The San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday that PG&E spiked the load of the Fremont to Livermore line in June 2009 even though the company knew that some sections were 80 years old and manufactured by a supplier whose pipe welds had not stood up well over time.
The revelation could be significant because federal investigators are examining if a combination of faulty welds and pressure increases caused a pipeline to rupture across the bay in San Bruno. The September explosion destroyed 38 homes and killed eight people.
PG&E spokesman Joe Molica says the pressure on the Fremont line was below the maximum allowed.
