Due to high heating demand, we continue to ask our customers to help conserve natural gas through the end of the week by temporarily lowering your thermostat settings. Help do your part to ensure that all have gas service to stay warm.
As we deal with severe winter weather across our service areas, CenterPoint Energy is asking its residential and business customers to keep their outdoor natural gas meters clear of snow and ice in order to prevent a leak or service interruption.
Customers should also make sure any outside vents and air intakes for gas appliances are not blocked by snow or ice, because it can cause a potentially fatal indoor build-up of carbon monoxide. Pay particular attention to side-wall vents and air intakes for furnaces, water heaters and clothes dryers to make sure they are not partially or fully blocked.
Winter Safety Tips
CenterPoint Energy offers these important tips to protect your natural gas meter in the winter weather and ensure safe, reliable service:
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Don't pile snow on or near your natural gas meter. Maintain a clear path to your meter to allow access in an emergency.
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Use care when clearing snow on and around the meter. Carefully shovel around the meter and move snow away from it. Use a broom or brush to gently clear snow or ice from the top of the meter and piping.
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Never kick or hit your gas meter or its piping with a shovel, hammer or any hard object to break away built-up snow or ice.
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Remove large icicles hanging over meter assemblies and appliance vents.
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If you suspect a natural gas leak, leave the area immediately on foot and tell others to
do the same. When safely away, report the leak by calling 911 and the CenterPoint Energy emergency hotline at 888-876-5786.
Safety is our highest priority, so we continuously monitor weather conditions and our distribution network to prevent equipment failures, and to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas.
News Releases
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Feb. 19, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy asks homeowners and businesses to use care when clearing snow or ice near natural gas meters
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Feb. 19, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy provides update on severe winter weather restoration efforts
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Feb. 18, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy asks Oklahoma customers to continue conserving natural gas
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Feb. 18, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy asks Arkansas customers to continue conserving natural gas
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Feb. 18, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy provides update on severe winter weather restoration efforts
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Feb. 17, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy urges customers to conserve electricity and natural gas
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Feb. 17, 2021 -
Extreme weather and statewide power generation emergency continue to cause extended outages for CenterPoint Energy customers
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Feb. 16, 2021 -
Statewide power generation emergency expected to extend outages for CNP customers (Texas)
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Feb. 15, 2021 -
Statewide power generation emergency will cause longer outages (Texas)
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Feb. 15, 2021 -
Electric Reliability Council of Texas declares statewide power generation emergency (Texas)
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Feb. 14, 2021 -
CenterPoint Energy ramps up preparations for winter weather across eight-state service territory