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02/08/11 1:56 AM
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Governor Susana Martinez is upset with New Mexico Gas Company officials, saying they misled restoration efforts in Northern New Mexico.
She says when she met with company officials on Friday, she offered to recruit plumbers and call the National Guard but was told by the company's executives her measures weren’t necessary and everyone would have gas by Sunday.
Thousands of natural gas customers are still waiting twenty-four hours after that deadline.
The New Mexico House Energy and Natural Resources Committee heard from representatives of two gas companies and the Public Regulation Commission on Monday afternoon.
Following that meeting, committee chairman Rep. Brian Egolf (D- Santa Fe) issued a written statement saying that the disruption of service was “unacceptable” and that “it is clear that power disruptions in Texas led to the current crisis.” He went on to say that determining the exact cause of the disruptions is critical to preventing further shortages.
Gas officials say the problem culminated at 9 p.m. last Wednesday. They explained to lawmakers that they chose to cut off areas of northern and southern New Mexico because it was the best way to prevent the entire system from failing.
Throughout the night Monday, gas officials assisted by the National Guard, APD, and state police worked to relight homes in the vicinity of Espanola.
It’s also ground zero where angry residents confronted the governor on Monday asking why they still haven’t been hooked up while other communities have.
“We honestly believe we were selected because we’re poor,” said Dolores Roybal who lives north of Espanola. “This is a poor community and that’s why we’re selected.”
People flocked to KOB’s cameras in Alcalde when our crews arrived, saying the area has been complete ignored. “They keep telling us to be patient but we’re going on to five days now and it’s ridiculous,” said Elaine Martinez.
The residents of Alcalde had two main questions for the governor: One, why did the problem occur with all the natural gas produced by the state? And most importantly, when will their gas—and the heat produced from it—return?
For Governor Martinez, there is no other option but for crews to work around the clock to get the job done. “We have to get it done before the storm hits,” she said on Monday.
The latest report issued at 10 p.m. Monday by the New Mexico Gas Company said that service in Espanola, Santa Clara Pueblo, Okway Owingeh Pueblo and San Ildefonso Pueblo was 50 percent restored with 56 percent of customers visited.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Gov. Susana Martinez is sending an additional 300 National Guard troops and airmen to help restore natural gas service to thousands of residents in northern New Mexico.
The troops will be joined by 44 Albuquerque police officers and 15 state police officers. Firefighters from Albuquerque are also on stand-by for deployment Tuesday if necessary.
Residents and business owners in the Taos and Espanola areas have been without natural gas service since last week, and more winter weather is forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The governor's office says the additional personnel will be trained to turn on gas meters and will be paired with a gas company technician or plumber who is licensed to relight heaters and other appliances.
The crews are expected to work around the clock to restore service.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Natural gas utility officials say they cut off service to portions of New Mexico last week because they feared of losing control over their distribution system and having uncontrolled outages across the state.
New Mexico Gas Co. Vice President Ken Oostman made the comment Monday in testimony to a legislative committee on the shutoff of gas service to thousands of residents during a winter storm that brought frigid temperatures to the state.
Oostman said customers in northern New Mexico and parts of southern New Mexico were cut off when the utility faced a rapid drop in gas pressure in its lines.
Without that, he told lawmakers, pressure would have continued to drop and uncontrolled outages would have happened in homes and businesses.
As nearly 16,000 New Mexicans continue to manage without natural gas service many are asking whether they should prepare for a similar crisis to resurface as another storm makes its way to the state.
According to the New Mexico Gas Company website Monday afternoon those area’s still most affected by the widespread gas outage that has left thousands without heat are up north.
The following areas have reported varying amounts of service restoration:
Bernalillo Elementary and Middle Schools were unable to hold class Monday because the schools heat was still out after five days.
Bernalillo resident, Lee Paul Martinez, spoke to KOB Eyewitness News 4 and said an electric stove has been his saving grace.
New Mexico Gas Company officials have blamed the statewide outage on supply and demand, and a lack of pressure to push the gas through the pipelines.
Power blackouts in Texas which cut off power to compressors in West Texas that fed gas into New Mexico were also blamed for the outage.
On Sunday officials explained that this type of crisis was unique and don’t expect it to happen again anytime soon.
"This was a weather event that last occurred in 1971, prior to that 1911. So this is a 50-year weather event," said New Mexico Gas Company President Annette Gardiner. "With the rolling power outages, with the extreme weather event and with the well-head freeze off - for that to happen again is extremely unlikely."
The gas company will meet again Monday afternoon and say they will update the public on when they expect service will be completely restored to New Mexico families throughout the state.
Stay tuned to KOB Eyewitness News 4 and KOB.com for continuing developments.