The following is a press release issued by Pacific Gas and Electric:
As part of our commitment to providing customers with safe and reliable natural gas service, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will be conducting an internal inspection of our natural gas pipelines in the Willits and Redwood Valley areas. These In-Line Inspections are done throughout our natural gas system to support the ongoing safe and reliable delivery of natural gas. The work will take place near Baechtel Road and East Hill Road in Willits, and south of the intersection of West Road and East Road in Redwood Valley. We do not expect any disruption to natural gas service for customers while the work is conducted.
In-Line-Inspection (ILI) technology is PG&E’s preferred method of inspecting our natural gas pipelines. The inspection process, used throughout the gas pipeline industry, uses an innovative tool known as a Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG) that travels through the pipeline looking for potential issues that can occur over time, such as dents and corrosion. This is a preferred inspection method because it does not require any digging and minimizes impacts to traffic. Before the inspection begins, temporary devices will be installed to maintain the flow of gas, which propel the tool through the pipeline. These devices also help reduce gas emissions and the risk of unplanned interruptions to customers’ gas service.
Beginning in May and lasting through September 2023, PG&E will be in the area conducting these safety inspections. During this time, customers may observe crews, trucks and other equipment while work is staged and conducted. We expect work will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
As part of our safety work, we will be storing compressed natural gas (CNG) at several locations along the pipeline and one of them will be at the Willits location. The CNG will be stored in above ground tanks. CNG tanks are specially designed and engineered to contain the gas safely at between 3,000 to 3,600 pounds per square inch. These natural gas cylinders have also passed through stringent federal safety standards and thorough impact testing to ensure its integrity in the unlikely event of collision or other accidents. CNG is non-toxic. This means there are no poisonous ingredients in it that can be absorbed into the blood once inhaled. It also doesn’t contaminate the earth and water.
Since 2011, PG&E has been rigorously inspecting, replacing, and modernizing pipelines to proactively ensure the safety and reliability of its gas system. Some of the newer technologies applied to the gas system include remote-control and automatic shut-off valves that can stop the flow of gas faster in an emergency, and highly sensitive methane detection sensors that can track microscopic emissions.
In other words PGE is still working on the pipe lines that were disrupted because of the fire they caused in 2017and the following rebuilds.