PG&E Gas Lines: Could Belmont Face Same Threat as San Carlos?

Over the past few weeks, there has been quite a bit of media coverage and regional concern over a PG&E gas pipeline located in San Carlos.

Line 147 is a PG&E natural gas transmission line that runs between highways 101 and 280, primarily along Brittan Avenue, San Carlos's main east-west thoroughfare. On Oct. 4, the City of San Carlos declared a state of emergency in response to a series of internal emails from PG&E regarding the condition of line 147 in the aftermath of a leak repair.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has ordered that PG&E keep the pipeline shut down until CPUC staff can conduct an investigation to verify the safety of the utility's pipeline.

Could Belmont be facing a similar situation with its utility infrastructure?

According to Belmont City Manager Greg Scoles, "The city has been in contact with PG&E and requested that they provide us with additional information about the testing protocols for the gas lines in Belmont." (See Gas Pipeline Map for Belmont above, which shows the major transmission line along Old County Road, Shoreline, Sem Lane and Harbor Blvd.)

Scoles says that according to PG&E, this line had a successful hydrostatic pressure test this last July. There is also a distribution feeder main (not a major transmission line) in upper Ralston Avenue between Hwy. 280 and Alameda de las Pulgas.

PG&E has agreed to provide the City with the most recent safety inspections and maintenance that has been performed on these facilities, says Scoles.

PG&E provided the following links for more information regarding the San Carlos pipeline or Gas Pipeline Safety:  
San Carlos Pipeline is Safe; PG&E Takes Line 147 Out of Service per Court Order http://www.pge.com/myhome/edusafety/systemworks/gas/pipelinesafety/