PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 1245 HOURS ON MAY 6, 2015 WHILE CONDUCTING GAS TRANSMISSION ASSESSMENT WORK, A PG&E CREW SMELLED GAS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF GARDEN HIGHWAY AND LINCOLN ROAD IN YUBA CITY. A PG&E GAS CONSTRUCTION CREW EXCAVATED THE GAS FACILITY TO DETERMINE THE LEAK SOURCE. A LEAK ON DFM 1501-01 WAS DISCOVERED ON THE GIRTH WELD AT 2359 HOURS ON MAY 6, 2015. PG&E ISOLATED AND DE-PRESSURIZED A SECTION OF THE DFM BY APPROXIMATELY 0045 HOURS ON MAY 7, 2015. A 5-FOOT SECTION OF PIPE (WITH THE LEAK) WAS CUT OUT AND REPLACED WITH PRE-TESTED PIPE. THE LINE WAS PUT BACK IN SERVICE BY 0530 HOURS, ON MAY 7, 2015. DURING THE INCIDENT, THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES, AND THERE WAS NO IGNITION OF THE GAS. NO MEDIA WAS PRESENT. PG&E PROVIDED CNG TO THE CUSTOMERS SERVED OFF THIS SECTION OF THE DFM, THUS NO CUSTOMERS LOST GAS SERVICE DURING THE INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER AND THE CPUC WHEN ESTIMATED DAMAGES WERE DETERMINED TO LIKELY TO EXCEED $50,000. THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK ORIGINATED FROM THE GIRTH WELD CRACK, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE CAUSED BY DUCTILE OVERLOAD AT A LOCATION WHERE INCOMPLETE FUSION, AND INCOMPLETE PENETRATION WERE PRESENT.