PUGET SOUND ENERGY

gas_distribution Incident — YELM, WA

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorPUGET SOUND ENERGY
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityYELM
StateWA
CountyTHURSTON
Coordinates46.92009, -122.56826

Cause

CauseEXCAVATION DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

PUGET SOUND ENERGY (PSE) RESPONDED TO A BROKEN 2"" PE GAS DISTRIBUTION MAIN IN YELM WA ON OCTOBER 31ST 2018. PSE WAS ONSITE AT 14:14 AND FOUND THAT THE LEAK WAS UNDER HARD SURFACE IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE SITUATION WAS CONTROLLED WHEN THE LEAK WAS UNCOVERED AND THE MAIN SQUEEZED AT 18:18. DUE TO NO CUSTOMERS DOWNSTREAM OF THE BREAK THE LINE WAS NOT BYPASSED, PSE CONTRACTOR INFRASOURCE COMPLETED THE FINAL REPAIR BY REPLACING 6' OF 2"" PE MAIN AND THE LINE WAS PURGED BACK INTO SERVICE AT 20:00. THE FINAL REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT $128,000.00. THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED WHEN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONTRACTOR HIT THE MAIN WITH A DIRECTIONAL DRILL. THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CONTRACTOR HAD AN ACTIVE LOCATE TICKET, BUT THE MAIN WAS NOT MARKED IN THE LOCATION WHERE THE PIPELINE WAS HIT. PSE FINDS THAT THE DAMAGE WAS A RESULT OF INACCURATE LOCATES BY THE LOCATING COMPANY ELM UTILITY SERVICES.

About This Pipeline Incident

Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.

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