Delaware Public
Service Commission

Pipeline Safety Program

Program Narrative:

Delaware participates in the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Program under a certification with the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) under the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 as amended.

The goal of the State program is statewide compliance of identified operators of intrastate gas pipelines with the Code of Federal Regulations Title 49, Parts 190, 191, 192, 193, and 199. These Federal Regulations are adopted in the State of Delaware “Rules to Establish an Intrastate Gas Pipeline Safety Compliance Program”, 26 Del. Admin. C. §8001.

Measurable Objectives:

Natural gas, master meter, and LP (propane) operators are inspected by two Inspector-engineers and one Program Manager-Professional Engineer to determine the degree of compliance with the regulations, and any areas of non-compliance will be enforced by the Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC). In Delaware, there are approximately 3,093 miles of intrastate natural gas distribution mains, 11 miles of intrastate transmission lines, and 181,048 active natural gas service lines. Delaware has 27 operators with an associated number of 128 inspection units (i.e locations). Also, there is one Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility.

For 2020, Delaware expects to be required by the USDOT to have a minimum of 138 inspection person-days dedicated towards the program. For 2021, an aggressive approach towards conducting the PHMSA minimum 20% construction inspections (about 60% actuality in DE), with a commitment to conduct a 170 inspection person-days (a minimum 85 inspection person-days/inspector) is written into the Delaware Public Service Commission Pipeline Safety Program Procedures. As of today, the DEPSC is on track to meet that commitment by the end of calendar year 2020 and prepared for the next calendar year.

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Pipeline Safety Stakeholder Communications

The USDOT PHMSA has made available data for the State of Delaware to enable interested citizens to learn about pipelines and pipeline safety within the State. The data presented has been gathered by PHMSA from yearly data submitted and audited from the State of Delaware Public Service Commission (PSC) Pipeline Safety Program and Miss Utility of Delmarva (Dial 811 – know what’s below. Call before you dig).

Delaware Data: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/StatePages/Delaware.htm Opens in new window