Xcel asks all Minnesota customers to reduce their natural gas consumption until Thursday morning

RELATED: Xcel Energy asks some customers in Minnesota to lower the thermostat and reduce the use of natural gas

According to a statement released Wednesday by the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office, significant pressure on the Xcel system caused instability that disrupted service on Tuesday night in Baldwin Township.

Wednesday afternoon, Xcel asked all customers to reduce their thermostat to 63h or 21h Thursday or later.

"This step can help ensure that all our customers continue to benefit from the gas service during this extremely cold weather," says a company statement.

Xcel's customers in the Baldwin Township area and surrounding communities such as Becker, Big Lake, Princeton, Chisago City, Cambridge and Isanti were previously invited to conserve natural gas.

Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for Xcel told residents affected by the disruption of the service to be offered hotel rooms booked by the company.

Xcel: AmericanInn in Princeton, CountyInn in Elk River, Super 8 in Rogers, America: Best Value in Big Lake, Best Western in Monticello and Rum River Hotel in Princeton as available hotels.

George Harapat and his wife accepted four of the heaters provided by Xcel to keep their pipes hot at home while they spent the night at the hotel.

"I've never had to do this before and I think it's a very good idea," he said. "I do not know what I would have done without them."