PUC Finalized Plan To Accelerate Replacement Of Older At-Risk Plastic Pipe And Components In Natural Gas Distribution Systems

On September 11, the Public Utility Commission approved a Final Order to accelerate the identification of older, at-risk plastic piping and components in natural gas distribution systems across the Commonwealth.  

The mandatory, granular review of system piping can result in the accelerated replacement of older, at-risk plastic pipe materials.

The Commission’s 5-0 vote builds on ongoing successful efforts to eliminate other higher-risk materials – such as cast iron and unprotected steel – from Pennsylvania’s natural gas systems.

The PUC order directs natural gas distribution utilities to catalog the presence of older plastic materials, particularly those identified by federal safety authorities as being prone to brittle-like cracking, and to incorporate appropriate mitigation and replacement into their pipeline integrity management plans.

“Safety is the foundation of our work as regulators and today’s action underscores the Commission’s commitment to addressing risks wherever they may be found – including in older plastic materials that have been linked to failures across the country,” noted PUC Chairman Stephen M. DeFrank. “This Final Order ensures that Pennsylvania’s natural gas utilities take the necessary steps to identify and address these concerns, advancing our broader mission of protecting communities and maintaining safe and reliable service.”

Under the order, the PUC’s Bureau of Technical Utility Services (TUS) will issue an ongoing data request to every regulated natural gas utility, requiring them to provide detailed inventories of plastic pipe and components. 

Any company unable to provide accurate information must submit a plan to identify and catalog these materials, while also explaining how they will differentiate older, at-risk plastic from newer pipe in their federally required pipeline integrity management plans.

Further, the Commission emphasized that utilities which previously failed to respond to PUC data requests on this issue will be referred to the Bureau of Investigation & Enforcement for appropriate action.

Click Here for the PUC announcement.

This order was prompted in part by the findings of the investigation into the March 2023 R.M. Palmer candy factory natural gas explosion in Berks County that killed seven people.  Read more here.

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Sept. 6 to 12 - Disposing Of 4.6 Million Gallons Of Oil & Gas Wastewater; 18,000 Gallon Drilling Spill; Failure To Restore Pipeline Right-Of-Way - Again  [PaEN] 

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - September 13 [PaEN] 

-- DEP Posted 82 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In September 13 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]  

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-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PUC Orders PA Natural Gas Utilities To Catalog Older Plastic Pipes For Safety Concerns [PDF of Article]

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[Posted: September 12, 2025]  PA Environment Digest