • A new K-12 natural gas safety education program was launched to nearly 1,000 area schools, which includes a web site designed to increase awareness of natural gas safety for students of all ages. The site contains energy conservation information, lesson plans, resources and education links for teachers, and games and activities for students. Visit CenterPoint EnergyUnderground.com. • More than 28,000 customers attended Fire Department Open Houses during Fire Prevention Week where employees answered questions about carbon monoxide, what to do if you smell gas and other natural gas safety tips. Retired volunteers measured, cut and fused plastic natural gas service lines to create more than 6,000 circle hoop toys that were used to help educate visitors about natural gas safety. • Employees took time to meet an estimated 15,000 customers and share natural gas safety tips during National Night Out in August at more than 100 block parties and community events in 42 communities. 2009 Awards: • Safety: Wellness by Design Gold Award, Hennepin County • Environment: Natural Gas STAR program 10-year Award, Environmental Protection Agency • Workplace: Family Friendly Workplace Award, Brain Klinefelter Foundation • Community: Platinum Circle Award from the March of Dimes for fundraising campaign, Minnesota Chapter “Best Labor Management Partnership Campaign in 2009” Award, The Greater Twin Cities United Way
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Help keep your community safe around natural gas Call 651-454-0002 (1-800-252-1166) or 811 before you dig!
Warmer weather finds homeowners thinking about landscaping and yard projects. It also means heavy construction season. CenterPoint Energy, like many city governments, reminds the public to call Gopher State One Call to have their utility, telecommunications and other underground main and service lines marked prior to digging. “One Call services are free and required by law,” said Bryan Bruley, director of CenterPoint Energy’s Regional Operations. “The program helps callers stay safe around underground utilities and helps everyone avoid the inconvenience of service disruption or costly repairs.”
Prevent possible gas line damage when cleaning out clogged or blocked sewer lines Company shares safety steps with contractors and public. CThe use of “trenchless technology” to install utility services of all types is often used to minimize the disruption to yards and roadways that would otherwise occur when digging. However, on rare occasion construction may result in the unintended installation of a gas line through a sewer line. CenterPoint Energy is committed to working with contractors and customers to prevent possible gas line damage when cleaning out clogged or blocked sewer lines. Information outlining the steps that should be taken prior to cleaning a blocked line was recently sent to all plumbing and sewer cleaning contractors in CenterPoint Energy’s service area. Recommended steps include: • Examine clogs that form near the point where the gas line crosses the sewer lateral closely. • Use the local One Call number 811 to request that the facilities be located for “sewer cleaning.” The request will be expedited with facilities being located as soon as practical. • Use camera devices to see the blockage to ensure it is not a gas line. • If further assistance is needed after utilities have been located, contact CenterPoint Energy through the dedicated contractor phone numbers set up to assist them on a 24/7 basis: Call 612-321-5200 Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. After 4:30 p.m. and weekends, call 612-321-5307. In addition, to communicating to contractors, information was also included in all customer gas bills. CenterPoint Energy is committed to working closely with customers and contractors in an effort to minimize the possibility of a broken gas line.;
Safety inspections of inside natural gas meters and piping continues CenterPoint Energy continues to conduct routine safety inspections in communities where customers have meters located inside their homes and businesses. The inspections are to help ensure safe natural gas delivery to residents, which is our highest priority. Federal regulations require us to routinely check for atmospheric corrosion on natural gas meters and pipes located inside customer homes and businesses. CenterPoint Energy will inspect 50,000 meters annually in homes and businesses throughout our service area. Safety inspections are free, completed within 15 minutes and offered Monday through Saturday. If you wish to read the federal regulation mandating these inspections, you may visit http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2006/octqtr/49cfr192.481.htm Inspections are performed by CenterPoint Energy employees and authorized contractors. Inspectors will examine inside natural gas piping and meters and perform natural gas leak checks. If serious problems with CenterPoint Energy’s equipment are discovered, we will make required repairs that day if necessary or schedule an appointment to make repairs that do not need immediate attention. If you have any questions about the safety inspections, please leave a message at 612-399-1448.
Gas lines and outside meters to be checked for leaks Beginning in April, CenterPoint Energy started conducting annual leak surveys of our gas service lines and outside meters as a precautionary measure. CenterPoint employees will be walking the service line routes to detect possible leaks to ensure public safety and the integrity of our distribution system. Technicians will be wearing CenterPoint Energy vests, hats and will have company photo identification. While performing the survey, employees will be required to walk along our gas service lines from the street to homes, parks and other right-of-ways. If you have questions, please contact Tom Birkholm at 612-321-5591. If at any time you smell gas, please leave your home or business immediately--then call the CenterPoint Energy Emergency number 1-800-296-9815.
We asked and you responded: Community leader survey results
Late last year we asked you and nearly 1,400 other community leaders in Minnesota for your opinion on how well CenterPoint Energy is meeting the needs and expectations of your communities. Now that the results are in, we’d like to thank you for the outstanding 97 percent response rate and we want to share the results. CenterPoint Energy received the highest satisfaction from cities in the following areas: • Operating a safe and reliable system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99% • Being easy to do business with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91% • Satisfaction with construction and restoration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88% In contrast, there are also areas where community leaders expressed some concerns: • Cities know who to contact to resolve issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . .76% • Calls and e-mails being returned promptly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68% • Support of community sponsored events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59% Your comments are helping us focus internal goals and process improvement efforts. Thank you again for responding to the questionnaire.
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