CenterPoint explains gas line replacement to Abbeville City Council

Crews seen working around Abbeville in recent months are not doing so under the city’s umbrella.
The work, replacement of cast iron lines, is being done by contractors through CenterPoint Energy.
The Abbeville City Council invited representatives from CenterPoint to Tuesday’s regular council meeting to provide updates on the project.
“People are contacting us about this,” Councilman Brady Broussard Jr. said. “There is a misunderstanding that these are city crews.”
Councilman-at-Large Francis Plaisance echoed those statements.
“I want the public to understand how difficult a project this really is and we as a city have very little to do with it,” Plaisance said. “When we get phone calls, we can be able to answer them.”
Lindy Broussard of CenterPoint told Mayor Mark Piazza and the council that the project is necessary.
“Our industry is under increasing regulatory demands to get cast iron out of our systems,” Lindy Broussard explained. “It’s old and it’s time to get rid of it.”
In all, CenterPoint, through contractor Louisiana Natural Gas Services (LGNS), is replacing 8,000 feet of cast-iron main in the city. Taking its place is 7,500 feet of plastic main and 500 feet of 2-inch main. The total cost will be around $600,000, of which the city will not pay a dime.
“As of right now the costs that we have incurred are about $490,000,” Lindy Broussard said. “That tells you about where we are in the scope of the project.
“We have about four blocks left.”
The project is estimated to be completed by mid-September.
“The remaining part of the project is very intricate,” Lindy Broussard said. “The remaining cast iron is in the downtown area. Things we are going to have to deal with are congested utilities that are all under concrete and pavement, high-traffic areas and high-population areas.”
Age of the cast iron has factored heavily in this project.
“We are dealing with infrastructure that is very old,” Lindy Broussard said. “It probably hasn’t seen the light of day in 70-plus years. It Graphitizes and becomes really, really brittle. It is very hard to work on and you have to be careful when you are around it. Vibration can cause a crack and a leak.
“That’s why we are getting rid of it.”
During the course of this project, there have been at least four reported breaks in the gas line in the areas in on which work was being done. Members of the Abbeville Fire and Police Departments have responded accordingly in each of those instances. Lindy Broussard explained that CenterPoint has a plan that goes into effect in those cases.
“We require that contractors follow our protocol,” Lindy Broussard said. “That protocol is, when there is damage, they make the scene safe. Once they make the scene safe, they call 911. Then they call me or one of our operations supervisors to go out to the scene.”
Lindy Broussard stressed that safety remains the top priority.
“CenterPoint Energy and LNGS are committed to finishing this project with the highest regard for safety,” Lindy Broussard said. “We will continue to document safety protocol meetings we are having weekly with LNGS.
Lindy Broussard offered a thanks to the city’s emergency responders.
“We couldn’t do the job we do without the fire or police,” he said.
As for damage to the roads, Councilman Francis Touchet Jr. asked if CenterPoint is responsible in covering any that do occur.
“If we caused the damage,” Lindy Broussard said, “absolutely we are responsible.”
He also told Touchet that CenterPoint and the contractors will work as closely as possible with the businesses in the area of the remaining work.
“Tying the service from the old cast-iron main to the new main,” Lindy Broussard explained, “that’s when the customer’s service will be interrupted, for a very short period of time. We are going to try to do that work when the restaurants are not running. We are going to speak to every business owner to coordinate the most opportune time.
“Some of that may not be possible, but we are going to try our best.”
Lindy Broussard said CenterPoint will also work closely with city officials.
“Prior to the last phase we are going to invite you to walk with us through that phase,” he said. “We want you to be familiar with what is left.”
Broussard said the work will be worth the while upon its completion.
“The benefit is that Abbeville will no longer have cast iron,” Lindy Broussard said. “Abbeville and New Iberia are the only towns in south Louisiana that still have cast iron.
“The new facilities will make the gas system safer and make needed repairs quicker and easier.”
Piazza agreed.
“The key point is what (they) are doing is a complete upgrade of the system,” Piazza said. “It’s making the entire system safer.”