"No customer lost heat" - We Energies lifts gas conservation request

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Through a release at around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, We Energies discontinued the request that customers keep thermostats set between 60 - 62 degrees during a possible natural gas shortage.

According to the energy company, the amount of natural gas being delivered by interstate pipelines into Wisconsin is back to levels that should meet all customers’ needs. Therefore, We Energies is no longer urging customers to reduce their natural gas use.

We Energies says they made a conservation request of customers after the Guardian pipeline, which provides natural gas to the distribution network, experienced what was described as "a significant equipment failure," and which may have reduced the amount of fuel they committed to send by 30%.

In a release, We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said, "As a result of our customers’ support, no customer lost the ability to heat their home."

"We truly appreciate our customers’ understanding throughout this event," he added. 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- We Energies is urging customers to lower their thermostats immediately to 60 to 62 degrees, as the cold weather continues to push through the weekend.

This request comes after one of the pipeline suppliers that provides natural gas to We Energies experienced an equipment failure. This limits the amount of fuel they are sending We Energies.

Guardian Pipeline told CBS 58 it experienced two valve malfunctions at its Sycamore compressor station in Dekalb County, Illinois on Friday, causing reduced capacity in its system.

One valve is back in service. Work on the second is still underway.

"Our crews are focused on resolving the issue and restoring capacity in a timely manner," a spokesperson for Guardian Pipeline said in a statement.

The pipeline that failed is one of multiple sources We Energies uses to receive natural gas.

We Energies tells us that this has not happened before.

According to We Energies, customers should do the following:

• Set thermostats between 60 to 62 degrees. Add layers or blankets to keep warm when lowering a thermostat’s temperature.
• Close blinds or drapes at night and avoid opening doors to retain heat. Open blinds during the day to let in heat from the sun.
• Avoid using secondary natural gas heating sources, such as natural gas fireplaces.
• Use natural gas ranges sparingly. Prepare food with slow cookers or microwaves.

They expect this outage to go through the rest of today and will reassess tomorrow.