This month is Natural Gas Appreciation Month, a month that celebrates the power of this important resource. On March 18th, Natural Gas Utility Workers are also recognized for their hard work and accomplishments.
“March 18th was selected for Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day because this is the date of the New London, Texas school explosion in 1937 that led to the widespread odorization of natural gas and an increased emphasis on safety,” said Natural Gas Superintendent Chuck Whitaker. “Natural gas is actually odorless. After this tragedy, it became standard practice to add a sulfur compound with a distinctive rotten egg smell to the gas before distribution. That’s why if you smell this odor and are a natural gas user, you should immediately leave the area and call 911.”
According to the Municipal Gas Authority of Georgia, more than half of all homes in the United States use natural gas – almost 62 million families. Locally, City of Thomasville Utilities services about 2,659 residential customers monthly. Twelve industrial and 464 commercial customers also receive natural gas each month from the City of Thomasville.
“Our commercial and industrial customers are very important and account for about 85 percent of our load,” said Whitaker. “During 2017, our gas consumption was 4,123,120 ccf, which we deliver across 161.5 miles of natural gas distribution.”
Whitaker said that there are many benefits of using natural gas. “Natural gas is very dependable and outages are rare because the system is mostly underground,” he said. “Many people also prefer cooking on natural gas because it provides for a more even cooking temperature than what can be experienced using electric cooktops.”
Natural gas is also very efficient, achieving 92 percent energy efficiency. “Natural gas is a very efficient source for water and space heating,” said Whitaker. “The City of Thomasville offers an on-bill financing program that can help our customers take advantage of the efficiency of natural gas system by providing assistance with replacing or installing some appliances.”
While the City of Thomasville is proud to supply natural gas to its customers, Whitaker said that it wouldn’t be possible without the strong commitment to service displayed by his staff. “Our organization is committed to providing exceptional service while exceeding the expectations of our customers,” said Whitaker. “Our Natural Gas Department staff takes this very seriously. We pride ourselves on safely delivering a quality service to our community.”
For more information about On-Bill Financing or about natural gas services offered by the City of Thomasville, please visit Thomasville.org or call 227-7001.