CA utility speeding up natural gas repairs
August 7, 2014 | By
Barbara Vergetis Lundin
By the end of 2014, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will have replaced all 2,243 miles of its cast iron gas distribution pipe, which can be prone to leaks, with new modern materials -- making PG&E one of the first utilities of comparable size and age to complete such an action. The utility, which already ranks in the nation's top 10 percent in maintaining a small number of minor leaks in its backlog, says it will also achieve a near-zero backlog by the end of 2014.
Efforts such as these are part of PG&E's comprehensive program to identify, fix and prevent natural gas leaks to enhance public safety. As the operator of the second largest gas transmission and distribution system in the country, PG&E has made significant progress in accelerating leak repair and prevention across its 80,000-mile natural gas system. For example, by the end of 2013, PG&E achieved a 99 percent reduction of minor leaks -- from 12,500 to 150. Addressing minor leaks in their backlogs are common challenges for utilities across the country, but by implementing the an "all of the above" approach to finding, fixing and preventing gas leaks, PG&E was able to make industry-leading progress. "We are using all of the resources at our disposal to find and fix leaks on our gas system," said Nick Stavropoulos, executive vice president of PG&E's Gas Operations. "We're giving our crews state-of-the-art tools and technology, and enhancing the way leak survey and repair work is performed using a bundled methodology. This aggressive and proactive approach allows us to accelerate the repairs of even more minor, non-hazardous leaks that pose no threat to safety, but may contribute to global warming." PG&E's leak detection program includes continuous surveys by foot, vehicle, air and water across a 70,000-square mile area in Central and Northern California. The success of the leak detection program is driven by investments in the latest technologies, such as PG&E's state-of-art gas control center, which opened last year. Additionally, PG&E was the first utility in the country to test, pilot and deploy a car-mounted leak detection system 1,000 times more sensitive than traditional equipment -- providing the ability to identify leaks faster and more efficiently. The company is also using enhanced pipeline inspection technology, such as camera-equipped robots, and giving employees enhanced training and skills to help prevent leaks. For more:
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