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PG&E Faces Pressure to Disclose Location, Condition of Big Gas Lines
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The pressure continues to get Pacific Gas & Electric to reveal the location of it major natural gas pipelines in the aftermath of the San Bruno explosion and fire.
PG&E has routinely declined to say where the pipes are, citing security reasons. But in the wake of last week's disaster, the utility now says it may provide some information to individual homeowners.
Consumer advocates are also pressing PG&E to disclose the condition of its major pipelines.
"PG&E submits reports on their inspections to the federal agency and they should make the results of those reports public," said Marcel Hawiger, an attorney with the Utility Reform Network.
PG&E did not return calls for comment.
Meanwhile, California Senators Boxer and Feinstein are calling on federal regulators to provide more information about the state's pipeline system, the location of pipes, their age, details of upgrades, and their inspection history.
State legislators are considering what steps to take to lessen the possibility of another gas pipeline explosion in the state.
It took PG&E more than two hours to shut off the natural gas feeding the flames following the San Bruno explosion last Thursday.
State Senator Leeland Yee says an automatic shut-off system would have helped firefighters tackle the blaze.
"There's just absolutely no reason why there should not have been a shut off valve so that you can cut off the gas, stop the fire and then save a lot of lives," Yee said.
