A malfunctioning valve during routine maintenance caused the loss of natural gas to 1,500 customers in the area east of Fort Lewis College, Brian Martens, public affairs manager for Atmos Energy, said Wednesday night.
Atmos was in the process of shutting off all the gas meters in the Skyridge and Hillcrest subdivisions and along parts of Goeglein Gulch Road, Martens said via cellphone at 9 p.m.
“Crews will be working all night to make sure they’re shut off,” he said. “We’ve notified (the dispatch center) that we’ll be out in those neighborhoods.”
Atmos crews are coming from “different parts of Colorado tonight” to assist local crews today in relighting all the 1,500 customers’ gas meters that must be shut down, said the Greeley-based Martens, who was in a convoy of Atmos workers coming to Durango from northern Colorado.
The malfunction occurred at about 6 p.m. Wednesday as Atmos crews performed routine maintenance. Gas pressure was lost in the system to those three areas.
“The system is secured and safe,” Martens said. “The valve has been fixed.”
After all the meters are shut off, gas pressure must be returned to the system before the individual homes’ meters can be relit, Martens said.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused our customers,” Martens said. “We’ll be working diligently to get all our customers back in service in those three areas.”
The National Weather Service forecast an overnight low of 30 degrees.
“We hope people will keep their houses closed down,” Martens said Wednesday night, “and do everything they can to stay as warm as possible. Add another blanket to the bed, or do whatever it takes.”
Staff Writer Ann Butler contributed to this report.
johnp@durangoherald.com
