Crews’ progress

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, have been moving inside meters outside by appointment and replacing some natural gas service lines throughout CenterPoint Energy’s project in the Lynnhurst Neighborhood.

Most of the meter and service line work has been done on Fremont Avenue S. between 46th Street W. and 51st Street W. Although the crews have been working primarily on the following streets and blocks, they are continuing to work throughout the project’s routes as they coordinate with residents’ schedules:

• Aldrich Avenue S. between 47th Street W. and 50th Street W.
• Bryant Avenue S. between 48th Street W. and 49th Street W. and nearby blocks
• Colfax Avenue S. between 46th Street W. and 47th Street W.
• Emerson Avenue S. between 46th Street W. and 48th Street W.

Service line and meter work

As a reminder, here is what residents can expect: 

The customer will receive a CenterPoint Energy postcard in the mail explaining the project before the natural gas crews perform the work. The crews will have CenterPoint Energy-authorized photo IDs. After the customer receives the postcard, the technician will arrive at the customer’s house to schedule an appointment that typically meets with the customer’s schedule. If the customer isn’t home when they arrive, they will leave a door tag with their contact information to schedule an appointment with them.

One natural gas crew typically works on about one block per week. They will either fully replace the service line or reconnect it to the new main, depending on the line’s age. For most properties, the crews remove at least one sidewalk panel in front of the house, excavate a hole by the outside meter, and bore the service line from the sidewalk to the house.

For inside meters, the crew will make a two- to three-hour appointment at a time that works with the resident. We encourage customers to work with the crew on where they want the meter to go, keeping limitations in mind such as a minimum of three feet away from areas such as windows, doors, and vents. Customers with outside meters will be notified prior to the replacement or connection of the service lines to the new mains.

The technician will access the natural gas meter inside the house, move the meter outside, and relight the natural gas appliance pilot lights after the new meter has been relocated.

Contact information

Check out the project’s web page for more details and for updates on the crews’ progress. If you have questions, please contact our Communication Specialist at 612-321-5546 or hannah.gullickson@centerpointenergy.com. We thank you for your patience as we’re upgrading our infrastructure!