Atmos Energy has finished construction for the year in Durango and does not plan to return until 2018.
The natural gas company replaced 30,000 feet of pipe in town this year, working in several areas. Construction delays frustrated some residents and businesses.
Workers wrapped up the projects by Dec. 1, said Jennifer Altieri, a spokeswoman for the company in an email.
In November, after two major gas outages, company officials met with the Durango City Council and promised to improve construction management.
During 2017, the company plans to work with city officials to plan more upgrades to the system.
This year, Atmos spent $9 million on system upgrades in Colorado, a news release said. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission allowed the company to increase rates in January to help pay for these upgrades.
“Approximately 75 percent of our time and resources were concentrated in Durango,” Altieri said.
In Durango, the company replaced bare steel pipes with polyethylene pipes, which are more durable and flexible beneath the surface, she said.
“The replacement projects in Durango were among the highest priority projects across Colorado,” she said.
The company decides whether pipes should be replaced based on age, material, pressure and operating history.
A handful of businesses have submitted claims to Atmos following the outages and the company is working with them to make sure they are properly filed, she said.
If anyone has outstanding issues, complaints or financial claims related to the outages, they can call the customer service line (888) 286-6700. The customer service center is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
