Columbia Gas Announces 'Gas Ready' Construction Restoration Plan for Greater Lawrence; Nearly 200 Construction Crews Working to Restore Gas Service by November 19

LAWRENCE, Mass., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a unit of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), today announced the construction restoration project plan on the path to restoring gas service to customers in the greater Lawrence area. The plan includes the deployment of nearly 200 construction crews as part of a combined workforce of about 3,000 employees and contractors, aiming to complete the project by November 19 with progressive restoration of customers' gas service.

The construction restoration plan outlines details for the installation of gas main lines and service lines, as well as the installation and testing of gas meters that measure and regulate gas flow to homes and businesses.

An outline of the plan is available at www.ColumbiaGasMA.com.

"We've been working with partners at every level of government, with our first responders and departments of public works in our planning efforts to rebuild the system," said Joe Albanese, Chief Recovery Officer. "Our early actions, supported by the National Guard, helped meet some immediate community needs. Now we turn to our current effort in support of the primary mission - to restore gas service to homes and businesses."

Added Pablo Vegas, Chief Restoration Officer for NiSource, parent company of Columbia Gas.  "As we continue to support those in need, we are now unveiling our planned path to restoring service, and will be sharing our plans and progress as we move forward. We know it takes actions, not just words, to show our commitment."

In refining the construction plan, Columbia Gas identified eight work zones, further defined into 63 projects, running in parallel across the three communities to organize and plan restoration efforts. The three main areas of work are:

• Making Your Home or Business "Gas Ready:" Construction crews will install the main gas line on your street that brings gas into the area and lines connecting your home or business to the main line. 
• Making Your Home or Business "House Ready:" Assessment teams will, if they have not already, visit your home or business to assess your natural gas appliances and piping, and review options with you. Upon completion of repairs, we will test natural gas lines for safety and install appliances.
• Natural Gas Service Relight:  To restore natural gas service to your home or business, all work inside and outside your home or business must first be completed.  Once your home or business is both "Gas Ready" and "House Ready," a Columbia Gas representative will visit your home or business, perform additional safety checks and restore your natural gas service.

Columbia Gas and contracted construction teams have already begun the restoration program in all three communities.

The "Gas Ready" current scope of work includes the installation of approximately 45 miles of pipeline and 6,100 service lines, providing state-of-the-art infrastructure and enhanced safety features.

Columbia Gas will share information about service restoration and construction at www.ColumbiaGasMA.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.

About Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
Columbia Gas of Massachusetts delivers clean, affordable and efficient natural gas to over 320,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Massachusetts, the greater Springfield area and the Merrimack Valley.  Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, the company is the largest gas-only provider in the state and is one of NiSource's seven regulated utility companies.  NiSource (NYSE:NI) is one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands.  More information about Columbia Gas of Massachusetts is available at www.ColumbiaGasMA.com.

About NiSource
NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) is one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across seven states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. Based in Merrillville, Indiana, NiSource's approximately 8,000 employees are focused on safely delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers and communities we serve. NiSource has been designated a World's Most Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute since 2012, is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability - North America Index and was named by Forbes magazine as the top-rated utility among America's Best Large Employers in 2017. Additional information about NiSource, its investments in modern infrastructure and systems, its commitments and its local brands can be found at www.nisource.com. Follow us at www.facebook.com/nisource, www.linkedin.com/company/nisource or www.twitter.com/nisourceinc. NI-F

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SOURCE Columbia Gas of Massachusetts

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