Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has completed a five-year, $100 million project to modernize 13-miles of three high-pressure natural gas pipelines to enhance safety and reliability for nearly 375,000 residential and commercial natural gas customers in Los Angeles, Carson, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Redondo Beach, Torrance and other L.A. Gateway Area communities.
“Our natural gas system pipelines are the arteries that keep affordable and clean energy flowing to homes, businesses, hospitals, schools, power plants and other critical facilities throughout Southern California,” said Rick Phillips, senior director of SoCalGas’ Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan.(PSEP). “SoCalGas is committed to modernizing our natural gas system so that we can continue to provide every Southern Californian with the affordable and reliable energy they deserve.”
The pipeline replacement project is part of PSEP which is 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.
The project involved testing and replacing more than 13 miles of large transmission pipelines with state-of-the-art steel piping and upgrading 20 valves along the project’s route. Replacing part of one pipeline segment required boring below the Harbor Freeway. Construction crews relied on technology called horizontal directional drilling to create a small tunnel below that busy freeway to reduce environmental impacts, enhance public safety and energy reliability.
“This investment in our community’s natural gas infrastructure ensures that our residents and businesses will receive safe, reliable natural gas service for home heating and hot water,” said Carson Councilwoman Lula Davis-Holmes.
“Thank you, SoCalGas, for the investment that you made in the Inglewood community and for your efforts to provide your customers with a safe and reliable product and service,” said Inglewood City Councilman Ralph L. Franklin. “Your commitment to keep City Officials and City Staff members updated on the project’s progress along with your efforts to proactively address the concerns of Inglewood residents insured a relatively smooth project with very little inconvenience and/or disruption. This was a job well done and conducted with great professionalism.”
From 2011-2016, SoCalGas has 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.
