Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2023-12-06 — WA
Operator
Avista Corp
Cause
Other Incident Cause
Commodity
Other Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2023-12-06 00:00 UTC
Report number
Location
WA, WHITMAN
Narrative
On wednesday 11/8/23, at 1242 pacific time, avista became aware of pressure issues in our se washington service area (pullman gate station). At 1254 the avista gas control room (gcr) received notification from whitman county (wa) emergency dispatch that an excavator had hit a gas line and gas was blowing near US highway 195 milepost 27 and that the highway had been shut down. At the same time, the avista gcr received notification from williams pipeline gcr that they were experiencing gas pressure issues with their lewiston lateral gas line and had a tech in route to investigate. Avista provided williams some of the detail we had just learned from whitman county dispatch. Within a short time, it became known that a farmer had hit williams pipeline's 12" transmission line and avista would likely lose all gas customers in the region. Avista management proceeded to "stand up" its emergency operating plan (eop) to respond to the incident. (williams nrc case #1383793) within a matter of hours, avista had lost gas service to roughly 36,000 customers in the washington towns/cities of pullman, palouse, albion, uniontown, colton, clarkston and asotin and the idaho towns/cities of moscow, troy, deary, bovill, genesee, and lewiston. Avista immediately contacted the american gas association (aga) to seek their assistance in mobilizing mutual aid resources from other gas providers in the region. At approximately 1800, avista contacted the national response center and reported the incident (avista nrc case #1383817) due to excessive costs that would be expended to resolve the outage. Over the next two days, a massive effort was undertaken to turn off all the affected gas customers, primarily with avista personnel resources. Once williams had completed their repairs and repressurized their pipeline, avista proceeded to repressure its high- pressure pipeline network. Purge plans were established and relight areas were formalized by gas engineering and gas operations personnel. Thanks to great assistance from aga, avista's mutual aid request was answered by eight gas companies and municipalities from as far away as south dakota and california. Although some relights had begun as early as friday 11/10/23, the major relight efforts began the morning of saturday 11/11/23 with assistance from mutual aid personnel and some local hvac contractor resources. Relights continued over the course of the next four days. By the end of the day on tuesday 11/14/23, the first wave of visiting all customers had been completed and over 95% of customers were back in service. Customers who were not present during the first visit received a doorhanger and were instructed how to contact avista to get their gas service reestablished at their convenience.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2023-12-06 00:00:00
Iyear
2023.0
Report Number
20230074.0
Supplemental Number
39866.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
31232
Name
Avista Corp
Operator Street Address
1411 East Mission (Po Box 3727, 99220-3727)
Operator City Name
Spokane
Operator State Abbreviation
WA
Operator Postal Code
99202.0
Time Zone
Pacific
Daylight Savings Ind
No
Location Street Address
24701 Us 195
Location City Name
Pullman
Location County Name
Whitman
Location State Abbreviation
WA
Location Postal Code
99163.0
Location Latitude
46.760327
Location Longitude
-117.265508
Flow Cont Key Crit Ind
Yes
Flow Cont Other Ind
Yes
Flow Cont Other Detail
Williams Turned Mainline Valves Off, Avista Turned Off Station Valves As Applicable
Nrc Rpt Num
1383817.0
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
1383977.0
Commodity Released Type
Other Gas
Commodity Details
N/a - No Gas Released
Unintentional Release
0.0
Intentional Release
0.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Communication State Fed Ind
Yes
Party Initiated Communication
Local/state/federal Emergency Responder
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
41.0
Other Underground Facilities
No
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Other
System Part Details
Gas Customer Outage
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Interstate Pipeline Pipe
Release Type
Rupture
Rupture Orient
Other
Rupture Details
Top Of The Interstate Pipeline (Williams) Pipe Was Damaged By Plow. No Release Of Avista Gas - Reportable Due To Loss Of Service To ~36,000 Customers.
