PG&E admits it misclassified more gas pipelines
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/01/17/BAC41MQQ5H.DTL&tsp=1Pacific Gas and Electric Co. admitted Tuesday that it had lost track of development around more than 300 miles of its gas transmission lines - nearly twice as much as the company earlier estimated - a violation of federal law that could result in still more fines being imposed on the company.
In July, PG&E opened itself up to possible state penalties by conceding it had failed to reclassify 172 miles of its pipeline system that once ran through rural areas but is now surrounded by houses, schools and shopping malls. On Tuesday, the company added 140 miles to the list of pipeline that should have been subjected to regular inspections and limited pressures because it runs through populated areas.
... The state commission has already opened regulatory proceedings as a result of PG&E's flawed record keeping as well as its acknowledged misclassification of pipelines, a process that could lead to fines against the company. PG&E is also facing the possibility of hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for causing the San Bruno explosion itself, along with possible lawsuit payouts to dozens of victims of the blast and their survivors.
... A persistent critic of PG&E, pipeline safety expert Richard Kuprewicz, said: ... "There's certain things you just don't mess up on - this is another example that makes you wonder, who's been running this company? The answer is, apparently, nobody."
= new reply since forum marked as read
The explosion in San Bruno that killed 8 people and lying (oops, I mean "misclassifying"
about the location of pipelines to avoid costly inspections were tacitly approved by him. He is responsible for those 8 deaths. Instead of going to jail, he got a $35 million golden parachute. Don't worry though: PG&E relented after pressure and agreed to pay the $35 million from profits instead of making ratepayers pay it. A distinction without a difference, of course.
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/bay-area/2011/04/pge-shareholders-pay-ex-ceo-s-35-million
After several days of widespread indignation from customers, regulators, and even the governor, Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. announced Monday that it would not make ratepayers cough up $35 million for its fallen CEO’s retirement package.
Last week, the company announced that CEO Peter Darbee was retiring after “a challenging year.” That year included the death of eight people and injury of dozens more when one fo PG&E’s natural-gas pipeline, in San Bruno exploded, and the subsequent downward trajectory of its stock price.
Because Darbee retired, rather than resigning or being fired, he was entitled to an estimated $35 million retirement package — a package that was to be paid by ratepayers.
PG&E’s board of directors met Monday morning and decided it was time to respond to the public pressure and voted to pay for Darbee’s retirement from shareholder funds, rather than ratepayer funds, said Hertzog.
“The board had an opportunity to demonstrate that we’re listening,” he said.
