WTPUD Hosts Safety Presentation

McKENZIE (September 11) — West Tennessee Public Utilities (WTPU) held its fifth annual safety presentation for civic and government officials in Carroll County on Thursday, September 11.

The event began with a luncheon at Bethel University, catered by the university’s Dining Services. WTPU officials emphasized that natural gas is a safe, reliable, and economical energy source.

Based in Huntingdon, WTPU serves 17,000 customers across five counties and employs 70 people. Natural gas is typically a more cost-effective option for heating and cooking compared to electricity.

Madison Endres, marketing manager, and Brent Dillahunty, general manager, noted that WTPU is actively exploring ways to serve the community better. The company offers installation of gas appliances and gas water heaters, and has a dedicated line crew to extend gas lines to customers. Although it is uncommon for natural gas distributors to provide this level of service, Dillahunty stated that WTPU offers the extended services for convenience while also supporting independent contractors who offer these services.

Damage to underground gas lines can easily occur during excavation by contractors or others digging in the area. The law requires that contractors and others to contact 811 locator services at least three days before starting any digging where a natural gas line or other underground services might be present. Over half of the reported damage to underground utilities is due to the failure to call 811 in advance. Once utilities are marked, it is essential to maintain a two-foot clearance on either side of the marked path when digging.

A current challenge for gas distribution is the limited capacity of major cross-country gas lines. WTPU is served by two of the three existing cross-country lines, which provide significant redundancy. However, with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other electrical utilities increasingly relying on natural gas instead of coal to power their generation units, the additional demand is limiting availability for traditional natural gas distributors.

At the close of the meeting, several door prizes were given to the winners of a random drawing.