In The News

PGW Reminds Customers to Know What’s Below Before Digging

PGW marks Safe Digging Month with a reminder to call 811 ahead of any excavation project

PHILADELPHIA (April 6, 2022) – During National Safe Digging Month this April, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds contractors and residents to call 811, or visit pa1call.org, before underground excavation (digging) or any building demolition work, regardless of a project’s size. Calling 811, Pennsylvania’s “One Call” system, alerts PGW and other utilities to identify and mark their service or distribution lines near the proposed worksites to prevent injuries, property damage, and inconvenient and costly utility outages.

Pennsylvania residents and contractors are legally required to call the Pennsylvania One Call System three to 10 business days prior to beginning an underground excavation project. Creating even a minor trench or hole can lead to significant problems if mishandled before breaking ground. The 811 service is free to any homeowner and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Working in coordination with Pennsylvania 811, PGW safely addressed 80,429 One Call tickets in 2021 to mark underground utility lines across Philadelphia.

It is vital to call 811 ahead of a project because:
 

• Nearly 40 percent of homeowners planning to dig will put utility lines at risk by not calling 811. As a result, 11 million homeowners will risk unintentionally damaging buried utility lines, causing disruption or harm to themselves and their communities – that was avoidable;
• Less than half of Americans are aware they are legally required to call 811 ahead of projects such as: installing a deck or patio, planting trees, bushes, or shrubs, or installing a mailbox; and
• according to 811, approximately 31 million homeowners plan to complete home improvement projects that involve digging this year.

PGW also encourages City residents to call 811 to report any contractor suspected of digging without a valid Pennsylvania One Call ticket, which alerts all facility owners of a possible safety concern. Job sites that do not have visible paint or flag markings should be reported to 811. Natural gas lines are identified and marked by yellow paint or flags. Yellow is specific to natural gas, steam, and petroleum pipelines. At any time, the smell of gas should be reported immediately to PGW’s emergency hotline at 215-235-1212.

This year, Pennsylvania 811 celebrates its 50^th anniversary. PGW congratulates Pennsylvania 811 on this milestone and its work to protect underground infrastructure.

For more information about safe digging practices, please visit, https://www.pgworks.com/safety-reliability/call-811-before-you-dig

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PGW Celebrates National Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day

PGW’s employees work 24/7 to deliver safe and reliable natural gas service across Philadelphia
 

PHILADELPHIA (March 17, 2022) – Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) will celebrate national Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day on Friday, March 18, 2022. The American Public Gas Association (APGA) established this day of recognition to honor utility employees across the nation who safely deliver natural gas in an environmentally responsible way.

PGW applauds natural gas utility workers and thanks the 1,600 PGW employees who embody safety as a core value when serving Philadelphia’s homes, businesses, and residents. PGW employees work year-round to maintain, improve, and monitor the City’s natural gas distribution system that serves more than 500,000 PGW customers.

Some of the many ways PGW employees deliver safe, reliable natural gas service include:

• Responding to gas odor reports from PGW’s 24/7 emergency hotline (215-235-1212) every day of the year in 60 minutes or less.
• Modernizing 6,000 miles of underground energy infrastructure to reach PGW’s 2050 goal of eliminating methane escape by 80 percent.
• Ensuring underground natural gas lines are accurately marked ahead of construction projects across the City to prevent damage to other utility service lines and keep residents safe.
• Providing customers with interactive real-time views of pipeline improvement upgrades in their neighborhoods.
• Directing PGW’s leak reduction program by tracking, monitoring, repairing, and reducing the number of leaks in the distribution system year over year.
• Helping Philadelphia residents save money, conserve energy, and improve home comfort through weatherization efforts. In just over 10 years, PGW has weatherized more than 25,000 low-income customers’ homes at no cost to the owner.
• Advancing a clean energy future by leading and facilitating programs such as the Energy Innovation Lab.

“PGW salutes our natural gas colleagues across the nation who work day and night, oftentimes in extreme conditions, to ensure customers have natural gas service when they need it,” said Seth Shapiro, President & CEO of PGW. “PGW employees understand that our friends, family, and neighbors across the City depend on us to deliver for them every day, and we take pride in serving the City of Philadelphia.”

PGW appreciates the support of its customers who prefer natural gas — an affordable, clean, and reliable energy source — to warm their homes and buildings, cook fresh meals, heat water, and power energy efficient appliances.

For more information about the benefits of natural gas, please visit www.pgworks.com.

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PGW’S Customer Responsibility Program Offers Immediate Financial Relief for Low-Income Customers

PGW encourages customers to apply for CRP online to lower home heating bills and eliminate debt

PHILADELPHIA (March 15, 2022) – Amid the rising price of gasoline, food, housing, and consumer goods, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) reminds low-income customers that financial assistance is available for their natural gas bills through PGW’s Customer Responsibility Program (CRP).

By logging onto pgworks.com/crp on a computer or smart device, customers can quickly and easily apply for CRP, which helps income-eligible households better afford their bills and offers forgiveness of past debt. Within days of completing the online process, eligible customers will be enrolled in CRP and receive benefits such as:

• Immediate, discounted billing.
• Fixed, affordable payment amounts based on gross household income.
• The opportunity to eliminate PGW past-due balances over time. 

“With the costs of living increasing almost daily, PGW encourages low-income customers to visit pgworks.com/crp now to determine their eligibility for our Customer Responsibility Program,” said Denise Adamucci, Vice President of Regulatory Compliance and Customer Programs at PGW. “Customers enrolled in CRP could pay as little as $25 a month and be protected from late fees.”

Households eligible for CRP must have income at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. CRP monthly bill amounts are based on the size of the customer’s household income. The CRP application period is open year-round, but PGW customers are encouraged to apply now to start saving today. 

In addition to CRP, PGW customers may apply for payment assistance through LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), a federal grant of up to $1,500 for homeowners and renters that does not have to be repaid. Customers who have received a 10-day shut-off notice can also apply for Crisis Assistance, a federal grant of up to $1,200 awarded to income-eligible customers. Applications for both programs must be completed by May 6, 2022.

To learn more, visit pgworks.com/customer-care/payment-assistance.

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