APPLY FOR NATURAL GAS SERVICE

The following information pertains to both residential and commercial natural gas services.

Application for Natural Gas Service:

To have natural gas service installed at your home or business, an application for natural gas service must be completed at the Wilson Inspections Department. The Inspections Department is located on the first floor of City Hall at 112 N Goldsboro St, next to the Police Department. Payment of a $50.00 tap fee is required with the application for natural gas service.

Natural Gas Service Pipes:

Upon application for natural gas service, payment of a standard $50.00 tap fee and commitment to install a natural gas building heater or natural gas water heater, the City shall provide natural gas service in accordance with provisions of this Section. The City will install up to 100’ of natural gas service pipe from the natural gas main to the building to be supplied with natural gas, a natural gas pressure regulator and natural gas meter at no additional cost. The natural gas meter shall be at a location approved by the City. All tap fees shall be paid to the City before the natural gas service pipe will be installed.  

Once a customer has applied for gas service and paid the $50 application fee, a work order will be sent to Wilson Energy. A Wilson Energy employee will then visit the site, meet with the customer and decide where to install the natural gas service and meter. The natural gas service and meter will normally be located on the non-driveway side of the house. Wilson Energy will then contact NC811 for all underground public utilities to be located along the line’s path. This takes a minimum of three working days.

All underground private lines and facilities on the property, such as sprinkler systems, drain lines, water or sewer lines, septic tanks, lighting, wiring, etc., must be marked by the property owner. The City will not be responsible for damage to unmarked or insufficiently marked facilities. NC811 maintains a list of Contract and Private Line Locators on their website @ www.nc811.org that can locate underground private lines and facilities for a fee.

It will take approximately two weeks for the natural gas service to be installed at locations along city-maintained streets, and six to eight weeks at locations along state-maintained streets. To see if your road is state-maintained click on the following link to visit the NCDOT Secondary Road Lookup page.

A $25 charge is required to have the gas service turned on. The City of Wilson will light pilot lights ONLY when turning on the gas service or if work has been done to the service or meter by Wilson Energy. For more information, contact Customer Service at 252-399-2162 or visit their office at 208 Nash St. NE.

The natural gas service pipe shall be of the size and type prescribed by the City. The City shall install the natural gas service pipe, pressure regulator, meter, and associated pipe fittings. No natural gas service pipe shall be used to supply more than one meter location. No natural gas service pipe shall be installed across private property other than the premises of the building to be supplied with gas unless an easement is provided to the City to install the install the natural gas service pipe.  Natural gas service pipe cannot be installed under a structure including a building, building addition, deck, or porch. Structures installed or constructed over an existing natural gas service pipe including a building, building addition, deck, or porch will require the relocation of the service pipe at the customer’s expense.

When the customer does not commit to install a natural gas building heater or natural gas water heater, or the length of the natural gas service pipe exceeds 100’ but the probable use of gas in the judgement of the City staff is sufficient to economically justify the additional expense, the City may bear the entire cost of service pipe installation. Otherwise, when the probable use of natural gas does not economically justify the City bearing the entire expense, the applicant shall contribute toward the cost of installation of the service pipe in an amount equal to the cost of materials plus the current materials overhead cost and the cost of labor plus the current labor overhead cost and the cost for equipment. 

Natural Gas Meter Location:

Natural gas meters are required to be in a readily accessible location and protected from corrosion and other damage, including vehicular damage that may be anticipated. The natural gas meter will normally be located within approximately eight feet of the front corner of the house.

Natural Gas Meters CAN NOT be installed:

• At the rear of the house.
• Inside fenced areas.
• Anywhere subject to damage.
• Where vehicles may travel or be parked.
• Adjacent to carports.
• Within three feet of openings in buildings, including operable windows and doors.
• Within three feet of any ignition source including electrical, television or telephone connections, electric meters, and HVAC units or furnaces.

Once the natural gas service and meter has been installed, the contractor or the homeowner/resident must call the City of Wilson Inspections Department at 252-399-2220 to have their piping inspected. Once the inspection has passed, the homeowner/resident must call Customer Service at 252-399-2200 to have the gas meter turned on.

Commercial Gas Services:

To assure that the correct size natural gas service pipe, natural gas meter, and natural gas pressure regulator will be installed, the customer or the HVAC/mechanical contractor must supply Wilson Energy with the total BTUH load and the requested delivery pressure. Please e-mail the BTUs per appliance and the requested delivery pressure to awilliamson@wilsonnc.org or fax to 252-399-2191 when applying for service.

Natural Gas Service Pipe Relocation:

Natural gas service pipe cannot be installed under a structure including a building, building addition, deck, or porch. Structures installed or constructed over an existing natural gas service pipe including a building, building addition, deck, or porch will require the relocation of the service pipe at the customer’s expense. Please contact Wilson Energy at 399-2432 to initiate the relocation of the natural gas service pipe.

Excess Flow Valves (EFV’s):

Excess Flow Valves (EFV’s) are safety devices installed on the natural gas service line to reduce the risk of accidents. EFV’s are required for new or replaced gas service lines servicing single and multifamily residences, and small commercial entities consuming gas volumes not exceeding 1,000 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH).

