NASHVILLE, Mich. — Consumers Energy said late Wednesday night that crews will start going door-to-door in Barry County’s Hastings area Thursday morning to disconnect natural gas temporarily.
This comes after a high-pressure gas line leaked in nearby Nashville, Michigan.
Crews responded to a leak on a six-inch steel gas main under the Thornapple River Wednesday.
The leak caused a loss of pressure on the natural gas system that started affecting customers Wednesday night.
Crews will work overnight to create a temporary bypass to restore natural gas service before making permanent repairs.
It affects about 4,500 customers but the utility company hopes to restore service to most of them by the end of the weekend.
"There can be frustration. It's a hardship to be without natural gas, without heat, especially when it's not, you know, it's not summer weather yet. It still can be cold," Brian Wheeler with Consumers told FOX 17.
Impacted customers range from the west part of Nashville to Hastings. Outside of these Barry County areas, there is no impact on service.
Crews will temporarily disconnect homes and businesses from the natural gas system starting Thursday morning.
After that, natural gas will be reintroduced into the system.
Workers will then relight customers’ pilot lights and continue going door-to-door until they can restore natural gas service to everyone safely.
“Consumers Energy truly appreciates the patience of our customers during this unusual situation,” Consumers Energy’s Vice President of Natural Gas Operations Christopher Fultz said. “We are committed to our customers and understand that this will create a hardship. We are in contact with community leaders and our crews will be working around the clock to safely return full natural gas service to the entire community.”
Consumers added that there is no indication right now of what caused this natural gas leak; however, crews will investigate.
