Pennsylvania HB 1526: An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in powers and duties, providing for degraded natural gas pipeline prevention plans.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 1783 PRINTER'S NO. 2719
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1526
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SANCHEZ, HARKINS, OTTEN, RIVERA,
GILLEN, PIELLI, K. HARRIS AND KHAN, MAY 29, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
DECEMBER 17, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in powers and duties, providing for
degraded natural gas pipeline prevention plans.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 531. Degraded natural gas pipeline prevention plans.
(a) Commission duties.--The commission shall:
(1) Establish a system to receive annual reports from
natural gas distribution companies PUBLIC UTILITIES required
under subsection (b) to issue a degraded natural gas pipeline
prevention plan.
(2) Prepare guidance for natural gas distribution
companies PUBLIC UTILITIES on how to determine the integrity
of their natural gas distribution systems.
(3) Provide guidance on mitigating threats to existing
Aldyl A polyethylene natural gas pipelines and other
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potentially compromised plastic pipelines.
(4) Prescribe the methodology to be used by natural gas
distribution companies PUBLIC UTILITIES to mitigate
insufficient records necessary to identify each pipeline
segment containing Aldyl A polyethylene piping.
(5) Provide guidance to determine the placement of
critical valves to ensure that natural gas distribution
companies PUBLIC UTILITIES are considering potential risks,
emergency response times and any threat to the nearby
population.
(6) Provide recommendations and best practices on the
placement of critical valves.
(b) Duty to issue plan.--Within one year after the effective
date of this section, and every January 1 thereafter, a natural
gas distribution company PUBLIC UTILITY operating in this
Commonwealth shall issue to the commission a degraded natural
gas pipeline prevention plan that contains:
(1) An inventory of all Aldyl A polyethylene natural gas
assets recording the following:
(i) The age of the Aldyl A polyethylene natural gas
asset.
(ii) Any sign of degradation of a pipeline or
junction.
(iii) Potential local environmental threats,
including increased room temperatures, other compromised
systems in the building, the presence of steam or
environmental factors that could degrade the natural gas
asset.
(iv) Any other information deemed necessary by the
commission.
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(2) Procedures for:
(i) Notification to building owners of all Aldyl A
polyethylene natural gas assets that are located in
elevated temperature environments that could be subject
to degradation and schedule the replacement of those
natural gas assets.
(ii) Scheduling the replacement of any Aldyl A
polyethylene natural gas asset that could pose a risk of
failure due to factors other than local environmental
threats.
(iii) Replacing or remediating every early vintage
Aldyl A polyethylene connections that use
Polyoxymethylene inserts.
(iv) Reporting on the replacement or mitigation of
Aldyl A polyethylene natural gas assets.
(v) Monitoring noncompromised Aldyl A polyethylene
natural gas assets and replace if merited.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Natural gas asset." A pipeline, junction, valve, meter or
other component used to deliver natural gas.
"Natural gas distribution company." As defined in section
2202 (relating to definitions).
"NATURAL GAS PUBLIC UTILITY." FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS
SECTION, THE TERM SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING, AS APPLICABLE:
(1) A CITY NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION OPERATION AS DEFINED
IN SECTION 102 (RELATING TO DEFINITIONS).
(2) A PUBLIC UTILITY AS DEFINED IN SECTION 102 LIMITED
TO A PUBLIC UTILITY OWNING OR OPERATING IN THIS COMMONWEALTH
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EQUIPMENT OR FACILITIES FOR TRANSMITTING, DISTRIBUTING OR
FURNISHING NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL GAS TO OR FOR THE PUBLIC FOR
COMPENSATION.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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