UPDATE 8/31/2024
NOTE: This page will be updated every Tuesday evening or as needed if conditions change.
URGENT SEAVIEW COMMUNITY UPDATE:
A gas line break discovered early Friday morning on Exultant Drive in the Seaview area required SoCalGas to turn off gas service to 23 affected homes using a shutoff valve, which SoCalGas recently installed due to land movement in the area. The break was discovered after SoCalGas received reports of a natural gas odor in the area.
After controlling the leak, SoCalGas determined that once repairs are completed, we will be able to restore service to 17 of the 23 affected homes, beginning Saturday morning. Restoration of service to these 17 homes will require customers to be home to allow SoCalGas to perform an in-home safety check.
Unfortunately, SoCalGas has determined there is currently no way to safely continue service to six of the 23 affected homes on Exultant Drive due to the continued land movement in this area. SoCalGas does not know when it will be safe to restore gas service to these six homes but will continue to evaluate its ability to safely serve these customers in the future.
In addition, SoCalGas representatives will be patrolling the Seaview and Portuguese Bend areas 24 hours a day while we conduct further evaluation of the area to proactively identify any abnormalities and visually assess for further land movement impacts.
SoCalGas continues to monitor land movement on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, which remains dynamic. If potential safety concerns with the natural gas infrastructure serving your community develop, SoCalGas may be required to turn off natural gas service to protect public safety. If service shutoffs are required, we will notify you as quickly as possible.
It is important for residents in the Palos Verdes Peninsula to keep in mind the following safety information:
- If you suspect a natural gas leak, please don’t wait - call us immediately at 1-800-427-2200.
- If your natural gas service is turned off, please do not attempt to restore service or to connect alternative fuels like propane to your natural gas meter. Doing so is unsafe.
- Before connecting alternative fuels like propane to your home’s natural gas plumbing, please consult a licensed professional.
PREVIOUS UPDATES:
The land movement in certain areas of the Palos Verdes Peninsula remains dynamic and SoCalGas is actively monitoring conditions as they evolve. We understand this remains a difficult situation for the community.
Last week, the City of Rancho Palos Verde provided an update from city engineers on the land movement, who determined, “movement on the north and west ends of the landslide complex is slowing down, while movement at the south end continues to accelerate.” Engineers estimate that the land may be moving up to 4.5 feet per month at its current rate, “about 88 times faster than it was in October 2022.”
SoCalGas continues to take steps to minimize the impacts to natural gas service caused by land movement, where possible. However, if we identify potential safety concerns with the natural gas infrastructure serving your community, SoCalGas may be required to turn off natural gas service to protect public safety. If service shutoffs are required, we will notify you as quickly as possible.
SoCalGas will continue to coordinate with first responders, city officials and third-party experts monitoring and responding to dynamic land movement conditions. SoCalGas continues to work to reduce the strain on natural gas infrastructure.
COMMUNITY UPDATES:
Given the dynamic nature of the land movement in the area, impacts and work to mitigate impacts on natural gas infrastructure will vary from community to community.
Here is the latest information on what we’re doing.
City of Rolling Hills
SoCalGas is closely monitoring potential land movement affecting natural gas infrastructure in the City of Rolling Hills. Activities in the area include:
- Continuing to perform daily, walking leak surveys in specific areas of Rolling Hills
- Use of advanced meter data analysis to help identify and address potential leaks on customer facilities. If SoCalGas identifies a potential leak through advanced meter data, we will verify and notify you about the necessary repair work required to your facilities to maintain safe service. If the situation cannot be repaired immediately, for the safety of the customer and the surrounding areas, the individual meter may need to be shut off until repairs are made to make it safe to continue natural gas service
- Completed a tour with City of Rolling Hills leaders last week to identify areas of concern within the city
Portuguese Bend
Starting in May, we began experiencing significant negative impacts to our natural gas system in the Portuguese Bend area. The accelerating land movement continued to increasingly impact our infrastructure.
On May 18, 2024, SoCalGas had to turn off service to four customers on Vanderlip Drive because roadway conditions and new fissures made it unsafe to service. In late July, land movement conditions in the area worsened, raising new safety concerns. In response, SoCalGas began notifying our public sector partners, regulators and the public about the need to turn off the system to protect public safety. Subsequent evaluation confirmed the entire SoCalGas gas system in the Portuguese Bend Community Association was being impacted and there was no way to safely continue service.
Following that determination, SoCalGas carried out a process for a safe shut down, communicated with stakeholders and continued to mobilize resources to support the community.
Since then, SoCalGas has been actively working in the Portuguese Bend area to help support residents and to monitor conditions as they change. It is currently performing weekly surveys of infrastructure in areas where service has been disrupted to monitor impacts from continuing land movement.
Portuguese Bend Beach Club
SoCalGas has begun work to help ensure the safety and integrity of the natural gas system serving the Portuguese Bend Beach Club.
Activities in the area include:
- Daily, walking leak surveys
- Completion of the installation of two isolation valves for the community, which would allow us to safely turn off natural gas if necessary to support safety of the community
- Use of advanced meter data analysis to help identify and address potential leaks on customer facilities. If SoCalGas identifies a potential leak through advanced meter data, we will verify and notify you about the necessary repair work required to your facilities to maintain safe service. If the situation cannot be repaired immediately, for the safety of the customer and the surrounding areas, the individual meter may need to be shut off until repairs are made to make it safe to continue natural gas service
Seaview
The western portion of the Seaview community has begun to experience land movement, requiring SoCalGas to closely monitor the situation and take action to protect residents and natural gas infrastructure.
Activities in the area include:
- Daily, walking leak surveys, which may include meter inspections at customer homes
- Completion of the installation of a series of isolation valves for the community, which would allow us to safely turn off natural gas to specific streets that may be affected by land movement and necessary to protect the safety of the community
- Continuing work on additional isolation valves for the community
- Use of advanced meter data analysis to help identify and address potential leaks on customer facilities. If SoCalGas identifies a potential leak through advanced meter data, we will verify and notify you about the necessary repair work required to your facilities to maintain safe service. If the situation cannot be repaired immediately, for the safety of the customer and the surrounding areas, the individual meter may need to be shut off until repairs are made to make it safe to continue natural gas service
LOOKING AHEAD
SoCalGas will continue to coordinate with first responders, city officials and third-party experts monitoring and responding to dynamic land movement conditions. Residents in the above communities may see SoCalGas representatives working in their areas to monitor conditions as they change or to assess or work to improve the ongoing safety of the natural gas infrastructure.
SoCalGas will also continue to provide updates to customers and local city officials on its efforts to safeguard natural gas infrastructure for customers and as conditions change.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
If you suspect a natural gas leak, please don’t wait - call us immediately at 1-800-427-2200.
If your natural gas service is turned off, please do not attempt to restore service or to connect alternative fuels like propane to your natural gas meter. Doing so is unsafe.
Before connecting alternative fuels like propane to your home’s natural gas plumbing, please consult a licensed professional.
HOW TO REACH US
For customer service inquiries, please contact us at 1-877-238-0092 or email us at projectinfo@socalgas.com.