Despite conclusions by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that a failed Pacific Gas & Electric component was responsible for the power outage and flareup at the Valero Benicia Refinery last year, the regulatory agency will not penalize the electric company if it moves forward with corrective actions.
In May 2017, a power outage occurred at the refinery for 18 minutes. When power was restored, a plume of black smoke was released, prompting an evacuation of the Industrial Park and the establishment of shelters-in-place at nearby Robert Semple and Matthew Turner elementary schools. An August report by the Solano County Environmental Health division said the flaring was partly a result of a soot buildup from steam boilers not operating during the outage. A few months after the incident, Valero filed a lawsuit against PG&E, and the case is still ongoing.
An April report by CPUC concluded a failed coupling capacitor voltage transformer at PG&E’s substation was responsible. Additionally, a third-party firm Exponent provided five safety measures to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future, including adding Emergency Medical Services line-item alarms, performing regular reviews of anti-islanding scheme description documents and providing regular refresher training to operators. PG&E spokesperson Deanna Contreras said the company would follow through on the suggested actions.
Because PG&E is in the process of implementing corrective actions, the CPUC said it would not punish the company for the time being.
“In the case of the outage, PG&E will take corrective actions that, in CPUC staff’s opinion, would prevent a recurrence of the problems that led to the outage,” CPUC spokesperson Terrie Prosper wrote in an email. “Our safety division will monitor to ensure that PG&E addresses the problems sufficiently and in a timely manner. If warranted, our safety division may re-open its investigation and take further enforcement action, such as issuance of a citation.”
In an email, Paul Adler, a spokesperson for the Valero Benicia Refienry, agreed with the CPUC’s earlier decision.
“We agree with the CPUC report, which found that PG&E violated state regulations and is solely responsible for the May 5, 2017 power outage,” he wrote. “This finding of PG&E failure aligns with the findings of every other regulatory agency that has investigated this power outage. Like CPUC, our top priority is safety. PG&E must take the necessary corrective actions to prevent this from happening again.”
In an E-Alert mailing, Mayor Elizabeth Patterson disagreed with the decision because it did not take the public, city and Benicia Unified School District into consideration. Among other things, she noted the CPUC did not determine the costs to open and operate the Emergency Operations Center, the deployment of police and fire personnel or the loss of business in the Industrial Park.
“Sleeping on the ‘Public’ of the CA Public Utilities Commission does not extinguish the need for Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services,” she wrote.
Patterson continued to express her support for an Industrial Safety Ordinance, which she feels would prevent future incidents.
“Without an Industrial Safety Ordinance residents and workers in Benicia are at risk because the CPUC cravenly fails to ensure that PG&E provide adequate training when working on power supply to Valero Refinery,” she wrote. “Without an Industrial Safety Ordinance, Benicia has no way to check on the adequacy and timeliness of PG&E training.”
Contreras said PG&E has completed corrective actions, including installing new alarms and alerts, frequently reviewing work processes, making changes to the verification statuses of protective systems and holding regular refresher trainings for operators.
“We take every outage seriously and we’re focused on making sure that something like this doesn’t happen again,” she said. “As we’ve said previously, PG&E is sorry for the inconvenience that this outage caused.”
Bob "The Owl" Livesay says
Mayor Patterson always wants to blame Valero. Now it is the CPUC and PG&E. Mayor Patterson needs to explain to the public just how an ISO would prevent future actions. She has not. She has been in elected office for 15 years. 4 as a council member and 11 as mayor. She has done nothing but talk and point fingers. As a leader she should at least make an attempt to be friends with Valero and PG&E. Not make them the enemy and blame them for everything. She has shown complete lack of leadership and people skills. There is no doubt this is another attempt to show her anti Valero, Fossil fuel, PG&E and now the CPUC. Mayor Patterson your attempt to put a plan on the table by not using the city staff to put it together was pure Shadow Government at work. An other words I know best. .. It is to late to do it now. She will now attempt to stack the city council with anti Valero and anti fossil fuel members. That will not work either. Benicia Independent, PDB, Democratic Central Committee or the Supervisor will not work, In your lame attempt to make a Shadow Government work it backfired. Time to realize it takes team work and not personal agenda driven ideals without a specific plan. Your idea of a plan is words.
