Press Release

PUC to Weigh Comments on $5,000 Settlement with Dominion Peoples

Published on 3/1/2012

Filed under: Gas

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today issued for comment a settlement with Dominion Peoples over an informal investigation into an incident involving a contractor striking a public utility service line.   

The Commission voted 5-0 to issue the settlement between the PUC’s independent Prosecutory Staff and Dominion Peoples for comment.

The settlement follows an investigation into a Jan. 5, 2010, incident which involved damage to a service line, owned by Dominion Peoples in Pittsburgh.

The PUC’s independent Prosecutory Staff alleged that Dominion Peoples violated PUC regulations and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Code for not being able to track communication with the contractor that was excavating the area of the service line.  The contractor hit Peoples’ line during a house demolition causing a leak.  Due to the contractor’s subsequent improper actions, a fire resulted. There were no injuries from the leak or fire.

Under the proposed settlement, Dominion Peoples will pay a $5,000 civil penalty and change its practices and procedures to ensure that service requests received by fax are entered into the company’s customer and billing information system when received and thereby are included in the service work queue.  The civil penalty cannot be recovered from consumers, according to the settlement.

Interested parties have 20 days to comment on the proposed settlement.

Dominion Peoples provides natural gas service to about 360,000 homes in Mercer, Franklin, Lawrence, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Butler, Allegheny, Fayette, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Clarion, Indiana, Somerset, Cambria and Blair counties.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities to ensure safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protect the public interest; educate consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; further economic development; and foster new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.  For recent news releases, audio of select Commission proceedings or more information about the PUC, visit our website at www.puc.state.pa.us.

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Docket Number M-2011-2157955

Contact:

• Denise McCracken
  Senior Communications Specialist
  717-787-5722
  demccracken@pa.gov