Gas Restoration Nears for Impacted Towns

New Jersey Natural Gas continues to work towards service restoration in Hurricane Sandy-ravaged towns along the shore and believes complete restoration could come by the end of the month, if not earlier.

In its daily update, the gas utility said mainland customers have all been restored and that on the barrier island a total of 5,285 feet of damaged gas pipes between Bay Head and Seaside have been replaced. So far, NJNG has been able to reintroduce natural gas in both the Mantoloking and Brick sections of the barrier island.

The ultility is now in the process of installing new meters between the areas of Downer Avenue in Mantoloking and Dune Avenue in Brick and should be finished by the end of the Thursday. Meters from Ocean View Avenue to Jeanette Drive in Brick should be completed by Friday.

Re-pressurization of the barrier island between Normandy Beach and Seaside Park will begin Monday, with NJNG re-pressurizing one section of the island at a time while it works south through the week. Traffic in areas where the re-pressurizing is being done will be blocked, though will be admitted during meter installation.

"We estimate that all sections of the Seaside peninsula will be re-pressurized and have meters rebuilt before Dec. 31," the company stated.

Service to Prospect Avenue in Union Beach should come Monday, the company announced, and in Manasquan, service installations have been completed and customers are now able to again receive natural gas.

In Sea Bright, Long Beach Island, and the Ocean County mainland, all customers whose homes and businesses can safely accept service now have natural gas to their meters, NJNG concluded.

Updates on NJNG's schedule and progress will be available every day at www.njng.com.