CenterPoint Energy Ready for Plunging Temperatures, Urges Customers to Stay Safe and Warm

HOUSTON, Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Temperatures are forecasted to plunge and CenterPoint Energy (NYSE: CNP) anticipates no issues that would prevent natural gas customers from staying warm for the duration of the forecasted frigid temperatures.

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"It will be very cold for an extended period of time and we want customers to stay warm, but we also want them to stay safe by following some important natural gas safety tips," said Rick Zapalac, senior vice president of Gas Operations and Engineering for CenterPoint Energy.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Safety:

Any fuel-burning equipment or appliance, including wood stoves, fireplaces, space heaters, barbecue grills, furnaces, water heaters, boilers and ranges, has the potential to produce CO, a poisonous gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and non-irritating.

When breathed, CO combines with the blood and prevents it from absorbing oxygen. CO can be produced by incomplete combustion, often the result of improperly adjusted or poorly vented appliances. Annual check-ups of these appliances help ensure proper and safe operation of these types of appliances and equipment. To stay safe:

• Have your gas central heating unit checked annually to make sure the heat exchanger is not cracked or rusted and that the burner area is clean.
• Follow manufacturers' operating instructions properly for gas heating equipment.
• Do not use stovetop burners or ovens to heat a room since they are not designed for this use.
• Make sure to follow the blue flame rule. Natural gas flames should burn blue except natural gas fireplace logs which burn orange to have a more realistic wood burning look. Make sure the fireplace damper is open at all times when using gas logs.
• Crack windows slightly if using unvented space heaters.
• Consider buying a CO detector as another line of defense against CO poisoning. CenterPoint Energy recommends buying one with an audible alarm and continuous digital display; make sure it is tested to the national standard for residential CO detectors (UL2034 or IAS NO. 6-96).

If you smell gas:

• Leave immediately and tell others to do the same.
• Do not use electric switches, telephones (including cell phones), or anything that could cause a spark.
• Call CenterPoint Energy from a safe location. Do not use e-mail or the Internet to contact the company about a leak, and never assume someone else has reported the leak.
• Alert your neighbors. CenterPoint Energy checks suspected natural gas leaks at no cost to customers.
• Never try to repair a natural gas leak yourself. Leave all repairs to a trained technician.

For more information on natural gas safety, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/safety.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines, and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total more than $19 billion. With about 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 135 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.