PUC Approves Settlement with National Fuel Gas Related to 2020 Gas Leak and Fire in Erie
NFG to Pay $125,000 Civil Penalty and Make Procedural Changes to Help Prevent Future Incidents
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved a settlement between National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation (NFG) and the PUC’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) – addressing a 2020 incident in Erie, Pennsylvania, which resulted in a natural gas main “hit,” gas leak, and fire in a nearby building.
The Commission voted 5-0 to approve the joint settlement submitted by NFG and I&E, following a period for public comment (no comments were received).
The settlement calls for NFG to pay a $125,000 civil penalty and make a series of modifications to business practices and policies intended to mitigate the likelihood of similar occurrences.
Erie Gas Leak/Fire Investigation
The settlement springs from an informal investigation by I&E’s Safety Division into an incident on Nov. 2, 2020, in the 1200 block of Brown Avenue in Erie, Pennsylvania. According to investigators, an NFG gas main was damaged as construction crews were replacing a damaged utility pole at that location. Before the flow of gas could be stopped, gas moved into the…