Pipeline Safety
The CPUC ensures that the state's natural gas pipeline systems are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained according to safety standards set by the CPUC and the federal government. CPUC gas safety inspectors are trained and certified by the federal government. The CPUC enforces safety regulations, inspects utility work, and makes 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 endorses the system safety approach embodied in the federal government’s regulation of pipeline and hazardous materials safety. State and federal regulators are tasked with ensuring that pipeline and hazardous materials operators have risk management programs in place, that those programs are designed in conformance with state and federal laws, that the programs are effective in achieving safety for the public and the employees of the operator, and that the entire system of achieving safety continues to improve itself.
The CPUC conducts compliance inspections, accident investigations, reviews utilities’ reports and records, conducts construction inspections, conducts special studies, and takes action in response to complaints and inquiries from the public on issues regarding gas pipeline safety.
The CPUC also conducts audits and inspections of gas facilities owned and operated by mobile home parks, and audits and inspections of underground propane gas distributions systems.