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Black Hills Energy working to restore service to Bennet, Nebraska
Black Hills Energy working to restore service to Bennet, Nebraska

Update: LINCOLN, Neb. — Sept. 15, 2020 —Black Hills Energy is restoring service to Bennet this evening after technicians were forced to shut down natural gas service earlier today after a natural gas main serving the town near Hackberry and Cottonwood Streets was damaged. 

Safety is our number one priority for our customers, the community and our team members. To safely facilitate repairs, technicians had to go door to door and turn off the approximately 300 gas meters in the town to ensure the safety of the community. After repairing the natural gas main serving the town and re-pressurizing the gas lines, technicians are now going door to door to relight pilot lights.

“We expect to fully restore service this evening as residents return home from work,”

“We expect to fully restore service this evening as residents return home from work,” said Andy Storf, senior operations manager for Black Hills Energy. “It is extremely important that customers do not attempt to re-light their own pilot lights on their water heaters, furnaces or other gas appliances.”

At locations where no one is home or the business is closed, a tag will be left on the door notifying the customer that the natural gas has been shut off and to call the company for it to be turned back on. Customers with question about restoring service should contact us at 1-888-890-5554.

Please remember the following safety tips:

  • Be alert for leaking natural gas. If you smell natural gas, leave the building or area immediately and tell others to leave too.
  • After you’re safely away from the area, call 911 and our emergency number at 800-694-8989. Never assume someone else has reported a natural gas leak. Alert your neighbors.
  • Do not turn on lights, ignite a flame, use a cell phone or use anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.
  • Never attempt to repair a natural gas leak, and do not attempt to turn natural gas valves on or off.

LINCOLN, Neb. — Sept. 15, 2020 — This afternoon, Black Hills Energy technicians were forced to shut down natural gas service to the town of Bennet after a third party damaged a natural gas main providing service to the town near the intersection of Hackberry and Cottonwood streets.

To safely facilitate repairs, technicians have begun going door to door and turning off the approximately 300 gas meters in the town to ensure the safety of the community. After making repairs to the damaged gas main and re-pressurizing the system, service will be restored to Bennet.

Black Hills Energy crews will then go door to door to relight pilot lights. At locations where no one is home or the business is closed, a tag will be left on the door notifying the customer that the natural gas has been shut off and to call the company for it to be turned back on.

It is extremely important that customers do not attempt to re-light their own pilot lights on their furnaces or water heaters. Customers with question about restoring service should contact us at 1-888-890-5554.