CPUC Panel to Give Final Report on Pipeline Explosion

The independent panel formed by the California Public Utilities Commission to examine the agency's oversight of PG&E in the wake of the Sept. 9 pipeline explosion is expected to give a report today about its investigation.

Members of the panel—which includes leaders in business, labor, science and technology—will brief the agency's commissioners about the investigation at the CPUC's meeting at 9 a.m. in San Francisco.

Following the presentation, the report will be available to the public on the CPUC's website.

The CPUC's investigation into the accident was expected to be completed in May, as members of the panel have been to size up the scope and quality of the way Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has traditionally prevented and responded to crises. The panel was not, however, planning on pursuing technical questions surrounding the failure of the pipeline.

That task is being performed by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the cause of the blast in the Crestmoor neighborhood that left 38 homes destroyed and eight people dead.

CPUC officials are also expected to vote today on an order that would require all pipeline operators throughout the state to develop a plan to pressure test or replace all natural gas transmission lines that haven't been properly tested.

That decision comes as for relying on historical data to determine the maximum operating pressures on its pipelines.