PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

ON MAY 29, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 1105 HOURS, PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC (PG&E) WAS NOTIFIED THAT A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR, AIKEN UNDERGROUND, STRUCK A 4-INCH PLASTIC GAS DISTRIBUTION MAIN WITH A BACKHOE WHILE DIGGING TO INSTALL A UTILITY LINE. THE CONTRACTOR HELD A VALID USA TICKET (#0189976) FOR THE AREA WHERE THE MAIN WAS STRUCK AND THE GAS FACILITIES WERE PROPERLY LOCATED AND MARKED, BUT THE CONTRACTOR FAILED TO HAND DIG, EXPOSE AND PROTECT THE GAS MAIN WHILE EXCAVATING. THE FLOW OF GAS WAS STOPPED AT 1429 HOURS BY DIGGING AND SQUEEZING IN TWO LOCATIONS: ONE WAS ON THE 4-INCH PLASTIC MAIN AND THE OTHER WAS ON A CONNECTED 6-INCH STEEL MAIN. EIGHT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCED GAS SERVICE INTERRUPTION. SERVICE WAS RESTORED AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 HOURS ON MAY 30, 2014. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, FATALITIES, OR IGNITION AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT AND THE RELEASE OF GAS IS ESTIMATED TO BE LESS THAN 3 MMCF. THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE CPUC DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MAJOR BAY AREA NEWS MEDIA ON SCENE AT 1230 HOURS. PG&E RECENTLY DETERMINED THAT DAMAGES RELATING TO THIS INCIDENT EXCEED $50,000. THE HIGHER THAN AVERAGE COSTS WERE DUE TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS INCLUDING THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE AND THE SIZE AND TYPE MAINS INVOLVED. PG&E NOTIFIED THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER ON JULY 31, 2014.