NORTHERN INDIANA PUBLIC SERVICE CO

Incident Narrative

"NIPSCO CONTRACTED WITH CAMPOS EPC TO COMPLETE ENGINEERING WORK FOR A FUTURE NIPSCO TRANSMISSION MAINLINE REPLACEMENT. CAMPOS EPC SUBCONTRACTED WITH TERRA TESTING LLC TO COMPLETE SOIL SAMPLING ANALYSIS AS PART OF ITS ENGINEERING WORK. TERRA TESTING LLC REQUESTED A LOCATE TICKET ON 11/30/23. NIPSCO WAS ONLY ABLE TO LOCATE A PORTION OF THE SCOPE OF THE LOCATE REQUEST DUE TO ACCESS ISSUES ON THE PROPERTY. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INDIANA DIG LAW 8-1-26-18(K), NIPSCO PROVIDED NOTIFICATION TO TERRA TESTING VIA MULTIPLE PHONE CALLS AND POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE EXCAVATOR THAT NIPSCO WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE LOCATE REQUEST DUE TO ACCESS ISSUES ON THE PROPERTY. THESE NOTIFICATIONS WERE MADE ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 12/4/23, 12/5/23, 12/8/23, 12/14/23 (10:27AM PHONE CALL). DUE TO ACCESS ISSUES WITH THE PROPERTY, TERRA TESTING LLC WAS INFORMED NOT TO EXCAVATE THE AREA AND AGREED TO THIS ON 12/14/23, DURING THE REFERENCED 10:27AM PHONE CALL WITH NIPSCO. ON 12/14/2023 (AT 11:38 AM), A TERRA TESTING LLC CREW STRUCK AN UNMARKED SECTION OF 12"" STEEL HIGH PRESSURE TRANSMISSION MAIN WITH VERTICAL SOIL BORING EQUIPMENT. TERRA TESTING LLC DID NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION FROM NIPSCO TO START EXCAVATION. UPDATE 02/05/2024 NIPSCO REPAIRED THE PIPE AFTER ISOLATING THE DAMAGED SECTION. ISOLATION OCCURRED WITH A 12"" LINE VALVE UTILIZED TO THE SOUTH OF THE DAMAGE, AND A 12"" STOPPLE FITTING INSTALLED TO THE NORTH. ONCE ISOLATED, THE DAMAGED PORTION OF PIPE WAS CUT OUT AND A NEW SECTION WAS WELDED IN PLACE. IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION DAMAGE FROM OCCURRING IN THE FUTURE, AND WHERE POSSIBLE, WE PLAN TO POST ""DO NOT DIG"" SIGNS IN THE PROPOSED AREA OF EXCAVATION THAT CANNOT BE LOCATED. THESE SIGNS INCLUDE THE COMPANY NAME AND LOCATOR PHONE NUMBER. THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE REQUIRED NOTIFICATION TO THE REQUESTOR OF THE LOCATE."