SoCalGas Begins $41 Million Natural Gas Pipeline Improvement Project
In July, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) began a modernization of a 4.5-mile section of a natural gas pipeline in Ventura, California.
The $41.2 million modernization project will enhance the reliability of SoCalGas’ natural gas pipeline system that serves 13,000 homes, 750 businesses and eight critical facilities in the City of Ventura. The project is expected to be completed in early 2019.
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The Telephone Road pipeline replacement project is part of SoCalGas’ Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP), a multi-billion-dollar program that tests and updates the natural gas pipeline infrastructure in Southern California. Since the PSEP program began in 2013, SoCalGas has conducted hydrostatic pressure tests on 94 miles of pipeline, installed 89 miles of new pipe and installed or upgraded 152 valves to be automatically or remotely controlled throughout its service territory.
“Southern Californians prefer natural gas by a ratio of more than 4 to 1 over electricity to heat their homes and hot water,” said Maria Ventura, public affairs manager for SoCalGas. “Modernizing our pipeline system to meet the needs of our community helps ensure we can continue to reliably provide natural gas service to our customers.”
“Residents, businesses, hospitals, schools, and other facilities in Ventura will benefit from this investment in the natural gas pipeline system,” said Neal Andrews, Mayor of Ventura. “The new pipeline installation will ensure that our communities continue to receive safe, reliable natural gas service for home heat and hot water.”
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To keep the community informed before and during the project, SoCalGas conducted outreach in the following ways: community forums, radio and print advertisements, webpage, flyers, notification letters and door knocking.
SoCalGas invests in modernizing its natural gas system to deliver reliable energy while keeping bills affordable for customers. From 2011-2016 the company invested nearly $6 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system and had the second lowest average bills in the nation among gas utilities.
In Southern California, natural gas is the most affordable and reliable option for home and water heating, and for cooking. More than 90 percent of households in Southern California residents rely on natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. In addition, about 60 percent of all electricity generated in California is produced using clean burning natural gas. Generating electricity locally using natural gas helps California avoid importing electricity generated with less desirable fuels like coal.
SOURCE – SoCalGas
Tags: California, Natural Gas Pipelines, pipeline improvement, Sempra Energy, SoCalGas
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