Propane Supply Chain Emergency Conditions Update 2/7

Here is the latest info we have on the current state of emergency in North Carolina's propane supply chain.

A huge spike in calls for propane delivery, combined with back-to-back winter storms and arctic air, has every propane company in the state struggling to keep up and running behind on deliveries.

It's not just us; it is every major company.

An official emergency has been declared, which means our propane truck drivers do not get the recommended ten-hour breaks between their sixteen-hour shifts,16-hour trying to safely resupply as many tanks on their route as possible.

If you see a propane truck driver, be kind to them. These men and women are working 16 hour shifts in and out of their trucks every few minutes in potential frost-bite conditions. If your propane delivery takes longer than we would hope, it is not their fault.

Many deliveries are taking place at 8:30pm or even 2:30am. They tried to fill as many tanks as possible before the snow and ice started falling with each storm, and then the trucks were taken off the roads for safety concerns for several days each time.

All the major companies have called in more workers from other parts of the country that were not as heavily impacted by these winter storms to try to help us catch up on the backlog.

Online feedback and complaints are coming in for every major company. Some deliveries are running two weeks from the time of order. It depends on where you live and when you called in your order during the storm order surge.

From what we can tell, after several mild winters, many propane customers hoped they could ride this one out, but then decided to order all at once when Winter Storm Fern threatened a statewide ice and snowstorm.

The phone lines at propane companies across NC started ringing off the hook Jan 20-23 in the run-up to winter storm Fern, which started Sat. Jan 24.

NC Discount Propane received more calls and emails for delivery that week than any prior week in our company's six-year history serving Carolina propane customers. We've put everyone who called or emailed for a delivery into the queue and are working daily to get everyone taken care of as soon as possible.

Then the propane trucks had to be pulled off the roads for most of the state Sat Jan 24,; through Tuesday, Jan 27, before these large trucks could move safely again.

And the orders kept piling into every propane company as the next Winter Storm was forecast to hit on Sat. Jan 31. The entire propane supply chain was overwhelmed and log-jammed, but the propane is still flowing and most of our customers who ordered are in the green for now or can expect a truck at any time.

I was just emailing back and forth with one of our customers up near Banner Elk where they got a foot of snow and the truck pulled up as we were exchanging information.

And even the large tanker trucks that resupply heavy industries, storage stations, and fill stations are running behind too... not just the residential bobtail trucks. At one point, many of the small cylinder propane fill locations were completely out of propane.

Again, the trucks rolled late into the night, filling every tank they could before much of our state was covered in a foot of snow, taking the trucks off the roads again Jan 31- Tues Feb. 3.

While many of our orders are being filled the same week, we have some customers (about five left of the 17 orders placed that day) who ordered propane on 1/23, who we hope to resupply soon.

Thankfully, we have some warmer weather forecast next Tuesday and Wednesday, and Im watching our delivery queue closely and doing all I can every day, long hours, seven days a week to get our NC Discount Propane customers resupplied.

Please monitor your tanks and the weather closely. Many people found themselves in a lurch because they ordered late and low because the cold temps burned more propane than they are used to.

We ask for your patience and understanding.

A real winter came calling this year, and we are all scrambling to catch up!

Please only order more propane if your tank is under 50% at this time, don't let it go below 40% without ordering. That is the best order window for success at this time 40-50% orders.

If you have placed an order with NC Discount Propne that is not delivered yet, please try to conserve fuel, have safe backup heating plans in place, and let us know right away if your tank drops below 15% while you are awaiting resupply.

Every propane company serving North Carolina customers should make a lot of ground catching up on our outstanding orders this coming week.

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, please email me at bill@ncdiscountpropane.com or call 919-263-9061, and we will do all we can to help you through this difficult time.

Stay safe & warm,

Bill

NC Discount Propane

(919) 263-9061

Bill@NCdiscountPropane.com

14460 Falls of Neuse Rd., Suite 149114

Raleigh, NC 27614