PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

ON MARCH 15, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 0256 HOURS, PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC (PG&E) WAS NOTIFIED THAT A THIRD PARTY EXCAVATOR, ATAZZ TECHNICAL SERVICES, WAS BORING UNDER EAST SHAW AVENUE IN FRESNO AND STRUCK A 6-INCH STEEL GAS DISTRIBUTION FEEDER MAIN (DFM) 1202-09, RESULTING IN A RELEASE OF GAS. PG&ES GAS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (GSR) ARRIVED ON SITE AT 0310 HOURS AND GAS SERVICE WAS SHUT OFF TO TWO NEARBY COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. PG&E CREWS STOPPED THE FLOW OF GAS AT 0349 HOURS ON MARCH 16, 2013 BY WELDING TWO PRESSURE CONTROL FITTINGS ONTO THE 6-INCH LINE. THE EXCAVATOR WAS OPERATING UNDER AN EXPIRED USA TICKET (#037122) AND DID NOT REQUEST A PG&E STANDBY FOR THE EXCAVATION WORK. PERMANENT REPAIRS TO THE DFM WERE COMPLETED BY REMOVING THE DAMAGED SECTION AND WELDING ON A NEW PUP. THE PIPE WAS PUT INTO SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 HOURS ON MARCH 16, 2013 AND THE TWO CUSTOMERS WHO EXPERIENCED SERVICE INTERRUPTION WERE RESTORED AT 1111 HOURS ON MARCH 18, 2013. OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, THE AREA WAS BLOCKED OFF, NEIGHBORING BUILDINGS WERE EVACUATED AND EAST SHAW AVE WAS CLOSED TO TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO FATALITIES AND NO IGNITION AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. THE VOLUME OF GAS UNINTENTIONALLY RELEASED WAS LESS THAN 3 MILLION CUBIC FEET. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE CPUC AND DOT BECAUSE THE COST OF DAMAGES IS IN EXCESS OF $50,000.