AOG Responds to Natural Gas Outages Caused by Increased Demand During Winter Storm

Due to extreme weather conditions and upstream supply constraints, Arkansas Oklahoma Gas (AOG) crews are responding to natural gas outages.

2/16/2021

In the event that your home or area is affected by the outages, please follow these tips on how to keep warm during a winter power outage:

• Keep doors and windows closed. Staying indoors is your best bet at staying safe during a winter power outage. Close dampers on unused fireplaces and keep garage doors closed to prevent warm air from escaping. Insulate around window and doors to prevent air leaks and keep warm air inside – even a towel along the bottom of an exterior door can help keep out the cold.
• Soak up the sun by opening curtains on your south-facing windows during the day and let the sunlight heat your home. Then, close them at night to reduce the incoming cold from any drafty windows
• Stay warm by layering your clothes. Put on a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs and put on mittens (they’re better than gloves). Huddle under extra blankets.
• Keep your food and water supply safe. Don’t open your refrigerator or freezer unless necessary. Food can stay frozen 24-36 hours.
• Preserve your phone battery and conserve power if you still have it. Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid a damaging power surge when the power comes on.
• Take stock of the essentials. In case the power outage lasts a few days, keep the following items on hand: extra food, water, a flashlight, extra batteries, extra medicine, and first-aid supplies.
• Keep your pets warm. Don’t leave pets outside when it gets cold, consider wrapping them up in a sweater or coat.
• Generators, camp stoves or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from any window or door.
• If you use candles to light the room, never leave them unattended and keep them away from pets and children.

Here are tips to stay safe at home:

• Never use an oven or a gas stovetop to heat your home.
• Minimize the risk of frozen pipes. Leave faucets running at a trickle, leave cabinet doors open, and close all doors and windows to keep heat inside.
• Protect natural gas meters. Natural gas meters are weather-proof; however, to ensure that the meter keeps working smoothly, remove snow and ice from natural gas meters with a broom or brush. Never kick or chip snow and ice away with a hard object.

Consider taking these steps to reduce energy usage:

• Businesses and large utility consumers should minimize energy usage as much as possible.
• Keep your thermostat a few degrees lower than normal, as long as there are no health risks, and lower if you are away from home for more than a few hours. Avoid turning your thermostat up too high, too fast.
• Clear space around your registers so warm air can flow freely.
• Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F).
• Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential production processes.

AOG reminds customers to heed the guidance of local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area. Our Operations Teams are working around the clock to provide and restore service as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience during this historic weather event.