Brief gas shutoffs possible in Mansfield as Columbia Gas replaces some pipes
Columbia Gas of Ohio crews have started replacing old gas lines in Mansfield with newer, state-of-the art plastic pipe.
Work started on both the Chevy Chase and Purdy projects earlier this month, the company recently announced.
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Customers may experience brief gas shutoffs over the course of the next five months.
The Chevy Chase Road project is taking place in the area just west of the Mansfield YMCA, and is bounded by Edgewood Road, Woodland Road, Andover Road and Lexington Avenue.
Crews will install nearly 9,000 feet of new pipe in the area which will serve 165 homes.
Across town on the east side, the Purdy Street project will take place in the area bounded by Ashland Road (U.S. 42), East 5th Street and the Norfolk-Southern railroad tracks.
Crews there will install nearly 3,000 feet of new pipe that will serve 20 properties.
New pipes are more durable
Columbia Gas and its contractor, Mid-Ohio Pipeline, are beginning the project by installing the new mainline and then will move on to service lines for individual properties.
Interior gas meters will be moved outside the building during the project.
The company says the new plastic pipe has several benefits, including enhanced safety features and the ability to bend to the earth's contour while expanding and contracting with shifting temperatures.
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Once installed, the modernized system will last longer and reduce the amount of future maintenance required.
The project requires only a short interruption to natural gas service. Columbia Gas crews or contractors will contact affected customers to schedule appointments for the brief shutoff and relight.
All employees and contractors carry identification cards with their name and photograph and must show them upon request.
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In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, crews are also following strict recommendations from the CDC to help keep everyone safe.
There is no additional cost to customers and Columbia Gas will restore all affected property.
Both projects are slated to be finished by summer.
'Addressing climate change'
Columbia's parent company, NiSource Inc., announced this week in its annual climate report that it was working to further reduce emissions in hopes of "a sustainable and resilient energy future that is supportive of a just transition for all stakeholders."
The company's goal is to be 100% coal-free by rebalancing its energy mix by 2028, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2030, reducing methane emissions from main and service lines by 50% by 2025, adding 3,300 megawatts of renewable energy by 2023, and reducing water withdrawals 99% by 2030.
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The company's vision is to provide universal access to clean, affordable energy to customers, according to NiSource president and CEO Joe Hamrock.
"NiSource is committed to being a partner in addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through smart innovation, new and modernized infrastructure and advanced technologies that maintain reliable, resilient and affordable energy service choices for our customers," Hamrock said. "People must be at the center of any effort aimed at shifting to a greener, more sustainable energy supply, which is a central focus of the 2021 NiSource Climate Report and a core principle that guides our shared path forward."
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Brief gas shutoffs possible as Columbia Gas replaces some pipes
