SAN FRANCISCO–The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has established a toll-free number and an email address for anyone who has information on a natural gas smell in the San Bruno area in the weeks before Sept. 9. The number is (800) 789-0550 and the email address is SBFire@cpuc.ca.gov.
The CPUC is entrusted with safety jurisdiction for gas pipeline systems in the state by legislative mandate. It is responsible for enforcing safety regulations, inspecting utility work, and making necessary additions and changes to regulations for promoting the safety of the public and the utility employees that work on the gas pipeline systems. The CPUC works as an agent of the federal government to enforce gas safety in California.
The CPUC is working side-by side with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the lead investigator. The NTSB will issue a final report, as will the CPUC. The CPUC has the added responsibility of taking any appropriate enforcement action based in the results of the investigations. Depending on the severity of an incident, and if violations were found in an investigation, the CPUC could open a proceeding to order a utility to make improvements to their system and impose fines and penalties.
