PSE Facing Largest Fine in State History

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is facing the largest state fine ever given to a natural gas distributor. State regulators announced the $1.25 million fine Thursday, for falsifying safety and maintenance records. The Utilities and Trade Commission (UTC), which oversees the state's natural gas distributors, found 209 violations where a PSE sub-contractor had altered or falsified maintenance records regarding "phantom leaks."

"Phantom leak" is a term for a report of a gas odor that turns up no evidence of a leak. Utility providers are required by the UTC to follow up on the report of a phantom leak within 30 days of the initial complaint. The PSE sub-contractor guilty of the violations were found to have falsified the follow-up reports in a variety of ways, including claiming that people not working had completed the follow up, as well as forging times and dates so the follow-up had occurred in the appropriate amount of time.

The violations PSE are being fined for all occurred between January–December 2005. While a sub-contractor was guilty of the physical violations, PSE was legally responsible for the inspection and record keeping; so it is they who are facing the fine.

Meter photo courtesy of Seattlest Flickr Contributor sonek321