Community Chat

[MikafromTopeka]

http://www.waow.com/story/24550529/2014/01/26/xcel-asks-some-customers-to-cut-natural-gas-usage

Xcel Energy is asking customers in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin to reduce their natural gas usage because of a pipeline rupture in Canada.

The Minneapolis-based company is asking residential customers who use natural gas to heat their homes to turn their thermostats down to 60 and avoid using natural gas appliances. Businesses that use natural gas also are asked to conserve.

The company says in a statement that natural gas supplies are "adequate" at present but the impact of the pipeline rupture is still being evaluated.

Xcel says it is contacting local officials to ensure they are prepared should conditions change.

[scotttie]

OH NO! How terrible.

[madzonie]

Why did it rupture?

[madcity411]

Wow, do they know how it happened?

[MikafromTopeka]

Yea, and I just read a few hours ago to keep your thermostat set at least 68 to keep pipes from freezing.

[betteb]

On 1/26/2014 madzonie said: Why did it rupture?

I was trying to find that online. The reason may not have been released yet.

I can tell you that, from the reports of the sound and height of the flames, it was a large line, probably at least 24", probably larger.

I can also tell you that the line can leak, but it takes a spark for it to explode in to flames.

This mostly happens when someone digging with heavy equipment hits the line. I have witnessed a 12" line blowing gas. The roar is deafening.

[biancardi]

how horrible. The temps are really freezing in those areas.

[Lila Belle]

That is horrible.

Is anyone here being affected ?

[Yardlie]

Only Xcel Energy customers?? We don't have that, but I did in Minneapolis. Wouldn't you know that something like this would happen right in the beginning of a deep freeze?!

[MikafromTopeka]

On 1/27/2014 Brinklii said:

Only Xcel Energy customers?? We don't have that, but I did in Minneapolis. Wouldn't you know that something like this would happen right in the beginning of a deep freeze?!

Is Excel a utility company or a supplier to companies? We have Wisconsin Public Service but the article was on one of the Wausau news sites so I assumed Excel supplied WPS, no?