Michigan utility sends crews to New York to help restore natural gas service

Michigan utilities sent hundreds of linemen to the East Coast last week to help restore electricity to areas hard hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Now Consumers Energy is sending two dozen workers to help restore natural gas service to parts of Long Island, New York.

Roger Morgenstern is a Consumers Energy spokesman.    He says restoring natural gas service presents a very different challenge than getting the lights back on after a storm.

“Where we can string wires and get poles back up….and get a large number of people back on with one project,”  says Morgenstern, “This is much more individualized because of the way the commodity works.”

Morgenstern says their crews will be busy installing new equipment and relighting pilot lights in homes and businesses in New York for the next two weeks.