Nicor Gas delivers safe, reliable energy during Winter Storm Fern

Cold weather safety tips and energy savings resources available

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Jan. 23, 2026 – As extreme winter weather reaches the Midwest with temperatures and wind chills below zero, Nicor Gas’ teams are prepared and ready to meet customers’ needs around the clock. During a peak delivery hour (7-8 a.m.) of the Artic blast Friday morning, Nicor Gas delivered over 194,000 MMBtu of natural gas to 2.3 million customers across more than 650 Northern Illinois communities. This is equivalent to approximately 57,000 megawatts of electricity and 90% of the peak hourly load during the company's record-breaking polar vortex delivery. One-third of the energy delivered today was sourced from Nicor Gas’ natural gas storage.

“Nicor Gas' ability to safely and reliably deliver the life-sustaining energy our customers and communities rely on is critical to Illinois’ energy security,” said Tim Hermann, vice president of Gas Operations at Nicor Gas.

See more about affordability and reliability during winter weather from Tim.

While cold weather and wind chills are expected to continue for the next week, customers can be confident Nicor Gas will deliver the natural gas that is essential to supporting the health, safety and wellbeing of Illinois communities. Nicor Gas reminds customers that heavy snow and ice may weigh down power lines and tree limbs, causing them to fall. If a natural gas meter is damaged or underground gas line is exposed, immediately leave the area and call 911 or Nicor Gas’ 24-hour emergency response line 888.Nicor4U (642.6748) from a safe location.

Exercise caution removing snow or ice from your natural gas meter assembly. Use your hands or a broom, not a shovel, to brush away snow or ice from your meter and regulator. Never kick or hit your gas meter or its piping with a hammer or any hard object to break away built-up snow or ice.

To help customers stay safe and warm during winter weather, Nicor Gas offers the following natural gas safety tips:

Detecting Gas Leaks

• If you smell the rotten egg odor that is often associated with natural gas or suspect carbon monoxide is present, immediately leave the affected area and call 911 or the 24-hour emergency response line 888.Nicor4U (642.6748) from a safe location. Never try to identify the source of a leak yourself.
• If the odor of natural gas is present, do not use a telephone or cellphone in the area of the odor. Do not turn light switches on or off. Do not operate any appliance or do anything that might cause a spark, such as lighting a match.

Appliance Safety

• Never use natural gas appliances, such as ovens or burners on a stove, to heat your homes or businesses.
• Make sure your heating system, water heater and any other natural gas appliances are serviced and inspected annually by a qualified licensed professional.
• Do not use any defective natural gas appliance until it has been inspected, serviced and determined to be safe by a qualified plumber or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professional.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

• To ensure the safe, proper operation of natural gas appliances, such as a furnace or water heater, and to prevent the potentially hazardous buildup of carbon monoxide within your home or business, ensure that outdoor vent openings and air intakes are not obstructed by snow or ice.
• Keep gas-fueled generators outside in a vented space. Never run generators in a garage, carport, basement, crawl space or other enclosed or partially enclosed area even with ventilation.

The company is committed to keeping energy costs as low as possible while supporting its customers with bill payment assistance options and ways to save energy and money. Energy efficiency tools and resources give customers more control over their energy consumption and bill. Some of those efficiencies can start in the home – little changes can add up to big savings with these weatherization tips:

• Open window coverings during the day to allow sunlight to heat your home naturally, and close curtains at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
• Keep furniture, drapes, stuffed animals and other objects away from heating sources.
• Adjust timer controls and programmable thermostats. Some older thermostats may not have an internal clock and need to be adjusted manually.
• Caulk and weather strip drafty doors and windows. Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of window frames during cold winter months.
• Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting or electrical wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors and ceilings. Install insulated gaskets behind outlets and switch plates on exterior walls to prevent drafts.

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About Nicor Gas 
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), and serves 2.3 million customers in more than 650 communities across Northern Illinois. Ranked as a Most Trusted Utility Brand by Escalent, Nicor Gas is fueling customer choice, innovation, economic growth and a sustainable energy future. Nicor Gas is working to keep bills as low as possible as we continue providing access to clean, safe and reliable natural gas. For more information, visit nicorgas.com. 

Media Contact: 
Jennifer Golz 
jgolz@southernco.com