CPUC: Gas Pressure in Line 132 May Be 'Slightly' Increased

The gas pressure in Line 132 could be "slightly" increased this winter to make sure facilities such as hospitals and schools in San Francisco and on the Peninsula can operate, the California Public Utilities Commission said today.

The commission voted unanimously to give authority to CPUC President Michael Peevey to allow Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to increase the pressure in the pipeline, which exploded Sept. 9 in the Crestmoor neighborhood, if the utility can't deliver enough gas to all of its customers when the temperature drops.

Following the Crestmoor fire, Peevey ordered PG&E to reduce the gas pressure in Line 132 by 20 percent. And PG&E said in a report Monday that it might have to alter the gas pressure in some areas so that the gas being delivered to residential areas can be maintained at a safe level in the winter months.

"I expect not to have to exercise this authority," Peevey said at a CPUC hearing this morning in San Francisco. "Our highest priority is for PG&E to be able meet its needs without any increase in the pressure on 132."

Peevey reaffirmed that he wouldn't allow PG&E to rebuild the Crestmoor neighborhood pipeline, which left eight people dead, and that the utility would have to find another route for it.

But he said hospitals in San Francisco and other facilities that serve a large number of people could be at risk of shutting down if the gas pressure in the pipeline drops below a certain level.

The resolution that the commission approved today essentially gives Peevey "backstop authority," which means he would authorize the increase in gas pressure only if was it deemed necessary and only after seeking expert opinion.

He said he still anticipates that the gas pressure in Line 132 may need to be "slightly" increased because it is "absolutely necessary" to ensure that gas is delivered safely to all PG&E customers in the region.

Kathy DeRenzi, the neighborhood advocate for the residents affected by the Crestmoor fire who was at the meeting, said she was pleased with the decision. But she was still concerned with knowing that the gas pressure in the pipeline could be increased "because we already know the risks."

"Until they know what caused the explosion, they shouldn't increase the pressure," DeRenzi said. "But I feel a little better knowing that they're going to get an expert opinion."

State Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-Mateo, who was also at the meeting, said he was most concerned with the fact that PG&E was considering curtailing the gas supply to 35 hospitals in San Francisco and throughout San Mateo County because those facilities should never have to be compromised. He said he would look into why that is the case.

The CPUC also adopted a resolution at the hearing granting PG&E permission to cover the utility bills of the residents affected by the fire.