Press Release

PUC Seeks Public Comment on Settlement with Columbia Gas Concerning Welding Issues at Regulator Station in Beaver County

Published on 12/5/2024

Filed under: Gas

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today voted to seek public comment on a proposed settlement concerning welding issues and in-service repairs that were discovered in October 2021 at a Columbia Gas regulator station in Beaver County.

The Commission voted 5-0 to seek comment from interested parties regarding the joint settlement presented by Columbia Gas and the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E).  The proposed settlement will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, and that publication will begin a 25-day comment period.

The proposed settlement addresses issues related to the discovery by I&E engineering staff of evidence of a weld “burn-through” on one of the welds at a Columbia Gas regulator station located in Rochester, Beaver County. A burn-through occurs when excessive penetration has caused the weld puddle to be blown into the pipe, leaving an open hole or cavity.

Additionally, I&E learned that the welder for a Columbia Gas contractor who was performing the work at the Rochester Station had attempted to repair the burn-through while the pipeline was in service and operating, and that repair had remained in service for approximately four months before it was discovered.  Soon after that discovery, the regulator station was taken out of service so proper repairs could be performed.

As a result of their investigation, I&E alleged that Columbia Gas failed to have procedures and processes in place to address how to repair a burn-through and whether the repair work can be performed while a pipeline is in service. 

The joint settlement calls for Columbia Gas to pay a $9,000 civil penalty, which will not be recovered as part of any future ratemaking proceeding and will not be tax deductible.

The settlement also includes a series of corrective actions and procedural changes by Columbia Gas, including:

• The development of procedures related to welding burn-throughs and in-service repairs.
  
  
• Amendments to the Columbia Gas Welding Manual to include procedures related to the revocation of welder qualifications.
  
  
• The retraining and requalification of the welder involved in this incident, along with a listing of all project jobs on which this welder completed welds and the inspection of a sampling of those welds.
  
  
• The issuance of an advisory bulletin and updates to company and contractor personnel about burn-throughs and in-service welding.
  
  
• Amendments to quality assurance and quality control practices.
  
  
• Conducting a causal analysis for pipeline burn-throughs and other welding-related issues.
  
  
• Reviewing and amending in-service procedures in the Columbia Gas Welding Manual and related welder training.

About the PUC

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission balances the needs of consumers and utilities; ensures safe and reliable utility service at reasonable rates; protects the public interest; educates consumers to make independent and informed utility choices; furthers economic development; and fosters new technologies and competitive markets in an environmentally sound manner.

Visit the PUC’s website at puc.pa.gov for recent news releases and video of select proceedings. You can also follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. Search for the “Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission” or “PA PUC” on your favorite social media channel for updates on utility issues and other helpful consumer information.

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Docket No.: M-2024-3038111

Contact:

• Nils Hagen-Frederiksen
  Press Secretary
  717-418-2701
  nhagen-fre@pa.gov