PG & E is missing 8 percent of the gas line safety records

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)-a California utility under fire for a deadly natural gas explosion in the vicinity of San Francisco is 8 percent of the most important security records for his high pressure pipelines, including for some segments along the line, the up, blew the company said Tuesday after an exhaustive search of the document required.State supervisory authorities has a proposal almost immediately force Pacific Gas & detailed security updates, including information offer Electric Co. over the utility work on routes with high risk in the next four years, prioritize was announced.The California public utilities Commission was also expected to decide, as soon as Wednesday whether PG & E should have to conduct driving expensive and time-consuming tests on its transmission that are performed by some of the most populated areas of Landes.Die September 9 blast in San Bruno lines sparked a massive fireball, killed eight people and destroyed three dozen houses in the quiet suburb with views of the San Francisco-Bay.PG & E their results after staging a massive operation in the last two weeks released, with employees sorting through piles of paper records within a hulking concert venue the company rented for the Job.Firma engineers, Estimators, Mapper, information technology specialists and managers - as well as a number of external contractors - went pulled out by more than 1.25 million individual gas transmission records of branch offices and storage Einrichtungen.PG & E spokesman Joe Molica not found confirmed the company of pressure tests for some sections of the line 132, but it not immediately clear, was in the cities of these segments."A total 10 percent of ageing were missing lines before 1961 test reports or how to install other documents with historical levels of pressure, 3 percent of the lines were from 1961 to 1970, PG & E found."While we're on our records have made validation, good progress, with the results are not yet satisfied and continue to search and check our files for additional pressure records and regular updates on our efforts to provide test "Said PG & E of President Chris Johns in a statement." providedHe said the company planned, pressure test or replace 150 miles of pipe, who either line or other similar properties San Bruno as old as that. The work will be carried out on 24 pipelines, he said other 435 km direction, including on a segment of the ruptured Linie.Das company also strict controls on one perform is where robotic devices called "smart pigs" by piping search for corrosion, Models and other problems are travel, he said.Federal investigators have PG & E's record-keeping since December, survey was the company's documents about the pipe 1956-era were wrong as first resulted in the National Transportation Safety Board.The pipeline was with interspersed seams, faults and inferior welds, although PG & E incorrectly identifies paperwork the pipe as a seamless, that is considered safe.In January the Government Commission launched PG & E and other utilities California records document the security of all of their lines to produce.State rules require pipeline operators up to date on print tests to keep records and any leaks to ensure that the pipes to the surrounding villages risk not to document."Consumer protection said, knowing customers deserve more of where the lines no records have been removed, and whether the company she was certainly active."Ninety-two percent sounds pretty good if you happen on the 8 per cent of life, the they not, records for, "said Mark Toney, executive Director of the San Francisco-based the utility reform network." "I think that people interested in knowing that is 8%."Republic Jackie Speier, Democrat California, that represents the area of San Bruno, said she was pleased with the progress made since the explosion, but questioned PG & E's reliance on documents with historical stress levels. "You said, not necessarily misuse welds or sloppy work on the pipes would identify."If you just say that you will display data records as five years have, what was the pressure in the course of time, I do not know whether this means that the level is safe, "Said Speier." "We now know that the pipe of San Bruno was lined, had a faulty weld, and probably other problems".The Commission is expected to PG & E's proposed decision require more frequent security updates next month send out vote.

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