CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP., DBA CENTERPOINT ENERGY MINNESOTA GAS

Incident Narrative

AS OF MAY 19, 2020 CENTERPOINT ENERGY HAS COMPLETED ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT AT 14218 PARK AVE IN BURNSVILLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED CENTERPOINT ENERGY'S FACILITIES WERE NOT AT FAULT, THE NATURAL GAS SERVICE LINE WAS DAMAGED BY A TORCH USED BY THE ELECTRIC COMPANY REPAIRING THE ELECTRIC SERVICE TO 14218 PARK AVE RESULTING IN THE RELEASE AND IGNITION OF NATURAL GAS. ON MAY 6, 2019, A CONTRACTOR DAMAGED THE ELECTRIC SERVICE WHILE INSTALLING A COMMUNICATIONS LINE TO 14218 PARK AVE IN BURNSVILLE. DAKOTA ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION WAS NOTIFIED AND SENT A CREW TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED ELECTRIC SERVICE AND THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE ELECTRIC SERVICE WAS BEING REPAIRED. CENTERPOINT'S FIRST RESPONDER AND REPAIR CREW WERE NOTIFIED AT 20:42 AND THE REPAIR CREW WAS ONSITE AT 21:30. CENTERPOINT'S REPAIR CREW SHUT THE MAIN DOWN LOSING 6 CUSTOMERS AT 22:16. A LEAK INVESTIGATION WAS PERFORMED AND DID NOT FIND ANY GAS READINGS NEAR THE EXCAVATION, NEAR THE FOUNDATIONS OF ADJACENT BUILDINGS OR SEWER STRUCTURES. THE SERVICE LINE WAS CAPPED A FEW FEET FROM THE EXCAVATION WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AND PRESSURED TESTED TO COMPANY STANDARDS. THE PRESSURE TEST VERIFIED THE SERVICE LINE WAS NOT COMPROMISED AND WAS WITNESSED BY VICA LIVSHUTZ OF MNOPS. ON MAY 29TH, 2019 WITH ALL PARTIES IN ATTENDANCE THE REMAINING SERVICE WAS TESTED. THE FIRST AIR TEST CONFIRMED THE INTEGRITY OF THE SERVICE LINE UP TO THE DAMAGED AREA WAS NOT COMPROMISED. A SECOND PRESSURE TEST FROM THE DAMAGED AREA TO THE SERVICE RISER DID NOT HOLD AIR, DUE TO A HOLE IN THE SERVICE LINE NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD DAKOTA ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION INSTALLED DURING THE ELECTRIC SERVICE REPAIR. ALL AIR TESTS WERE PERFORMED TO COMPANY STANDARDS. AS OF JULY 11, 2019, THE FIRE INVESTIGATION AT 14218 PARK AVE IS STILL IN PROGRESS AND CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED, BUT CENTERPOINT ENERGY BELIEVES ITS FACILITIES WERE NOT AT FAULT FOR THE INCIDENT.