PG&E Reduces Pressure Of At-Risk Gas Line In San Carlos
SAN CARLOS (KCBS)— City officials in San Carlos met with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Monday and decided, along with PG&E, to start de-pressuring a gas line considered to be at risk.
The city's police and fire departments along with the mayor, vice mayor, city attorney and city manager met in the morning, seeking assurances that line 147's safety is a top priority. The weld in the line is similar to the line in San Bruno that exploded three years ago, but the decision was to reduce the pressure to a low level rather than to turn it off completely.
"I don't know that the city is pleased with a two-thirds reduction. I'm sure that the city would rather have it at zero," said Mayor Bob Grassilli. "But from a practical standpoint of what's been explained to us by the engineers, is that this is a safe level."
PG&E Work To 'De-Pressurize' San Carlos Gas Line Should Be Completed By Monday Evening
The mayor said a CPUC representative was responsive and that the utility commission was studying the issue and are developing their options.
"They hope to have options available tomorrow sometime actually, which is surprising to me. I thought they were going to say weeks," Grassilli said.
A Redwood City judge ordered the reduction of the 20-inch gas line on Friday that runs under Brittan Avenue between Highways 101 and 280, after an internal PG&E email questioned the integrity of the line.
Work on the line should be completed by the end of Monday according to officials.
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