Matter says
Mayor Patterson falls into the trap of many elistist, big government types … she only trusts her opinion. Not those of experts or those who have the fact,
Atterson only trust her own feelings.
The mayor wants the ISO because she can control Valero with the committee, thus controlling all the city revenue and bend everyone to her will. She is arrogant and cannot admit that she may be wrong.
Arrogance and elitism, that is Mayor Patterson. Benicia will be well served to boot her out.
Bob "The Owl" Livesay says
Very, very good Matter.
Speaker to Vegetables says
CPUC didn’t levy any punishments…which is OK as far as it goes since PG&E is taking corrective actions. If the city wants recompense for the evacuation and activation costs, the city should sue-which is a waste of time, but that’s what the courts are for. The mayor just wants everything done by big government instead of doing stuff (suing in this case) for ourselves (which is part of her party’s platform), but apparently CPUC marches to a dfferent drummer and issues citations (which the city wouldn’t get any anyway) when warranted. and they rightfully (IMO) determined that this incident doesn’t rise to the level of issuing a citation.
OTOH, Valero really should sue to recover the costs of the fines et al. Valero had to pay for the outage plume–and they already have filed at the end of June to recover 75 million (which is probably over the top-but that’s what the courts are for).
Zelda says
In addition to the city’s smokestacks, here is more evidence of indifference to toxins In Benicia.
Back in 2012, it was well-known that this chemical is toxic to humans. Yet the school district was complicit in poisoning their groundskeeper:
“Johnson was a groundskeeper and pest-control manager for Benicia schools from 2012 until May 2016. His job included spraying glyphosate, in the high-concentration brand called Ranger Pro, from 50-gallon drums 20 to 30 times a year for two to three hours a day.”
“The jury found unanimously that Monsanto was responsible for Dewayne “Lee” Johnson’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and should have known of the dangers posed by the herbicide glyphosate, which it markets as Roundup and the more-concentrated Ranger Pro. The jury also found that Monsanto had “acted with malice or oppression” when it supplied glyphosate to Johnson’s employer, the Benicia Unified School District, without disclosing its potentially life-threatening effects.”
http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/ODN/SanFranciscoChronicle/Default.aspx
Speaker to Vegetables says
Geez, Zelda. Monsanto has been selling Ranger Pro (Roundup) since 1970. This is the first ever lawsuit that has succeeded. The studies are pretty clear glyphosate is neither toxic to humans nor a carcinogenic….HOWEVER, in combination with some pesticides, the herbicide MAY make it more possible for a non=Hodgkins lymphoma to occur…but that was not even suggested as a possibility until recent (2002) studies in Sweden…but it is the combination (Monsanto (understandably) believes it is just the pesticide), not the glyphosate. Monsanto is appealing and I predict they will prevail on appeal. Basically, I’m saying that you err when you state something so simplistically that the BUSD and Monsanto put Johnson at risk knowingly or even that they “should have known”. I feel sorry for Johnson, but even had the government required additional labeling to say “this product in combination with pesticides may increase likelihood of non=Hodgkins lymphoma”….would Mr. Johnson have stopped working as a groundskeeper or taken more precautions (Tyvek suit, respirator…). Life is hazardous.
Zelda says
Speaker,
Spin this however you like. Your response only reinforces the premise of indifference to the effect of toxic chemicals on humans in Benicia.
Speaker to Vegetables says
Your naivete is charming, Zelda. Certainly true that “I” have indifference to toxic chemical exposure to humans in Benicia. I’m also certain that most are just ignorant of the exposures that they are subject to. A good example is folks who have spent the big bucks to replace their aluminum window frames with plastic (or anything except aluminum). All plastics off gas toxic chemicals. You are surrounded by these plastics in your cars…who wants to continue those exposures in their homes 24/7–certainly not me.
