PG&E Working To Replace Pipelines In Davis and Roseville

PG&E says the line in Roseville is 70 years old. The section in question runs 3.5 miles and is known as “Line 123.”  It must be replaced to meet future demand and because of its age.  The company wants to start at Baseline Road and install 2.4 miles of pipe as part of phase one.

Mark Morse with the Roseville City Manager’s office says PG&E will need a tree-removal permit, an easement and a California Environmental Quality Act study before the first phase can go to a vote of the council.

“We’re expecting that document will circulate probably in late August for a 30-day public review and comment period and then following that the item would come back to the city council,” he says.

PG&E says it divided the project into phases because permits will be required to address wetlands and endangered species impacts for a section of pipeline between La Porte Drive and Pleasant Grove Boulevard. 

There are also plans to replace a third section of the line that extends past the city limits and into Placer County. 

In Davis, the company plans to replace sections of underground gas line starting the end of this month.

Brittany McKannay with PG&E says four lines will be replaced and a new line will be installed, primarily by digging up small sections and boring the holes underground.   

“Rather than excavating the entire area where we’re putting the pipe in, we actually are able to do a lot of that digging underground which doesn’t impact customers or traffic as much," she says.  "However, we are working with the city to make sure that we have our traffic plan finalized.”

Sections of line in the East Covell Boulevard, Olive, 5^th, and Richards Boulevard areas will be replaced in stages starting at the end of this month and ending in November.  There will be a new distribution line in the L Street area. 

McKannay says engineers use the age, location, capacity and number of reported leaks to rate each line they inspect and to determine what will be replaced.  There is a public meeting on the Davis project at the Davis Comfort Suites Hotel Thursday afternoon at 5.