Judge: Test Or Replace Vulnerable Gas Pipes

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) -- A state administrative judge has issued a plan that would require Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and all gas transmission pipeline operators to conduct pressure tests or replace pieces of their pipeline that have not already been tested.

A California Public Utilities Commission judge issued the proposal on Tuesday, but it still needs approval by the commission before taking effect.

If approved the plan would require all segments of the state's gas transmission system -- like the one that exploded in San Bruno, Calif., last year -- to be pressure tested or replaced.

The explosion last year killed eight people, injured dozens and sparked a fireball that consumed 38 homes.

The testing of high-pressure gas pipelines has become an issue in the San Bruno investigation after PG&E was not able to locate testing records for some of its pipe segments.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)