Zelda says
“This clearly confirms that the [inert ingredients] in Roundup formulations are not inert,” wrote the study authors from France’s University of Caen. “Moreover, the proprietary mixtures available on the market could cause cell damage and even death [at the] residual levels” found on Roundup-treated crops, such as soybeans, alfalfa and corn, or lawns and gardens.
-Scientific American, 2007
“Your naïveté is charming, Zelda.”
I know I’ve won an argument when the other person turns to gaslighting.
Thanks.
Speaker to Vegetables says
Heck, I was just trying to be nice to a vegetable…oh well, being nice isn’t my forte.
Zelda says
Look up the meaning of gaslighting again.
It’s not being nice when you use it.
Speaker to Vegetables says
What I should have said, to be completely forthright, your
“ignorance is amazing.” Your premise that folks in Benicia are “indifferent to toxins”. You are one of the folks IF 1) you drink water from a plastic bottle, or 2) you eat meat seared on a grill or gas range, or 3) you drive a car and fill the tank occasionally, or 4) drink wine from a lead crystal goblet….basically EVERYTHING is a toxin, it all depends on concentration, combination and exposure duration. I ran a testing company to determine the toxicity of drugs before release for use…so I am pretty knowledgeable about toxins and know for a fact that folks are ignorant.
Zelda says
Attacking the person expressing an opinion accomplishes nothing, except to reveal your true character. I stand by what I said.
Speaker to Vegetables says
It is not an attack. Merely an observation. Ignorance is a curable condition. Learn something about toxins before you spout off that there is indifference to toxins in Benicia. There is indifference to toxins everywhere because most people are ignorant or at least blase (and indifferent) about the risks of everyday exposures. Heck, your cell phone is putting radiation into your head every time you hold it next to your head…the FDA says it is OK…well, is it? Remember, this is the same FDA that told Monsanto that they can use Roundup.
Zelda says
“Your naïveté is charming, Zelda.”
Yep, when in a debate, I know I’ve won when the other guy resorts to gaslighting.
By the way, the chemical I referrred to is Roundup, a mixture of toxic chemicals.
You seem to be fond of debating whether or not it’s toxic, since, for years, the manufacturer and other researchers have always claimed it’s not. Of course they would make that claim! The “research” is either funded by their corporation or anything that supports their continued existence. Where are the mounds of evidence showing the risks? Monsanto’s fingers are in its ears while singing la la la.
I found it interesting that much of the findings that give Roundup a red flag are through research in countries other than the United States. No surprise there. My philosophy is, “When in doubt, leave it out,” and that should be the stand taken by employers who choose to expose the pesticides to people who work for them.
‘Scientific American’ published these findings way back in 2007:
“This clearly confirms that the [inert ingredients] in Roundup formulations are not inert,” wrote the study authors from France’s University of Caen. “Moreover, the proprietary mixtures available on the market could cause cell damage and even death [at the] residual levels” found on Roundup-treated crops, such as soybeans, alfalfa and corn, or lawns and gardens.
-Scientific American, 2007
Look it up; there’s a lot more.
This world-wide debate seems to be playing out much the same way the cigarette smoking/cancer debate played out decades ago. I predict it will eventually end the same way years down the road.
By the way, the school district sprays around classrooms when the ants are out of control.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
https://abc7news.com/amp/society/jury-rules-monsanto-liable-in-weed-killer-case/3925454/
B.B says
I think what speaker is trying to say is, a jury of random, averege people likely have little to no chemical background, and as a result are not likely going to be able to accurately rule as a jury outside of their personal feelings. As far as non American stances, the EU not that long ago voted to allow glyphosphate pesticides for at least another five years:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/27/controversial-glyphosate-weedkiller-wins-new-five-year-lease-in-europe
No doubt Bayer/Monsanto is less than reliable due to their past, but at the same time, determining the truth should be detached from what we like or don’t like. The verdict is still very much still out on Glyphosphates and their effects. Theres even some really insightful study happening now :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5515989/
It’s easy to make villans out of groups that do wrong, but at the same time I feel it’s important to give everything fair scientific rigor. Glyphosphastes may very well be a significant danger, but the evidence doesnt quite support that yet.