New President Of Columbia Gas Says First Goal Is To Regain Trust

Aftermath Of Merrimack Valley Fires And Gas Explosions — LAWRENCE, MA - SEPTEMBER 19: Columbia Gas workers worked on pipes off of Parker Street in South Lawrence, MA on Sep. 19, 2018. Columbia Gas said Thursday that restoration of gas service across the Merrimack Valley could take several months, a dark new prediction for local business owners and residents as frustrations continue to grow with the company amid uncertainty over the future. More than 8,600 gas customers could go without service entering the winter months, as Columbia Gas finalizes plans to replace the 48-mile cast-iron pipeline system in those areas following the fires and gas explosions that rocked communities in North Andover, Andover, and Lawrence the previous week.

Mark Herz is a reporter and editor for GBH News. Feedback? Questions? Story ideas? Reach out to Mark at mark_herz@wgbh.org.

April 30, 2019

Columbia Gas' new president, who started on Tuesday, said his primary goal is to regain the trust of customers.

Mark Kempic is a 40-year veteran of the company and took the position over from Steve Bryant, who was president during the Sept. 13, 2018 gas explosions and fires in the Merrimack Valley that killed one man, injured dozens and left thousands without heat for months during the winter.

Kempic said he has confidence in the automatic shut-off technology installed in replaced pipeline after the fires, which were caused by over-pressurization.

"Frankly, those people in the Merrimack Valley who have the new gas distribution system are among the most efficient and the safest, state-of-the-art gas distribution system probably in the country," Kempic said.

A federal bill aimed at strengthening pipeline safety in the U.S. is being pushed by Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Lori Trahan of Massachusetts. It's named in honor of Leonal Rondon, the 18-year-old who died after the car he was sitting in was hit by falling debris from an exploding house during the gas fires.

The bill would require on-site monitoring of pressure regulation stations so employees could quickly shut off gas flow in an emergency, as well as other safety features that would avoid over-pressurization.

Kempic said Columbia Gas has done an initial review of the bill.

"And frankly a lot of what it contains, we have already started to do," Kempic said."We've already voluntarily agreed to do the other things we're not already doing."

Kempic also said Columbia Gas has retained licensed professional engineers to oversee their work plans. Massachusetts recently passed a law requiring this change as a response to the disaster after a National Transportation Safety Board review showed that a field engineer, rather than a licensed professional engineer, had signed off on plans that were missing crucial information about pressure sensors. Those work plans were partly to blame for the accident, the NTSB found.

The NTSB investigation of the incident is ongoing and Kempic said he could not comment on any aspects of it.

Kempic said Columbia Gas has upgraded about 500 miles of old gas pipe over the last 10 years.

"We have another 650-ish miles of pipe to replace over the next 10 years," Kempic said. "And I'm committed to getting all that replaced so that every customer has those state-of-the-art safety mechanisms, such as the excess flow valves, pipe that won't rust or won't crack, and the individualized pressure regulation at the front doorstep."

An independent safety assessment of the state's almost 10,000 miles of gas pipelines — also a response to the Merrimack Valley disaster — is ongoing. A preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks, the Department of Public Utilities told WGBH News.

Columbia Gas is facing two wrongful death lawsuits and a separate class-action suit, all tied to the gas fires. Kempic said he could not comment on ongoing litigation.