The California utility regulator directed Southern California Gas Co. to take steps to ensure reliable natural gas supply for the upcoming winter, saying the company is entering the season with inadequate storage levels.
Work by SoCalGas on two pipelines has crimped the utility's ability to deliver gas to its northern zone at the same time that the Sempra Energy subsidiary is experiencing a shortfall in storage inventories, California Public Utilities Commission Executive Director Alice Stebbins said in a Sept. 17 letter to the company.
Stebbins notes that SoCalGas had about 70.5 Bcf of gas in storage as of Sept. 13, compared with 78.2 Bcf a year ago. That is also 2.5 Bcf behind the company's best-case estimates for mid-September issued earlier this year, she said.
SoCalGas' Aliso Canyon storage field has already reached its maximum authorized inventory, and current trends indicate non-Aliso fields will not be full before the start of winter, Stebbins added.
"If non-Aliso Canyon fields begin winter at a lower inventory than last year while pipeline supply remains unchanged — or even slightly worse — that could lead to heightened reliability concerns for Southern California compared to last winter," she said.
SoCalGas should take immediate steps to boost injections into available storage capacity, Stebbins said. She directed the utility's system operator to make up to 100 MMcf/d of firm injection capacity available prior to bidweek for customers in the coming month. SoCalGas should also make additional capacity available so long as conditions allow.
Stebbins said she would seek ratification of the actions by the full commission and directed SoCalGas to report on its monthly storage inventories and "the effectiveness of these temporary modifications" within 30 days of Dec. 31.
