State Orders National Grid Moratorium, Safety Investigation

BOSTON — The state issued a moratorium as the Department of Public Utilities investigates the utility company's safety practices. The moratorium comes the same day an over-pressurized gas line left hundreds without gas in Woburn.

National Grid has been involved in a lengthy labor dispute, locking out union workers for nearly four months. A number of municipalities have independently called for a moratorium on new, non-emergency work, citing safety concerns.

“Following today’s incident in Woburn, the Department of Public Utilities, under its regulatory authority over the gas distribution system, ordered National Grid to impose a moratorium on all work, except for emergency and compliance work, across the company’s entire service territory pending the results of DPU’s review of National Grid’s safety practices," said Peter Lorenz a spokesperson for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

"In addition, the Department is requiring National Grid to have an inspector on location for all work that could lead to abnormal pressurization until this review is complete. Separately, the Department is in the process of hiring an Independent Evaluator to assess, out of an abundance of caution, the safety of pipeline infrastructure throughout Massachusetts” Lorenz said in a statement.

It was just weeks ago that a Columbia Gas's over-pressurization in the Merrimack Valley damaged dozens of homes and businesses in Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence where at least one person died.

The Department of Public Utilities also recently issued an order requiring National Grid to provide the them with information regarding staffing, costs, and the services that National Grid has provided during the company’s current labor lockout compared with the same period in previous years.

Following up on information they received from residents, the Department of Public Utilities started an investigation into safety violations and possible failures to follow procedures and federal pipeline safety regulations last week. The department said it has required the company to provide additional information by Nov. 13.

In addition the department recently announced they planned to hire an independent investigator to conduct a statewide examination of the safety of the natural gas distribution system within the Commonwealth.

READ MORE:

• Woburn Gas Over-Pressurization: 300 Homes May Be Without
• Multiple Fires Following Gas Explosions In Merrimack Valley
• Waltham Asks City To Support Unions, Moratorium On National Grid

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Photos by Mike Carraggi/ Patch Staff