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Pipeline safety staff report two state-reportable incidents; contractor excavations cut service for 116 customers
Summary
Gas pipeline safety staff reported 60 inspections in February, nine enforcement letters citing 19 noncompliance items, and two state-reportable incidents: a Feb. 4 fiber-boring strike in Tuscumbia and a Feb. 19 bulldozer strike in Russellville that cut service to about 116 people for roughly 10 hours; staff said enforcement is generally pursued by the operator and that the commission recommends operators pursue recovery when contractors lack 811 tickets.
Randall Hands, senior pipeline safety investigator, told the commission that pipeline safety staff conducted 60 inspections in February (using 117 in-person inspection days) covering construction, standard and follow-up inspections, operator qualification sessions and other activities. From those inspections nine enforcement letters were issued citing 19 non-compliance items; nine of those items were corrected during February.
Hands reported two state-reportable incidents: on Feb. 4 the Tuscumbia Gas Department had a directional-boring contractor strike about 4 feet of main that required replacement; an active 811 dig ticket was present. On Feb. 19 a contractor using a bulldozer struck a 4-inch plastic main at a site in Russellville, causing roughly 116 customers to lose service for approximately 10 hours; about 6 feet of main was replaced and the contractor did not have an 811 ticket.
When commissioners asked what staff does in cases where a contractor lacks an 811 ticket, Hands said staff recommends that the affected utility pursue cost recuperation from the contractor and follow up to prevent recurrence, but that staff does not "force anybody" into specific penalties and that enforcement in these cases is typically handled by the operator.
The commission did not take further enforcement action in the meeting record; staff characterized its role as investigative and advisory and encouraged utilities to pursue remedial action against excavators when appropriate.
