Grand Prairie opens warming center for residents dealing with low natural gas pressure from Atmos Energy

The city's Grand Peninsula and Westchester area near Fire Station 9 is experiencing very low natural gas pressure due to extreme cold weather.  Atmos Energy had assured city officials after the 2021 arctic blast that homes would not be without natural gas and had completed one of three improvements projects (the remaining two to be completed Feb 2023) to avoid what we are currently experiencing.  Atmos has deployed tankers that are currently injecting gas into the lines, but the network has not yet recovered. 

If you experience an outage:

If you experience an outage of natural gas, for example, you no longer have hot water because the pressure dropped too low and your hot water heater turned itself off, or your home's air conditioner stopped working for the same reason, call Atmos at 866.332.8667 to report it.  If your hot water heater turns off because of a lack of pressure, the pilot may have to be re-lit when pressure is restored.

Warming Center

The Public Safety Building, 1525 Arkansas Lane, is open 24/7 and available to anyone who needs a place to warm up now through Dec. 25.

What to do to conserve energy:

Atmos Energy reminds everyone that if you smell natural gas or suspect a leak, to leave the area immediately and from a safe distance, call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency number at 866-322-8667.  Atmos Energy is urging residents in Grand Prairie to conserve natural gas usage during these extreme winter temperatures to help maintain gas service:

• Do not use your natural gas fireplace.

• Lower your thermostat to at least 68 degrees. Consider wearing additional layers of clothing and turning down the thermostat even lower.

• Businesses should minimize energy usage as much as possible.

• Lower the water heater temperature to 120 degrees because it can account for as much as 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home.

• Unplug electronic devices and turn off lights that are not in use. By conserving electricity, you are also helping to conserve natural gas, which keeps the power on.

• Reduce shower time and avoid baths. Showering accounts for about 40 percent of your home’s hot water use.

• Refrain from using large appliances like your washer, dryer, oven, and dishwasher for the next few days. When in use, limit opening the oven door to prevent wasted energy.

• If you have a pool, do not use the pool heater. Instead, run your pool pump during the coldest part of the day to circulate the water and prevent freezing.

Visit: https://www.atmosenergy.com/safety/conservation-alert-customers for more information.

Electricity Outages

Electricity outages have also been reported throughout the city. 

To report an outage, text OUT to 66267, use the MyOncor app or select “Report an Outage” located above the map. You may also call 888-313-4747 to report your outage. Oncor crews are responding and working around the clock to restore outages within North Texas.