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 […]
CPUC: 2017 Valero outage result of PG&E mistakes regarding electric component
A report by the California Public Utilities Commission said the power outage at the Valero Benicia Refinery which led to a flareup and shutdown of the Industrial Park in 2017 was the result of a failed voltage transformer at Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) Bahia Substation and not providing adequate training or documents related to […]
Pat Toth-Smith: More than a year after the Valero flaring incident, are we safer?
A year after the May 5, 2017 Valero emergency shutdown and major flaring incident, and the subsequent release of more than 74,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air, are we any safer in Benicia? Has the emergency backup electrical generation changed for the refinery since this incident? Should we stop worrying about future emergency […]
Letters: ISO, BUSD expenditures and Steve Gizzi
One year later, still time for an ISO Thank you to the Benicia City Council for developing the priority based budgeting system this year. The results of the process made clear that many Benicians want the city to prioritize the adoption of an Industrial Safety Ordinance and the protections Benicians deserve. Valero’s massive month long […]