Aliso

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Monday issued an advisory to its customers to cut their natural gas use to help assure adequate supplies of gas and electrical power in the midst of low temperatures in the region and concerns for interstate pipeline disruptions.

As a way to curb peak winter day natural gas use, the five-member California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday approved consumer programs for Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas).

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) on Tuesday formally asked California regulators for approval to reopen the Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage field along the northern fringes of Los Angeles that has been closed since a leak occurred a year ago (see Daily GPI,Feb. 18).

California’s permanent new regulations governing natural gas storage are likely to be the most comprehensive in the nation, exceeding whatever the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) comes up with, an official with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) said in an analysis released Friday.

Large-volume natural gas users in California are feeling the aftershocks in markedly higher pipeline transportation rates after the San Bruno pipeline and Aliso Canyon storage well infrastructure breakdowns, according to comments and questions at a recent industry meeting in Denver.

The 86 Bcf capacity Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage field on the northern edge of Los Angeles is vital to the region’s energy reliability and can be safely reopened, according to federal officials heading an interagency nationwide task force.

California’s grid operator has scheduled a stakeholders conference call for Thursday to discuss the draft proposed tariff for implementing the second phase of the state’s natural gas-electric coordination plans assuming continued closure of the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field.

Opponents of California’s largest natural gas storage facility Aliso Canyon, including nearby residents and environmental groups, are repeating their calls for the state to close it down.

As first responders and utility crews worked in and around the Blue Cut wildfire surrounding a major highway artery serving Southern California on Thursday, energy analysts and state grid operating officials said the closed Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field in north Los Angeles County could become more problematic because of added stress on the grid from the wildfires.