BINGHAMTON — With cold weather just around the corner, customers will be turning on furnaces and other appliances for the first time this season. NYSEG and RG&E urge the public to recognize the potential signs of a natural gas leak and review the following safety tips about what to do if a leak is suspected.
It’s important that customers know the warning signs to protect themselves, their families, homes and businesses. Knowing how to detect and respond to natural gas leaks can help protect both individuals and property.
A natural gas leak is usually recognized by smell, sight, or sound.
Smell: Natural gas is colorless and odorless. For safety, a distinctive sulfur-like odor, similar to rotten eggs, is added so that customers can recognize it quickly. If customers smell natural gas, they should immediately get up, get out and call for help from a safe location.
Sight: A white cloud, mist, fog, bubbles in standing water or blowing dust are also warning signs of a gas leak. Customers may also see vegetation that appears to be dead or dying for no apparent reason.
Sound: Customers may also hear unusual noise like roaring, hissing or whistling.
NYSEG and RG&E offer these tips on what customers should do if they suspect a natural gas leak:
• Get up, get out and get away. Then immediately call NYSEG at 1.800.572.1121, RG&E at 1-800-743-1702 or 911 from a safe location.
• Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances. These items may produce a spark that might ignite the natural gas and cause an explosion.
• Do not assume someone else will report the condition.
• Provide the exact location, including cross streets.
• Let company personnel know if sewer construction or digging activities are going on in the area.
NYSEG and RG&E are subsidiaries of AVANGRID, Inc.
Established in 1852, NYSEG operates approximately 35,000 miles of electric distribution lines and 4,500 miles of electric transmission lines across more than 40 percent of upstate New York. It also operates more than 8,150 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 20 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 894,000 electricity customers and 266,000 natural gas customers. For more information, visit www.nyseg.com.
Established in 1848, RG&E operates approximately 8,800 miles of electric distribution lines and 1,100 miles of electric transmission lines. It also operates approximately 10,600 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines and 105 miles of gas transmission pipelines. It serves approximately 378,500 electricity customers and 313,000 natural gas customers in a nine-county region in New York surrounding the City of Rochester. For more information, visit www.rge.com.
AVANGRID, Inc. aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $39 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people.
and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies – a list of America’s best corporate citizens – and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
