Xcel Energy is sending more emergency repair crews to the East Coast, this time to help restore natural gas service in New York.
In response to a request for help, Xcel said Monday that 15 natural gas workers from the Twin Cities, along with a manager, safety consultant and fleet technician, will head East, accompanied by seven Xcel staffers from Wisconsin: six natural gas workers and a manager.
The crews will travel to West Hempstead, N.Y., where they will work on gas meters and relight residents' appliances as service is restored in the wake of superstorm Sandy, Xcel said in a news release. The deployment is expected to last two weeks, the company said.
The American Gas Association asked Xcel to assist, the utility said.
Xcel said it sent 230 employees and contractors from its four operating companies on Oct. 31 to help restore power in West Virginia. The crews moved a week ago to Long Island, N.Y., where they continue to work.
That deployment included 46 employees and 30 contractors from Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Utilities routinely assist one another after storms through mutual aid agreements, Xcel said. The utility requesting aid reimburses the utility whose crews are sent to help, the utility said.
DAVID SHAFFER