Black Hills Energy relied on an AGA framework to restore service during freezing temperatures
There’s no good time for a service outage, and the holidays are an especially challenging time to feel like Scrooge has paid a visit. But that’s just what happened when, on the evening of Dec. 26, Black Hills Energy and police in Aspen, Colorado, began receiving information that there was a problem at several natural gas stations across the city.
By the next day, 3,500 customers had lost service in the wake of vandalism to Black Hills Energy’s system, the utility reported.
With temperatures rapidly dropping, Black Hills Energy began to implement its emergency procedures to help ensure they can meet the needs of their customers.
The utility distributed 400 space heaters purchased from Xcel Energy and issued a call for help from surrounding utilities and from their crews in other states, using the framework from the American Gas Association’s Mutual Assistance Program, part of the detailed level of emergency preparedness natural gas utilities put in place to ensure they can meet the needs of their customers.
Technicians—more than 200 of them in all—stepped up from as far away as Nebraska and Iowa.
“This is a prime example of how our natural gas utilities work together to keep our customers and communities safe,” AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert told American Gas. “This shows just how committed the men and women in the industry are and the heroic work they do each and every day to help customers secure the energy they need and want.”
While it was not activated for this incident, AGA leads the national Mutual Assistance Program, a voluntary, no-fee mutual aid program for member companies across the U.S., including municipal utilities. The program was set up to ensure that companies get the assistance they need when they need it. The purpose of the AGA program is to supplement local, state and regional mutual assistance programs in the event of a significant emergency situation or natural disaster. Participation in the AGA Mutual Assistance Program enhances emergency planning and boosts response efforts in times of need.