PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 1424 HOURS A FARMER RIPPING A FIELD WEST OF MODESTO STRUCK TRANSMISSION PIPELINE L-148 AT MILE POINT 10.85, RESULTING IN A RELEASE OF GAS. THE EXCAVATOR DID NOT COMPLY WITH EXCAVATION DAMAGE PREVENTION REGULATIONS BY FAILING TO CALL USA PRIOR TO PERFORMING FIELD EXCAVATIONS. PIPELINE MARKERS WERE IN PLACE. PG&E PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 1500 HOURS. THE FLOW OF GAS WAS CONTROLLED AT 1630 HOURS BY REDUCING THE PIPELINE PRESSURE FROM 318 PSIG TO 60 PSIG, AND THE FLOW OF GAS WAS STOPPED AT 2330 HOURS BY CLOSING AN UPSTREAM VALVE AND A DOWNSTREAM VALVE. PG&E REPLACED THIS DAMAGED SECTION OF PIPE WITH 8-INCH, 0.188-INCH WALL THICKNESS, X-52, HFW PIPE; THESE PERMANENT REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AT 0730 HOURS ON NOVEMBER 11, 2012. PG&E WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SERVICE TO THIRTY-FIVE CUSTOMERS WITH THE TEMPORARY INSTALLATION OF COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS. TWENTY-FIVE OTHER CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCED GAS SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS AND ALL TWENTY-FIVE SERVICES WERE RESTORED BY 1200 HOURS ON NOVEMBER 11, 2012. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, NO FATALITIES AND NO IGNITION AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE DOT AND CPUC DUE TO COST OF DAMAGES GREATER THAN $50,000 AND AN UNINTENTIONAL RELEASE OF GAS GREATER THAN 3 MMCF.