Natural gas construction projects

• New pipeline segments and system upgrades are needed to help maintain safety and reliability in order to provide natural gas to our customers who depend on it for cooking and heating.
• The new piping segments and upgrades are installed with the most current construction standards and requirements.

• You will see CenterPoint Energy and our contractors working on the pipeline in your neighborhood.
• Construction time will vary depending on the size of the property, weather delays and the specific construction requirements.
• Construction activities might include grading (land slope adjustment), breaking concrete, excavation of a trench, welding and installation of the pipe, backfilling of the trench with soil and final restoration of the disturbed area with topsoil and seed, or asphalt.

• Natural gas main: A distribution line that services as a common source of supply for at least one natural gas service line.
• Natural gas service lines: Service line means a distribution line that transports gas from a common source of supply to an individual customer, to two adjacent or adjoining residential or small commercial customers, or to multiple residential or small commercial customers serviced through a meter header or manifold. A service line ends at the outlet of the customer meter or at the connection to a customer’s piping, whichever is further downstream, or at the connection to customer piping if there is no meter. A customer meter is the meter that measures the transfer of gas from an operator to a consumer.
• Natural gas meters: An instrument for measuring and indicating or recording the volume of natural gas that passes through it. A gas meter is a device that measures the gas usage by the customer.
• Sewer lateral locating: A sewer lateral is customer piping that connects the property’s sewer to the city’s sanitary sewer system or private septic system.
• Restoration​: Construction activity that returns property to former condition, whether it is the road or yard, at the completion of a construction project or as weather permits.
  

To support safety and reliability for our customers, CenterPoint crews are installing a 12-mile mainline within CenterPoint’s existing property and connecting the new line into the company’s existing natural gas distribution system in the Southwest Houston area. This important work will help increase capacity to support customer growth and harden CenterPoint’s natural gas infrastructure.

What Can You Expect?

• Crews working Monday to Saturday, mostly during daylight hours
  (If necessary, work might be conducted on Sundays or during evening hours.)
• Traffic control signs and partial road closures
• Specialized trucks and equipment
• Environmental and safety protections in place
• Door hangers to notify customers before construction work begins in the area

CenterPoint employees and contractors will carry identification badges and show them upon request.

When and Where This Work Will Take Place

The Southwest Houston natural gas project is being completed in multiple phases:

• The first phase was completed in fall 2024.
• The second phase was completed in winter 2025.
• The third phase will begin in Spring 2026 and will continue through 2027, with work taking place on CenterPoint’s property starting near 5th St. and Present St. in the Stafford area.

Construction activities will include matting to protect the native vegetation in the area, boring under roads and waterways and excavation to install the new sections of mainline. CenterPoint construction project timelines are estimates and subject to change based on weather delays and other construction factors.

Questions or Feedback?​
CenterPoint is working closely with local homeowners’ associations, elected officials and community leaders in the area. We are committed to keeping customers informed about these important reliability upgrades. We have a dedicated contact available if you have questions or feedback on this work:

Eric Winkelmann
832-851-9404
Eric.Winkelmann@CenterPointEnergy.com