Pacific Gas and Electric Co. failed to check nearly 14 miles of gas distribution pipelines for leaks for up to two decades when it lost track of 16 maps needed to guide mandated safety inspections of its system in eastern Contra Costa County, company officials acknowledged to state regulators Friday.
A rushed leak survey of the previously ignored areas completed this week turned up 22 leaks, one of which was considered an immediate danger at an unidentified location in Pittsburg, company officials said.
PG&E also admitted it had violated federal law that requires inspections every five years on gas distribution lines. Lines covered by the 16 maps had never been checked and were installed as long ago as 1992.
Exactly how the maps were lost is unclear and it appears these are paper plat maps. PG&E is already in hot water after an explosion in San Bruno, CA in 2010. It's also been in trouble because leak crews were incentivized when reporting fewer rather than more leaks in recent years.
- SFGate
