A natural gas utility serving over 2 million customers in Arizona, Nevada, and parts of California, Southwest Gas, has been fined $2 million by Arizona regulators due to concerns about piping degradation in high-temperature environments. The Arizona Corporation Commission announced a consent agreement with Southwest Gas, imposing the civil penalty and mandating increased inspections.
The issue revolves around Driscopipe polyethylene (PE) M7000 and M8000 piping, identified by federal regulators in 2012 as susceptible to degradation in hot ambient temperatures. Reports of degradation and resulting leaks have primarily surfaced in the Mohave Desert region spanning Arizona, California, and Nevada.
