PORTER, Okla. — Steve Staner loves “everything” about living in rural Porter, except for the soon-to-be lack of natural gas.
Oklahoma Natural Gas sent a letter to Staner and his neighbors, saying they plan to discontinue services entirely.
“Well, I didn’t like it. But I couldn’t say on camera what I thought about it,” Staner said.
May 1 — the gas will shut off for good.
Staner and his neighbors will have to find ways to convert their home’s appliances from gas to propane or electricity.
WHAT IF IT HAPPENS TO ME?
- Check all appliances in the house and find out how they are powered.
- If natural gas is the source, consider converting to electric or propane-based appliances.
- Start budgeting: Switching to electric appliances will likely raise the electric bill. The same goes for the cost of propane.
- Solar power? Some groups recommend using solar power to drive down costs, however, the initial cost of solar panels is steep, often upward of $15,000
Staner says he’s had little help from ONG.
“There’s not been anybody to talk to me. They’ve mailed me some mail,” Staner said.
That mail included a check for $5,000 sent to all the other neighbors for conversion costs.
A spokesperson for ONG said the company sent “financial assistance” to all neighbors.
Conversion can cost thousands of dollars, with single appliances running from hundreds to more than $1,000 — not to mention the labor costs associated with installation.
“I wouldn’t waste a nickel trying to talk to them … Can’t talk to them,” Staner said.
Nor could 2 News Oklahoma.
ONG spokesperson Jason Cleary declined an interview.
Instead, he sent a blanket statement saying, “Safety is our top priority. In some cases, parts of our system are no longer cost-effective to maintain. When this happens, we may need to remove a natural gas line from service for the benefit of the overall system.”
Adding that ONG made attempts to soften the blow.
“To help make the transition easier, we’ve provided customers with three months to switch to an alternative energy source, financial assistance and information about other options that can help meet their needs,” Staner said.
“I’m not mad, I try to live a Christian life,” Staner said, “But awful disappointed in them.”
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