Rupture Length
12
Rupture Width
12
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0.0
Est Cost Emergency
9750000.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Gas Cost In Mcf
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Est Cost Intentional Release
0.0
Prpty
9750000.0
Commercial Affected
3665.0
Industrial Affected
26.0
Residences Affected
31588.0
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0.0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0.0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0.0
Num Business Building Affctd
0.0
Accident Psig
55.0
Normal Psig
55.0
Mop Psig
60.0
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(2)
Maop Established Date
1971-06-15 00:00:00
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Gas Odorized System Type
Combination Of Odorization Types
Gas Odorized Lvl Not Msrd Ind
Yes
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
Accident Identifier
Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations)
Investigation Status
No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate)
Investigation Status Details
The cause of the gas outage was beyond operator's control
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Incident Cause
Cause Details
Miscellaneous
Other Type
Miscellaneous
Misc Details
Loss Of Gas Supply From Interstate Transmission Pipeline (Williams) As A Result Of Pipeline Rupture And Isolation. See Williams Nrc Case #1383793.
Excvtn Dmg Third Party Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
J***** F***
Preparer Title
Sr. Gas Engineer
Preparer Email
J********@a*********.com
Preparer Telephone
509-495-2656
Local Contact Name
R**** B********
Local Contact Email
R**************@a*********.com
Local Contact Telephone
509-434-6783
Authorizer Name
C**** M*****
Authorizer Title
Manager - Natural Gas Compliance And Integrity
Authorizer Telephone
509-495-2224
Authorizer Email
C***********@a*********.com
Narrative
On wednesday 11/8/23, at 1242 pacific time, avista became aware of pressure issues in our se washington service area (pullman gate station). At 1254 the avista gas control room (gcr) received notification from whitman county (wa) emergency dispatch that an excavator had hit a gas line and gas was blowing near US highway 195 milepost 27 and that the highway had been shut down. At the same time, the avista gcr received notification from williams pipeline gcr that they were experiencing gas pressure issues with their lewiston lateral gas line and had a tech in route to investigate. Avista provided williams some of the detail we had just learned from whitman county dispatch. Within a short time, it became known that a farmer had hit williams pipeline's 12" transmission line and avista would likely lose all gas customers in the region. Avista management proceeded to "stand up" its emergency operating plan (eop) to respond to the incident. (williams nrc case #1383793) within a matter of hours, avista had lost gas service to roughly 36,000 customers in the washington towns/cities of pullman, palouse, albion, uniontown, colton, clarkston and asotin and the idaho towns/cities of moscow, troy, deary, bovill, genesee, and lewiston. Avista immediately contacted the american gas association (aga) to seek their assistance in mobilizing mutual aid resources from other gas providers in the region. At approximately 1800, avista contacted the national response center and reported the incident (avista nrc case #1383817) due to excessive costs that would be expended to resolve the outage. Over the next two days, a massive effort was undertaken to turn off all the affected gas customers, primarily with avista personnel resources. Once williams had completed their repairs and repressurized their pipeline, avista proceeded to repressure its high- pressure pipeline network. Purge plans were established and relight areas were formalized by gas engineering and gas operations personnel. Thanks to great assistance from aga, avista's mutual aid request was answered by eight gas companies and municipalities from as far away as south dakota and california. Although some relights had begun as early as friday 11/10/23, the major relight efforts began the morning of saturday 11/11/23 with assistance from mutual aid personnel and some local hvac contractor resources. Relights continued over the course of the next four days. By the end of the day on tuesday 11/14/23, the first wave of visiting all customers had been completed and over 95% of customers were back in service. Customers who were not present during the first visit received a doorhanger and were instructed how to contact avista to get their gas service reestablished at their convenience.
