GAS PIPELINE PROJECT NEARING END

Repaving work in Poway, Rancho Bernardo will extend through July

Repaving work will start on Monday and continue throughout July, one of the final steps in San Diego Gas & Electric’s project to install a new 16-inch natural gas pipeline through Rancho Bernardo and Poway, a SDG&E spokesperson said.

The 12.5 miles of pipeline installed throughout this area, divided into three separate projects, were all put into service as of last month, said Jennifer Ramp, SDG&E’s senior communications manager, on Tuesday.

“This has been a very lengthy process ... a huge effort in the local communities to get the pipe replaced,” Ramp said. “We are glad it is now flowing gas and want to thank the community for its patience and understanding over the past couple years. We know the traffic has not been fun.”

Construction in this area began in early June 2021, though preliminary work and community educational outreach began several years earlier. The plan was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2014.

The work is part of SDG&E’s Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan, which is strength testing and, where needed, realigning its Line 1600 natural gas transmission pipeline installed in 1949. The 50-mile, 16-inch pipe goes from the Riverside/San Diego County line to Mission Valley. The entire endeavor will conclude by 2024 in rural areas, Ramp said.

The pipeline serves as the primary or sole supply of natural gas to around 150,000 customers, including those in Rancho Bernardo and Poway.

At least 37 miles of pipe — including all in this area — is being replaced and relocated under roadways built long after the pipe was in