PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 HOURS AT 1446 HECKMAN WAY IN SAN JOSE, WATER ENTERED A 3/4-INCH STEEL GAS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE LINE, CAUSING GAS SERVICE INTERRUPTION TO 67CUSTOMERS. THE NIGHT PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, A TREE BRANCH FELL ON A 12KV PRIMARY ELECTRICAL LINE CAUSING THE LINE TO SAG AND CONTACT THE 120V SECONDARY LINE CREATING A SURGE ON THE SECONDARY LINE. THE SURGE WENT TO GROUND THROUGH THE WATER LINE CREATING A HOLE IN THE 1-INCH COPPER POTABLE WATER LINE AND CAUSED A HIGH PRESSURE WATER STREAM. THE ELECTIC FAULT CURRENT ALSO DAMAGED THE STEEL GAS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE LINE NEARBY, RESULTING IN A RELEASE OF GAS AND ALLOWING AN ENTRY POINT FOR WATER INTO THE GAS SYSTEM. GSRS WERE ON SCENE AT 0945 HRS AND SHUT OFF GAS SERVICES AT THE RISER VALVES TO AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. PG&E CREWS WERE ON SCENE AT 1200 HOURS AND STOPPED THE FLOW OF GAS AT 1230 HOURS. AT 1255 HOURS AN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WAS OPENED TO HELP IDENTIFY THE SCOPE OF THE INCIDENT, COORDINATE THE SHUT-IN AND RESTORE GAS SERVICE TO THE AFFECTED CUSTOMERS ALONG WITH OTHER COORDINATION ACTIVITIES. ALL 67 CUSTOMERS WERE READY TO HAVE GAS SERVICE RESTORED ON JUNE 7, 2012 AT 0900 HOURS. FOUR CAN'T GET IN (CGI) NOTICES WERE LEFT AT THE RESIDENT'S HOME AND THE REMAINING CUSTOMERS HAD GAS SERVICE RESTORED ON JUNE 7, 2012 AT 2030 HOURS. THE FOUR CGIS WERE RESTORED WHEN THE RESIDENTS CALLED FOR SERVICE RESTORATION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES AND NO IGNITION. DAMAGES TO COMPANY PROPERTY ARE LESS THAN $50,000. THE EVENT WAS REPORTED TO THE DOT AND CPUC BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EVENT.