EFV’s are designed to restrict the flow of natural gas between the gas main and the gas meter in the event the service line or meter are damaged.  Damage to the service line or meter can be caused by excavation dig-ins, vehicles, equipment, etc.  The EFV potentially reduces the risk of fire, explosion, and/or injury to nearby people or property. An EFV is not designed to stop flow for small (pinhole) leaks in the natural gas service line, natural gas meter piping, nor for any leaks beyond the natural gas meter such as the customer’s piping inside their home or natural gas appliances. Wilson Energy has been installing EFV’s where possible on new and replacement natural gas service lines since 1999.

Wilson Energy natural gas customers may request the installation of an EFV on the gas service line to their home by contacting the Natural Gas Division at 252-399-2432 and request an EFV be installed on their service line.  If eligible, the EFV will be installed at a mutually agreeable date at no cost to the customer.  Future maintenance or replacement of an EFV is also provided at no cost to the customer.   

Natural Gas Service Maintenance:

Wilson Energy is responsible for the maintenance of the natural gas meter and the natural gas service lines from the street to the meter. Any problems beyond the natural gas meter are the responsibility of the owner/ customer.

The following is information regarding how Wilson Energy maintains the gas services and meters:

Natural Gas Meter Change Out Program:

Wilson Energy periodically changes out natural gas meters that meet certain criteria to ensure they are in proper working order and accurately measure the amount of natural gas used by the Customer. The natural gas service to the customer’s home will temporarily be shut off during the meter change out.

• If the Customer is home, the gas technician will change out the meter, turn on the gas service and relight all gas appliances.
• If the Customer is not home, the gas technician will change out the meter and leave the natural gas service locked off. The gas technician will also leave a white card on the door with instructions for the Customer to contact Wilson Energy to have the gas service turned back on and gas appliances relit. If you receive a white card, please call the number on the card to schedule an appointment.
• The gas meter change out takes about one hour.

Natural Gas Meter Maintenance:

Wilson Energy is responsible for the safety and upkeep of the natural gas meters. Please help our technicians perform necessary service and repairs:

• Bushes and trees should not be planted near the natural gas meter as they inhibit access to the meter. Also, roots from the plants can disturb the natural gas service line and gas meter and can potentially cause a gas leak.
• Pets or objects should not be tied or fastened to the gas meter or gas meter set piping. The stress or pulling can potentially cause a gas leak.
• Maintenance cannot be performed if gas meters are in locked fenced areas or in fenced areas with dogs.

Letters will be sent to customers asking for the removal of bushes/trees that are too close to gas meters or objects attached to gas meter and gas meter set piping. If gates are locked or if a dog is inside a fenced area, a letter will be sent to notify the occupant that maintenance was attempted.

Annual Leak Survey

A leak survey is performed annually on Wilson Energy’s natural gas lines.  The areas that have natural gas with Wilson Energy have been divided into four sections, three residential sections and one business section. Once a year, a Wilson Energy employee or contractor firm will complete a leak survey in one residential section and the business section.

When leaks are found during the leak survey, the inspector gives the information to Wilson Energy and corrective action is taken. If a leak is found on the customer piping, a letter will be sent to the occupant requesting that the leak be repaired by a licensed contractor.

The city side of the piping is defined as the natural gas service line from the street to the inlet of the natural gas meter. The customer side is defined as all house piping up to where the house piping connects to the outlet of the natural gas meter.

Natural Gas Service Termination

Temporary or Seasonal Natural Gas Service Disconnection

To have your natural gas service temporarily disconnected at the end or the winter heating season, please contact Customer Service by calling 252-399-2200 or by visiting their office at 208 Nash St. NE.

Wilson Energy requires that customer NOT shut off the natural gas service at the gas meter themselves. This benefits customers because the monthly facilities charge for the natural gas service will not be billed if Customer Service shuts off the natural gas service.

When the customer is ready to have the natural gas service turned on for the winter, they must contact Wilson Energy Customer Service. The customer will be charged a fee for the natural gas service to be turned on. For more information, contact Customer Service.

Building Demolition

Wilson Energy will disconnect the natural gas service and remove the natural gas meter and pressure regulator for building demolitions at no cost.

If the building is within the City Limits, or within the boundaries the City’s Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), the customer must contact the Inspections Department at 252-399-2220, or visit their office located on the 1st floor of City Hall at 112 N Goldsboro Street. The Inspections Department will forward the request to the Gas Division so that the gas service can be disconnected prior to the demolition.

If the building is outside the City Limits, the customer should contact Wilson Energy at 252-399-2424 to request disconnection of the natural gas service.

Wilson Energy requests at least two weeks to disconnect the natural gas service on streets maintained by the City of Wilson. If the natural gas service is on a property along a state-maintained road, Wilson Energy will require six to eight weeks to disconnect the gas service. To see if your road is state-maintained click on the following link to visit the NCDOT Secondary Road lookup page.

Permanent Removal of Service

Customers who desire to have the natural gas service permanently disconnected for any reason other than building demolition Should contact the Wilson Energy Gas Division office at 252-399-2432.

Wilson Energy requests at least two weeks to disconnect the natural gas service on streets maintained by the City of Wilson. If the natural gas service is on a property along a state-maintained road, Wilson Energy will require six to eight weeks to disconnect the gas service. To see if your road is state-maintained click on the following link to visit the NCDOT Secondary Road lookup page.