NTSB Safety Recommendation P-90-007

NTSB safety recommendation P-90-007.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE KANSAS POWER AND LIGHT GAS SERVICE COMPANY: INSTALL EXCESS FLOW VALVES ON ALL NEW AND RENEWED SINGLE-FAMILY, RESIDENTIAL HIGH PRESSURE SERVICES WHICH HAVE OPERATING CONDITIONS COMPATIBLE WITH THE RATED PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF AT LEAST ONE MODEL OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE EXCESS FLOW VALVE.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1990-04-20

Adopted Date: 1990-03-27

Overall Date Closed: 2002-09-10

Synopsis: IN A 7-MONTH PERIOD BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 16, 1988, THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATED 5 NATURAL GAS ACCIDENTS IN THE KANSAS CITY-TOPEKA AREA THAT INVOLVED THE GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OWNED BY KANSAS POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY (KPL). CORROSION DAMAGE WAS INVOLVED ON EACH OF THE 3 GAS SERVICE LINES AND THE 2 CAST IRON GAS MAINS. EACH OF THE GAS LINES INVOLVED WERE INSTALLED BEFORE THE FEDERAL MINIMUM GAS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS BECAME EFFECTIVE AND THE FAILURES ON THE GAS SERVICE LINES INVOLVED CUSTOMER-OWNED PIPE THAT HAD NOT BEEN PROTECTED AGAINST CORROSION DAMAGE. THESE ACCIDENTS KILLED 4 PEOPLE, INJURED 12 OTHERS AND DESTROYED 4 HOUSES.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Excess Flow Valves

Ntsbnumber: DCA89MP014

Report Number: PAR-90-01

Addressee Name: KPL Gas Service Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-09-10

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2002-05-15

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 06/13/2002 1:13:27 PM MC# 2020592 Western Resources. Inc. no longer owns or operates the facilities which are the subject of your letter. We sold our Missouri gas operations to Southern Union Company in 1993. The Kansas gas operations were sold to ONEOK, Inc. in 1997. The facilities are operated as Missouri Gas Services Division of Southern Union (MGE) and Kansas Gas Service Division of ONEOK, Inc. (KGS).

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1990-10-15

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE USE OF EXCESS FLOW VALVES IN NEW & RENEWED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HIGH-PRESSURE SERVICES IS CURRENTLY UNDER EVALUATION BY KPL GAS SERVICE. BASED ON OUR EVALUATION OF INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS & TECHNIQUES, PLUS EVALUATION AND MONITORING OF ANY OPERATING PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED, WE WILL INCORPORATE INTO OUR POLICIES & PROCEDURES THOSE REQUIRE MENTS ADOPTED BY FEDERAL & STATE REGULATORS OR INDUSTRY GROUPS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-06-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN OUR RESPONSE 10/15/90, WE STATED OUR INTENTION TO INSTALL APPROXIMATELY 1000 EXCESS FLOW VALVES AS TRIAL INSTALLATION. THESE INSTALLATIONS WERE COMPLETED AS ANTICIPATED & SINCE THAT TIME, NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS WITH THE DEVICES HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED. ALTHOUGH, CURRENTLY NOT MANDATED BY FEDERAL OR STATE REGULATIONS, THE COMPANY HAS INSTALLED ADDITIONAL EXCESS FLOW VALVES ON A TRIAL BASIS IN AREAS SUCH AS NEW MOBILE HOME COURTS. THE COMPANY CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF RULEMAKING RELATED TO THE EXCESS FLOW VALVES & WILL COMPLY FULLY WITH ANY REGULATIONS SET FORTH.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2002-05-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On August 21, 1995, in consideration of information provided in the June 19, 1995, letter from Mr. William E. Brown, Western Resources' Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Safety Recommendation P-90-7 was classified "Open--Acceptable Response." Mr. Brown's letter had informed the Safety Board of Western Resources' efforts to install 1,000 EFVs on a trial basis and, although not required, to install additional EFVs in new mobile home court areas. To date, no further correspondence related to this issue has been received from Western Resources. The Safety Board is interested in knowing whether and how its recommendations are implemented, both to ensure that the traveling public is provided the highest level of safety, and to identify creative solutions that might be shared with others. That is why we monitor the implementation of all our recommendations. We would appreciate receiving an update from you regarding actions taken or planned to implement these recommendations. Please address your response to Ms. Marion C. Blakey, Chairman, National Transportation Safety Board, and refer to the recommendation by number in your response.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 2002-09-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Mr. Bregman indicates that Western Resources, Inc., no longer owns or operates the facilities involved in the Safety Board's investigation of five natural gas accidents in the Kansas City-Topeka area. Specifically, Western Resources sold its Missouri gas operations to Southern Union Company in 1993 and the Kansas gas operations were sold to ONEOK, Inc., in 1997. These facilities are now operated as Missouri Gas Services Division of Southern Union and Kansas Gas Service Division of ONEOK, Inc. On June 19, 1995, Western Resources advised the Safety Board that it was installing 1,000 EFVs on a trial basis and, although not required, had installed additional EFVs in new mobile home courts and other areas. Further, as the result of a serious pipeline accident in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the Board issued Safety Recommendation P-96-3 to all 50 states, asking that they require EFV installation on all new and or renewed gas service lines. Most states, including Kansas and Missouri, advised the Board that they are complying with federal regulations concerning EFVs, at Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 192.381 and 192.383. Federal regulations require gas utility companies to inform their customers of the availability of EFVs and to give their customers the option of electing to install these devices at their own cost. In addition, both the Kansas and Missouri public service commissions informed the Board that they regularly review the practices of the regulated natural gas utilities to ensure they comply with federal regulations. As a result of their compliance with federal regulations, Safety Recommendation P-96-3 to Kansas and Missouri was classified "Closed-Acceptable Alternate Action" on September 28, 2000, and September 13, 2000, respectively. In consideration of the fact that both Kansas and Missouri require compliance with the Federal EFV regulation, Safety Recommendation P-90-7 to Western Resources is classified "Closed--Acceptable Alternate Action."

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-08-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD APPRECIATES WESTERN RESOURCES' EFFORTS TO INSTALL 1,000 EFVS ON A TRAIL BASIS &, ALTHOUGH NOT REQUIRED, TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL EFVS IN NEW MOBILE HOME COURT AREAS. THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION (AGA), THE AMERICAN PUBLIC GAS ASSOCIATION (APGA), & THE BOARD HAVE DEVELOPED A JOINT POSITION SUPPORTING THE USE OF EFVS TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE & PUBLIC SAFETY. THE BOARD ENCOURAGES WESTERN RESOURCES TO MAKE USE OF THE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE OVER MANY YEARS WHICH HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EFVS & IMPLEMENT AN EFV INSTALLATION POLICY. PENDING YOUR FURTHER REPLY, P-90-7 IS CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE."

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1991-02-20

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1990-10-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence