PG&E Now Charged With Felonies In San Bruno Pipeline Explosion - Recent development 11

[MJCronin]

"Federal prosecutors allege that PG&E knowingly relied on erroneous and incomplete information when assessing the safety of the pipeline that eventually ruptured, sparked a fireball and leveled 38 homes in San Bruno."

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/04/01/pge-charged-with-felony-in-san-bruno-pipeline-explosion/

Eight were burned alive......

Many on these engineering fora stated that this was an act of God........ or a risk one willingly assumes when buying property.

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=281116

The Feds think differently...... as do I

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[MJCronin]

Latest NEWS !! 7/30/2014...

PG&E hit with new federal felony charges in San Bruno explosion !

"All told, the U.S. Department of Justice filed 27 charges accusing PG&E of willfully violating the pipeline safety act, and one charge of obstructing an investigation of the explosion by the National Transportation Safety Board, with prosecutors alleging the company lied to federal investigators about the policies it was using to fix its pipeline system. The new indictment replaces one filed April 1 that charged PG&E with 12 felony counts."

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26239670/pg-e-hit-new-federal-felony-charges-san

Without teeth in regulation, and the threat of criminal penalties, regulation is meaningless......

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[weldstan]

From my close relatives and friends who were prosecuting attorneys, the use of the "shotgun" approach (high number of charges,) hoping that a few will stick, is usually indicative of a weak case. Those employees, including top management, who deliberately obstructed and lied, sholud be held accountable.

 

[MJCronin]

More deaths from process gas pipelines run in urban areas:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Kaohsiung_gas_explosions

In this case, the failed 4" pipeline carried propene, which is more potent than natural gas..... carries a punch about the same as propane.

At least 30 people were killed and 309 others were injured. Huge economic impact

The San Bruno event was listed by Wikipedia as a reference...

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[MJCronin]

After four long years, California regulators have finally imposed $1.4 billion in penalties against Pacific Gas & Electric for the San Bruno explosion...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2014/09/02/pge-san-bruno-gas-explosion-fine/14979593/

People have to die in the USA before reasonable competent regulation is achieved.
Over the past ten years, have you read of any spectacular gas line explosions in Europe ?? I have not.... why is that so ?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...ine-explosion_n_5756712.html?utm_hp_ref=green

How long will it be before another similar accident in an American city ????

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[JohnRBaker]

It's taken nearly 35 years, but the impacts of 'Reagan Economics' are finally starting to be felt by everyone. After all, exactly WHAT DID PEOPLE THINK that the long term effects of deregulation and reduced investments in infrastructure were going to be?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[zdas04]

OK, $1.4 billion comes from PG&E into the gaping maw of the state of California. In the long term, this fine goes straight to the rate base (so is it really just a tax?). PG&E is in no way hurt by this result. The whole case is simply posturing and grandstanding. No one is hurt. No one is helped. This was a garbage case that ends up with a non-result. What a win for the people.

As for deregulation--if PG&E had not been perceived by the stat to have violated the laws in place, the case would not have been filed. So by definition they are lawless, most likely they would have broken laws under the pre-Reagan regulations too. Same outcome.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

Law is the common force organized to act as an obstacle of injustice Frédéric Bastiat

 

[IRstuff]

"Same outcome"

The difference is that the California PUC would have had a more direct oversight and control than they do now.

TTFN
faq731-376

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!