PG&E Testing Hydrostatic Pressure

(BCN) PG&E crews are hydrotesting a section of a natural gas transmission line Wednesday morning in the San Mateo area, a PG&E spokeswoman said.

Gas transmission and distribution work is planned Wednesday morning as part of hydrostatic pressure testing in San Mateo, spokeswoman Brittany Chord said.

The pressure testing process involves filling a section of pipe with water, pressurizing it to a much higher level than the pipe will ever reach when filled with natural gas and then monitoring the pipe for at least eight hours, Chord said.

Any pipe sections that do not meet acceptable standards during the test will be replaced with pipe that has already passed a pressure test.

After a successful test, the water is emptied from the pipe, which is then dried and put back into service, according to Chord.