Hometown Newspaper of Valley Center, Pauma Valley, Pala, Palomar Mountain & North Escondido since 1974
Construction of the SDG&E natural gas pipeline in 1949.
San Diego Gas Electric & Electric Co., (SDG&E) is in the midst of the replacement of 50 miles of natural gas pipeline that was laid in 1949, with several miles of the line to be replaced in Valley Center later this year.
The utility hopes to begin in August, if the County grants the needed permits in time.
This is making some landowners who had bad experiences with SDG&E’s power line replacement along Cole Grade Road—including the notorious dewatering of the Keys Creek area last year—highly uncomfortable.
Representatives of the utility, including, Kevin O’Beirne – major projects development manager; Santiago Meza – project engineer and Norm Kohls – project manager for this specific project, spoke to the Valley Center Community Planning Group Monday night. The meeting was virtual. This was an informational briefing, since the planning group has no authority over the utility.
The existing steel pipeline is coming to the end of its useful life after more than 70 years in the ground. The project is known as the Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP). Since 2012 more than 35 miles of new pipe have been placed and three miles of pipe have been strength tested.
The pipe runs from Rainbow down to Mission Valley Center. It somewhat parallels I-15, but predates the Interstate, which was built in the 1970s. It is one of two pipelines that brings 100% percent of the natural gas into the region. Ninety percent of natural gas in the state comes from out-of-state, while 90% used in San Diego County from outside the county. The pipeline is VC’s sole source of gas.
Completed PSEP projects include those in La Mesa, Santee, National City, El Cajon and the City of San Diego. The next communities where replacements are scheduled include the unincorporated county, where 11.2 miles will be replaced and 10.2 miles strength tested, plus Escondido, Poway and the City of San Diego.
The Lilac Road Project in Valley Center will begin in the third quarter of 2022 and be completed by the first quarter of 2023. It includes installing about 5.96 miles of 16 inch gas pipe from Old Lilac Road/Keys Creek Road via Lilac Road and Hideaway Lake Road/Lamar Road.
According to SDG&E, “Most of construction method of installment will be in existing paved roads by means of trenching.” This will include three trenchless crossings at Keys Creek, Lennie Creek (which is what SDG&E is calling Keys Canyon Creek) and Moosa Creek.
In Valley Center five such projects have been completed since 2020 and all are in service. O’Beirne said, “We don’t need to wait until all fifty miles of pipe is constructed. When it [a section] is completed, it is put into service and the older pipe is taken off line. Five are completed, four are under construction, and will be completed by the middle of this year.”
As much as possible, the replacement pipe is mirroring where the original 1949 pipe was laid.
Santiago Meza said the 16 inch pipe is being replaced with the same size. He described the three types of crossings that could be used: Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD), Jack & Bore and Span (Exposed).
Of these, HDD is preferred, said Meza. It involves drilling a path for the line and then pulling the pipe through the excavation.
The Lilac project’s northern end is near the Yellow Deli restaurant on land owned by Caltrans. It will require drilling under the river, but not much deeper than the existing trench. Because there are ground water concerns, SDG&E plans to mitigate any water loss.
O’Beirne told the group, “This isn’t by accident that we are coming to you proactively.” Unlike the Keys Creek project last year, the utility does not plan to take large amounts of water from the ground. “If we do encounter ground water it will need to be filtered to be discharged back into the land or the creek,” he said. “We won’t need to truck it away. We will clean it, filter it and return it into the ground.”
Under the HDD method the chances of encountering ground water is next to nothing because the excavation is so shallow, he said.
The utility plans to tackle the three crossings this way:
• Keys Creek Crossing: HDD. This pipe will be 900 feet long and 30 feet deep. It will involve a drill rig south of Keys Creek, east of Lilac Road. If groundwater is encountered, it will be filtered, cleaned and tested. If it tests clean it will be discharged into the surrounding land or the creek.
• Lennie Creek Crossing will involve a 16 inch pipe installation within SDG&E’s existing easement via an exposed span. Since it won’t go into the ground under the creek there are no water concerns. Exposed pipeline will cross the creek and then go back into the ground.
• Moosa Creek Crossing will employ a jack and bore. A trench is not used to cross the creek. Instead, a machine drills under the creek and the pipeline is moved under the creek. It will involve a 25-ft bore from south to north within SDG&E’s existing 20-ft easement. It will take about four weeks with 24/7 operation.
The existing pipe will be left in the ground.
O’Beirne said residents near the projects will be given notice as the time approaches to begin work. They also plan to send letters and advertise in the newspaper.
Planning Chairman Dee Chavez Harmes told the group, “This is not a project coming to the board for approval. It’s SD&GE coming to the community and trying to make it as painless as possible.”
Planner Steve Hutchison was concerned about traffic control. “There are a lot of driveways that empty into that stretch of road before you get to Old Castle,” he said. “We’ve had experience in the past with other projects, having flags at each end, but people in the middle turning onto the road.”
Planning member Lawrence Schmidt, who was the planning group’s point man on the Keys Creek dewatering issue, said this new project raises similar concerns. “A lot of people in that area are concerned,” he said. “What are your contingency plans for service interruption? A lot of people depend on natural gas.” He added, “Regarding jack and bore: a lot of people won’t be enthused about that type of drilling in Valley Center.”
Schmidt asked what environmental studies SDG&E would be doing. “Hopefully they will be more extensive than the previous project. I personally think you are going to have a lot of water to deal with,” he said.
O’Beirne said the existing pipeline will remain in service until it is taken out of service. “If we took it out [of the ground] we’d have a service interruption. It will be seamless.”
Regarding potential contaminated wells, he said, “We have learned from the unfortunate situation that happened in 2021. We are not going to be trucking anyone’s water off site. We will filter and test it, clean it, and put it right into the creek.”
Schmidt declared, “Homeowners hear jack and bore and horizonal drilling and they are going to hit the roof. We need to learn from the prior experience.”
Planning Vice Chairman Kevin Smith, commented, “It looks like they are working on methods that don’t impact the community.”
O’Beirne said the pipe would be the same size as the original, “just more modern, thicker steel,” he said. “The old pipe will be abandoned in place. If it is under a street they will be directed to fill it with slurry.”
Planner Lisa Adams was concerned about the land above such pipes collapsing if the pipes corroded and developed holes.
O’Beirne said the pipe is corrosion protected and so has not corroded. “We don’t anticipate it caving in,” he said. “This won’t be the last time we request time on your agenda.” He invited public questions and comments. “We are getting this through as many channels as we can.”
Questions? Contact Kevin O’Beirne at kobeirne@sdge.com or (858) 654-1765.
Map shows the pipeline replacement project.
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