Pacific Gas & Electric shareholders were slapped with a $16.8 million fine for the utility’s shortcomings in its natural gas pipeline leak surveys under a Jan. 27 order issued by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Consumer Protection & Safety Division. PG&E was given a choice to either pay the penalty or appeal it. The utility chose to contest it so now the commission must decide whether to impose the fine.“The fine is excessive, both because the Division over-counted the number of violations and because the CPUC reserved to itself the discretion to adopt less than the maximum penalty, a discretion that the CPUC should exercise considering that the utility self-reported the violations and no harm was caused,” according to a Feb. 2 PG&E Securities & Exchange Commission filing. Michelle Cooke, CPUC Consumer Protection & Safety Division interim director, justified the fine because of the “duration and seriousness of the violation and the numerous opportunities PG&E had to find these problems earlier.” This week’s utility filing also points out that omissions in its system mapping were considerably larger than those that are the subject of the $17 million fine. “The system-wide review identified an additional 46 maps that had not been included in the leak survey schedule.” That represents 0.2 percent of PG&E’s approximately 21,600 gas distribution system maps, or 9.6 miles, PG&E wrote in a Feb. 1 letter to Cooke. The utility admitted that the leak survey map omissions were because of a “lack of adequate quality control.” Brian Swanson. PG&E spokesperson, stated Feb. 2, “We leak-surveyed those miles and found five leaks. Four of those leaks have been repaired and one is scheduled for repair this month.” According to the commission staff’s 10-page citation, the utility’s omission was larger than reported previously, with 16 maps of Contra Costa representing 14 miles of leak surveys left out following PG&E’s change over from paper to digitized maps of its pipeline system. Agency staff noted the omission did not lead to harm and that PG&E has taken corrective action. The citation adds, however, that the gas survey maps and testing are proactive means “to secure life and property.” Assemblymember Jerry Hill (D-San Bruno) and Mark Toney, The Utility Reform Network executive director, are campaigning to remove Mike Peevey, CPUC president, as the assigned commissioner on the penalty phase of the PG&E gas rupture docket. Hill on Feb 1. accused Peevey of “lax leadership and a cozy relationship with PG&E.” A day earlier, the CPUC put out a release stating that commissioner Mike Florio had been elevated to “coequal” on the proceeding. The power to remove Peevey as assigned commissioner is held by the governor, not by the legislators. Aurelio Rojas, Hill’s spokesperson, acknowledged that the lawmaker’s authority was limited to “appealing to people’s hearts and minds.” On Jan. 12, 2012, the CPUC voted to launch a penalty consideration case of the San Bruno disaster.