Last week’s Press reported that there were seven unrepaired gas leaks in Harvard in 2018. While that figure may seem alarming, Massachusetts gas companies reported a total of 16,765 open leaks at the end of 2018 statewide, with another estimate putting that figure at over 17,500.
According to National Grid’s Principal Program Manager of Media Relations Christine Milligan, Massachusetts possesses one of the oldest gas distribution systems in the country, second only to the city of Baltimore. Twenty-nine percent of the 11,000 miles of gas main in the state is made of iron and bare steel pipe, which is more susceptible to leaks, she explained. Replacing these pipelines with plastic or coated steel pipe is, Milligan stated, the “best long-term approach to reducing leaks in the gas system and enhancing overall safe operations.” Yet this strategy is a significant financial investment, which, Milligan asserts, must be balanced with maintaining stable gas rates for customers.
Most of the unrepaired leaks in the state, including all those identified in Harvard, are classified as Grade 3, meaning that they pose no imminent risk to public safety, are considered “nonhazardous,” and are not required by law to be fixed. Milligan stated that National Grid plans to fix most of these leaks in the process of gas main replacement, but there are no regulations to mandate a time frame for completion.
National Grid insists that these Grade 3 leaks pose no threat; however, a 2013 report issued by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey’s office revealed that ratepayers’ wallets may feel the effect. The report states that between 2000 and 2011, gas companies charged customers between $640 million and $1.5 billion for gas that never reached their homes or businesses, with 99 billion cubic feet of gas classified as “lost and unaccounted for” (LAUF). Nstar Gas, Columbia Gas, and Boston Gas—a subsidiary of National Grid—were reported to be the greatest emitters and had the most leak-prone pipes. Figures reported by National Grid claimed that LAUF gas was costing customers only an estimated $2 per year.
Milligan said that National Grid has been committed to repairing even the non-hazardous leaks, having fixed approximately 100 Grade 3 gas leaks this year and invested over $2 billion in infrastructure upgrades in Massachusetts since 2010. In addition, the Department of Public Utilities announced on April 3 that they had approved two options to help identify Grade 3 leaks that posed significant environmental impact (G3SEIs) to better prioritize and establish repair timelines.
National Grid defines the most serious leaks (Grade 1) as “a leak that represents an existing or probable hazard to persons or property.” Understandably, the utility is concerned with immediate health and safety risks, but the environmental impact of gas leaks cannot be overlooked. According to the Markey report, “lost natural gas accounts for at least 45% of Massachusetts’ methane emissions for large, stationary facilities.” Methane is a powerful heat-trapping gas, more so than carbon dioxide, making it a significant contributor to climate change.
Though it is the case that most gas is lost through Grade 1 leaks—a 2015 study showed that 50% of the methane emissions from gas leaks originated from just 7% of the total leaks—the same study stated that “even small leaks cannot be disregarded as ‘safely leaking.’” If you smell gas anywhere, including in your home, go outside and call 1-800-233-5325 or 911 immediately.