| Report Received Date | 2023-12-06 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2023.0 |
| Report Number | 20230074.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 39866.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 31232 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Avista Corp |
| Operator Street Address | 1411 East Mission (Po Box 3727, 99220-3727) |
| Operator City Name | Spokane |
| Operator State Abbreviation | WA |
| Operator Postal Code | 99202.0 |
| Time Zone | Pacific |
| Daylight Savings Ind | No |
| Location Street Address | 24701 Us 195 |
| Location City Name | Pullman |
| Location County Name | Whitman |
| Location State Abbreviation | WA |
| Location Postal Code | 99163.0 |
| Location Latitude | 46.760327 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -117.265508 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Flow Cont Key Crit Ind | Yes |
| Flow Cont Other Ind | Yes |
| Flow Cont Other Detail | Williams Turned Mainline Valves Off, Avista Turned Off Station Valves As Applicable |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1383817.0 NRC Report How to search |
| Additional Nrc Report Numbers | 1383977.0 |
| Commodity Released Type | Other Gas |
| Commodity Details | N/a - No Gas Released |
| Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Communication State Fed Ind | Yes |
| Party Initiated Communication | Local/state/federal Emergency Responder |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Private Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Soil |
| Depth Of Cover | 41.0 |
| Other Underground Facilities | No |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Investor Owned |
| System Part Involved | Other |
| System Part Details | Gas Customer Outage |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Interstate Pipeline Pipe |
| Release Type | Rupture |
| Rupture Orient | Other |
| Rupture Details | Top Of The Interstate Pipeline (Williams) Pipe Was Damaged By Plow. No Release Of Avista Gas - Reportable Due To Loss Of Service To ~36,000 Customers. |
| Rupture Length | 12 |
| Rupture Width | 12 |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 9750000.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Gas Cost In Mcf | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 9750000.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 3665.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 26.0 |
| Residences Affected | 31588.0 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0.0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0.0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 55.0 |
| Normal Psig | 55.0 |
| Mop Psig | 60.0 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 1971-06-15 00:00:00 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Gas Odorized System Type | Combination Of Odorization Types |
| Gas Odorized Lvl Not Msrd Ind | Yes |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | Yes |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| Accident Identifier | Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations) |
| Investigation Status | No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate) |
| Investigation Status Details | The cause of the gas outage was beyond operator's control |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Other Incident Cause |
| Cause Details | Miscellaneous |
| Other Type | Miscellaneous |
| Misc Details | Loss Of Gas Supply From Interstate Transmission Pipeline (Williams) As A Result Of Pipeline Rupture And Isolation. See Williams Nrc Case #1383793. |
| Excvtn Dmg Third Party Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | J***** F*** |
| Preparer Title | Sr. Gas Engineer |
| Preparer Email | J********@a*********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 509-495-2656 |
| Local Contact Name | R**** B******** |
| Local Contact Email | R**************@a*********.com |
| Local Contact Telephone | 509-434-6783 |
| Authorizer Name | C**** M***** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager - Natural Gas Compliance And Integrity |
| Authorizer Telephone | 509-495-2224 |
| Authorizer Email | C***********@a*********.com |
| Narrative | On wednesday 11/8/23, at 1242 pacific time, avista became aware of pressure issues in our se washington service area (pullman gate station). At 1254 the avista gas control room (gcr) received notification from whitman county (wa) emergency dispatch that an excavator had hit a gas line and gas was blowing near US highway 195 milepost 27 and that the highway had been shut down. At the same time, the avista gcr received notification from williams pipeline gcr that they were experiencing gas pressure issues with their lewiston lateral gas line and had a tech in route to investigate. Avista provided williams some of the detail we had just learned from whitman county dispatch. Within a short time, it became known that a farmer had hit williams pipeline's 12" transmission line and avista would likely lose all gas customers in the region. Avista management proceeded to "stand up" its emergency operating plan (eop) to respond to the incident. (williams nrc case #1383793) within a matter of hours, avista had lost gas service to roughly 36,000 customers in the washington towns/cities of pullman, palouse, albion, uniontown, colton, clarkston and asotin and the idaho towns/cities of moscow, troy, deary, bovill, genesee, and lewiston. Avista immediately contacted the american gas association (aga) to seek their assistance in mobilizing mutual aid resources from other gas providers in the region. At approximately 1800, avista contacted the national response center and reported the incident (avista nrc case #1383817) due to excessive costs that would be expended to resolve the outage. Over the next two days, a massive effort was undertaken to turn off all the affected gas customers, primarily with avista personnel resources. Once williams had completed their repairs and repressurized their pipeline, avista proceeded to repressure its high- pressure pipeline network. Purge plans were established and relight areas were formalized by gas engineering and gas operations personnel. Thanks to great assistance from aga, avista's mutual aid request was answered by eight gas companies and municipalities from as far away as south dakota and california. Although some relights had begun as early as friday 11/10/23, the major relight efforts began the morning of saturday 11/11/23 with assistance from mutual aid personnel and some local hvac contractor resources. Relights continued over the course of the next four days. By the end of the day on tuesday 11/14/23, the first wave of visiting all customers had been completed and over 95% of customers were back in service. Customers who were not present during the first visit received a doorhanger and were instructed how to contact avista to get their gas service reestablished at their convenience. |
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