New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) is making progress in restoring natural gas service, but of the 33,000 customers that were impacted by Superstorm Sandy, the distributor was unable to estimate how many have had their gas service reinstated so far.

In the Bay Head to Seaside region, a total of 12 miles of main along the peninsula have been retired, meaning the pipe has been capped and will no longer be used. NJNG said it has replaced 485 feet of damaged 12-inch diameter pipeline main, which is the backbone of its system serving the Seaside peninsula.

“We expect to begin repressurizing our system at our regulator station south of the Mantoloking Bridge on Dec. 3. Barring unforeseen conditions that may delay our work, we anticipate restoring natural gas service by the end of December to all of our customers [in the Bay Head to Seaside area] whose homes have not sustained such major damages.”

In Monmouth County, one of the most densely populated counties in New Jersey, “we have completed 75% of our work to replace damaged main along First Ave,” the Wall, NJ-based distributor said.

In the mainland of Ocean County, NJNG said natural gas is now available to 9,250 of its affected customer meters, with 3,695 turned back on, providing service to 54% of its affected customers. It estimated that 17,250 meters in this area were damaged by Sandy.

Natural gas is now available to 8,488 NJNG customer meters on Long Beach Island, NJNG said. “By the end of the day [Tuesday], we will have repressurized our entire main on Long Beach Island, except Holgate, where extensive infrastructure repair and replacement is ongoing.”

NJNG said meters have been repaired and replaced on the northern end of Long Beach Island, and it is completing its meter work on the southern end of the island and expects to complete all rebuilds by Monday (Nov. 26).

NJNG supplies natural gas to more than 500,000 customers in the southern, central and northern parts of the state.

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