Exclusive look at how Eversource crews are repairing aging gas lines across the state

Boston 25 News got an exclusive look at how Eversource crews are working to replace aging gas lines across the state. It may just look like construction, but underground crews are working to remove and replace lines that, in some cases, date back decades.

The process is precise, digging down to access the pipe, safely remove old material, then installing new lines that are designed to last longer and reduce the risk of erosion or leaks.

Our Boston 25 crews went beyond the construction cones in Norton. “We’re working on a gas main that was installed in 1971, most likely when this neighborhood was built,” said Director of Gas Maintenance at Eversource Brian Gillis.

“We have all sorts of different material for gas mains, there’s gas mains on the ground still operating date back to the late 1800s in this area, in the city of Taunton for example so there’s different materials, some last longer than the others, upwards of 100 years, 50 years based on the cathartic protection with the conditions, the soil types,” said Gillis.

Crews work year-round to upgrade infrastructure beneath our feet, repairs that play a critical role in delivering natural gas.

Eversource says crews go through a checklist to test, inspect, and make sure everything is safe before service is fully restored.

“Recurrence of maintenance from responding to customers calling in with issues, if they smell gas continuously on certain locations we may expedite the replacement of that facility,” said Gillis. “The pipe, the material, how old it is. The occurrence, the maintenance really comes into looking at the cost of that also versus replacing that.”

This work is about how gas is delivered to customers, but Boston 25 wants to address concerns from customers about rising utility bills.

Eversource has committed to a sit down with its Director of External Communications to discuss just how much of this cost is being passed on to consumers. sit-down

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