PG&E Reveals 38 Gas Pipeline Leaks
SAN MATEO (KCBS/AP) - PG&E revealed in a report submitted to the Public Utilities Commission on Monday that it found 38 leaks in 6,700 miles of gas pipeline surveyed after the deadly gas pipe explosion in San Bruno.
KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:
PG&E said it did not find immediate safety issues with the 16 miles of pipeline in the San Bruno area, but it did discover leaks elsewhere.
The Sept. 9 blast killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes.
Four of the 38 leaks required immediate action and were found near populated areas.
One of the four leaks, near Highway 99 in Gridley, required replacement of a pipe segment. Three were repaired by tightening bolts or greasing a valve.
The 34 other leaks were found on distribution lines, the smaller pipes that take gas to customers. All were repaired.
A day after PG&E submitted the report to the PUC regarding its entire gas pipeline network, executives met with local San Mateo County leaders in an effort to restore a sense of confidence in the utility and its network of pipes entrenched in the peninsula community.
KCBS' Holly Quan Reports:
Despite the face-to-face, many questions remained unanswered. Primarily, officials and elected leaders sought - but got no answers - about what caused the transmission line to explode in San Bruno last month.
According to the report, the entire network of lines in San Mateo County was deemed unpiggable, which translated into inspectors being unable to check the lines' integrity from the inside - which was considered the most reliable way - because the pipes differed in size, in various places.
Rep. Jackie Speier deemed that to be one of the more disturbing facts to come to light.
"For us to have real confidence about the integrity of the pipelines through San Mateo County, that would really require pressure testing, which can be done but has not been done for the most part in San Mateo County."
PG&E's vice president for gas operations met with Speier Tuesday. Peninsula Assemblyman Jerry Hill and close to one dozen Peninsula city mayors also attended the meeting, though PG&E declined to comment after its conclusion.
Hill expressed concern about the 35 San Francisco and San Mateo County hospitals listed in Monday's report, which indicated the facilities could be forced to cut back on natural gas use this winter because PG&E was running limited amounts of gas through its peninsula pipelines as a safety precaution.
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