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The state's utility department has ordered Columbia Gas from Massachusetts "to impose a moratorium on all work," with the exception of restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley, at the following the release of a preliminary report from the NTSB on explosions and gas fires of 13 September.
The ordinance will remain in effect until at least December 1, officials said.
"As a result of the preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board and following ongoing inspections of Columbia Gas's gas system, the Department of Public Utilities. . . ordered Columbia Gas to impose a moratorium on all work, except emergency and compliance work, throughout the area served by the company until December 1, 2018 at least, "said Peter Lorenz, spokesman for the Office of Energy and the Environment of the Land, which oversees the DPU, in a statement.
Lorenz said that "the order will not hinder emergency catering services in the Merrimack Valley and will allow the DPU to approve additional work at the company's request. Separately, the department is recruiting an independent appraiser to prudently assess the safety of pipeline infrastructure throughout Massachusetts. "
Dean Lieberman, a spokesman for Columbia Gas Massachusetts, acknowledged that the utility had received the letter from DPU and said the company would comply with the order.
"This has no impact on the restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley, nor on any other compliance work on Colombia's footprint," he said in a statement on Friday. "As always, we remain committed to the safety of our customers, our communities and our employees."
Angela M. O'Connor, president of the DPU, explained the order in a letter to Stephen Bryant, president of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, on Friday.
"In light of the NTSB 's preliminary report and in order to ensure a secure distribution system, the Department hereby requires that, except as expressly authorized by other work, Columbia shall only perform work. Mandatory urgency and compliance on the gas distribution system "Connor wrote.
She stated: "Columbia must inform each municipality of its service territory of all planned work, with the exception of emergency restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley. These guidelines will remain in effect until December 1, 2018 and may be extended or amended upon review. "
Explosions and fires on September 13 killed a teenager and injured more than 20 others, and thousands of homes and businesses were left without gas or hot water.
On Thursday, the NTSB released a preliminary report indicating that Columbia had not moved an underground pressure sensor from an abandoned pipeline during construction at Lawrence, causing a surge of gas in the local grid that exploded. and fires that shook Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover.
In a statement issued after the NTSB report, Columbia Gas said it could not speculate or comment on the final cause of the disaster because the investigation is ongoing. But the utility said it had suspended similar work and improved working procedures on low-pressure systems after the disaster.
"We viewed these measures as responsible steps to take following the incident and while the facts were gathered," said Joe Hamrock, General Manager of NiSource Inc.
On 8 October, state control authorities also ordered National Grid to impose a moratorium on all works, except emergency and compliance measures, pending the results of DPU's review of National Grid's security practices, officials said. The DPU also asked National Grid to have an on-site inspector for all work that could result in abnormal pressurization until the end of this review.
Danny McDonald, Shelley Murphy, Milton J. Valencia and Matt Rocheleau from Globe staff contributed to this report.
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