In The News

PGW PROMOTES NATURAL GAS SAFETY TIPS THROUGHOUT NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH

PHILADELPHIA (September 18, 2023) – Acting on the theme of this September’s National Preparedness Month, “Take Control in 1, 2, 3,” Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) offers the following three natural gas safety tips that every Philadelphia resident can use to stay prepared: how to report gas odors, how to safely operate natural gas appliances, and where to install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

If you smell gas

PGW urges anyone who smells gas to leave the area immediately and call PGW’s 24/7 emergency hotline at 215-235-1212. Although natural gas is odorless, PGW adds mercaptan to natural gas that produces a rotten egg smell that is easily recognizable.

When customers report possible gas odors, PGW responds immediately (arriving on location in less than an hour) to measure the amount of gas present in the atmosphere, assess the situation, perform safety checks, establish a safety perimeter, and take necessary action to mitigate the situation, if needed. If evacuations are necessary, occupants may only return to the building or to the area once a PGW employee or a qualified utility professional says it is safe.

Use natural gas appliances safely

PGW reminds residents of the importance of operating natural gas appliances safely and efficiently, inspecting them regularly, and clearing potential hazards near appliances.  It’s important to note that PGW’s control of natural gas lines ends at the customer’s gas meter. Anything beyond the meter outlet belongs to the property owner, who is responsible for maintaining the condition of inside piping and appliances. 

To ensure safety, professionals should always be hired to install and maintain natural gas equipment, such as the  qualified technicians available through PGW’s Parts and Labor Plan (PLP). The plan offers several coverage packages for repairs, inspections, and maintenance costs, including the “Check and Adjust” option under a PLP heater plan. “Check and Adjust” provides a tune-up of furnaces or boilers and a visual inspection of natural gas heating equipment to advise customers of potential issues.

PGW advises residents not to store flammable liquids near their furnace or gas water heater; to check vents, flues, and chimneys regularly for blockages; and to never use a stove or oven as a heating source.

Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
PGW recommends that residents install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in their homes and replace the batteries twice a year.

CO is an odorless, tasteless, dangerous gas produced when heating systems are not working correctly and could cause severe sickness and even death. Anyone who suspects carbon monoxide poisoning should call 911 or seek emergency medical help immediately.

Residents are also advised to place one smoke alarm on each floor of their home, including the basement. Philadelphia residents may request smoke alarms through Philly311 (via the app or by phone), which can be installed by the Philadelphia Fire Department.

In the spirit of this National Preparedness Month – which focuses on older adults – PGW invites customers to share these safety tips with family and friends, particularly with elderly loved ones, who may be living alone, have disabilities, or other challenges.

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

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PGW OFFICES WILL CLOSE IN HONOR OF LABOR DAY

PHILADELPHIA (August 31, 2023) – Philadelphia Gas Works’ (PGW) offices and Customer Call Center will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Monday, September 4, 2023. PGW’s 24-hour Emergency Hotline will remain open for emergency calls. All odor calls or gas-related emergencies should be reported immediately by calling 215-235-1212.

PGW offices and Customer Call Center will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

Customers who need to access account information or pay their bill online can log into their PGW My Account, pay by phone at 215-235-1000, or make cash payments in person at hundreds of local retailers, including Walmart, CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar, 7-Eleven, Speedway, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

Additionally, customers can now manage their My Account from the new PGW mobile app. The one-stop app is a more convenient way to manage your account, monitor usage, make payments, and more!

Customers can download the app for free on the Apple store or on Google Play. For information, visit pgworks.com/customer-care/your-home/ways-to-pay. 

This holiday weekend, PGW celebrates the hard work and dedication of every individual who contributes to the safe delivery of natural gas services across Philadelphia. As the Labor Day holiday weekend unofficially marks the final days of summer, PGW reminds customers, employees, and residents of Philadelphia to celebrate the long weekend safely.

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PGW AND Temple University’s SBDC Select Latest Energy Start-Up Hydropore to Join Its Energy Innovation Lab

PHILADELPHIA (August 7, 2023) – Working together to advance creative breakthroughs in clean energy, Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) and Temple University’s Small Business Development Center (TU SBDC)  have announced that Hydropore has been chosen to join the 2023 Energy Innovation Lab cohort. The lab is a small business incubator designed to empower energy entrepreneurs whose product or service ideas have the potential to reimagine the future of the energy industry. PGW and TU SBDC created the incubator in 2021 to foster environmentally friendly concepts that meet the evolving energy needs of Philadelphia residents, underserved communities, and businesses.

At the pitch competition held August 3, 2023, Hydropore presented its winning energy concept of  developing hydrogen batteries that produce clean fuel to a panel of volunteer judges from leading Philadelphia energy, innovation, and start-up development organizations. Two additional companies – Haylon Technologies and LiTrans USA – also presented their energy solutions. Proposals were evaluated and ranked based on viability and alignment with PGW’s mission of enhancing the quality of life for all by delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy in an environmentally responsible way.

Hydropore’s clean hydrogen production system is designed to “drop-in” to any customer site, to provide reliable fuel supply for the next generation of trucks, buses, planes, trains, and ships. Hydropore’s hydrogen-producing battery is unique in that it has a small footprint, runs on any type of water, and only consumes electricity when it is clean and most economical. By joining The Energy Innovation Lab, the year-old company, based in Philadelphia and founded by Mike Argosh and University of Pennsylvania Professor Dr. Eric Detsi, will receive hands-on training, mentoring, real-time feedback from PGW energy industry experts and TU SBDC business development consultants, as well as up to $30,000 in seed funding.

“We’re tremendously excited about the potential of Hydropore’s technology to impact the production and delivery of clean energy,” said Elliott Gold, Vice President of Corporate Planning at PGW. “When we launched The Energy Innovation Lab two years ago, we suspected that there was untapped talent in our great City for developing our future clean energy solutions. This fusion of Hydropore’s entrepreneurial creativity built upon strong Philadelphia-based university research, PGW’s energy industry expertise, and the SBDC’s business development support is the perfect example of the collaborative innovation we had in mind.”

The Energy Innovation Lab is an extension of PGW’s proactive commitments to expanding energy access and affordability, generating inclusive regional economic growth and leading Philadelphia’s clean energy future.

“We’re super excited to be able to collaborate with a partner like PGW,” said Mike Argosh, CEO of Hydropore. “Hopefully we can build together and team up on a zero emissions clean energy future.”

“The Temple University SBDC is dedicated to unleashing and encouraging the development and success of those locally based small businesses with big ideas that could make Philadelphia a cleaner, greener city,” said Howard Brown, Director of TU SBDC. “We have a wealth of entrepreneurial talent in the Philadelphia area. We are proud to offer opportunities to start-ups like Hydropore that will allow them to flourish.”

To learn more about the Energy Innovation Lab visit incubator.pgworks.com.

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