Summary of options for 3-foot requirement between main panel and gas riser

[holeydonut]

TLDR; if you don't like reading then you should just close this thread and move on.


I've posted about my problems trying to get my "solar ready" main service panel (MSP) approved by PG&E. I'm consolidating some findings into this thread since it seems other people are having issues dealing with PG&E and their red tape. Rather than handle things in PMs, I'm making this new thread. I imagine this could impact California's other utility coverage areas too.

Background: Many PV/ESS customers with older homes will find their main service panel is not adequate. This could be because of the "120 percent rule" or your main service panel is just old/busted. So you could be facing a new main service panel as part of the process of going green. Unfortunately, the latest building codes require the gas riser to be 36 inches from the main service panel. PG&E could be blocking your installation by demanding that you pay the rather hefty cost(s) to make your existing setup conform with the latest codes. Here's the diagram provided in the PG&E Greenbook:

Since nothing is every simple, it's worth breaking down the issue a bit. There there are two categories of problems (with respect to solar and ESS).

Issue 1: You're a homeowner who needs to get a new main service panel of the same rated size, but your gas riser is closer than 36 inches to the main service panel recess (measured square; not as a radius).

Issue 2: You're a homeowner who needs a new mains service that is a larger rated size than what you have now, but your gas riser is currently closer than 36 inches to the main service panel recess.

I'll cover Issue 1 in this text box; and provide comments about Issue 2 later in this thread.

== =================================================================

Before you can solve your problem, you have to understand your problem. Following these 3 steps to know for sure what is in play with your specific home and green upgrade.

[RESEARCH STEP 1] KNOW YOUR CURRENT PG&E SERVICE SIZE

My gas riser is 28 inches away from my main service panel. The irony is that PG&E okayed the design back in the day when my house was built. It's not like they designed something "unsafe" back then right?. But now, the minimum safe distance is 36 inches.

It's surprisingly difficult to get PG&E to determine your existing service size. If your existing main service panel still has its sticker, this will help a ton to know what your builder installed on your home. But that still doesn't mean you know for sure.

If your PG&E meter says "CL100" (for Class 100) or "CL200" (for Class 200) that is a strong indicator that you could have 125 A or 200 A service respectively. But again, that's still an informed guess.

The only way to know for sure what PG&E service size you have is for someone (probably your contractor) to submit an application on the Customer Connections portal. From here, PG&E will do what they need to do for the assessment.

If your PG&E representative is not paying much attention, they could start making assumptions about what service you have based on pictures and visuals. And these ASSumptions could not be in your favor. If PG&E insists that your existing service is tiny and requires an upgrade, you should request a qualified engineer (QEW) to actually visit your home and visually inspect + confirm.

In my case, my main service panel sticker was missing. And someone took photos of my main service panel which currently has a 90 A and 70 A breaker on the same busbar. For some reason that I cannot fathom, this means the assessor assumed "Hey the largest breaker is 90 so this must be 100A or 125A service. Case Closed." PG&E also couldn't find the original line diagram of the wiring to my subdivision and home.

Since I have underground service, they requested for me to pay the $10,000 to retrench a new line underground to support the bigger service size. I'm pretty sure the average homeowner would have either paid this upgrade fee (which sucks) or cancelled their solar installation (which is what PG&E wants).

But after I rose a stink about it, they actually sent someone to inspect my service and found #4/0 AWG Aluminum in a conduit. They also inspected the transformer on the street and found plenty of capacity. So my house is already set up for 200 A service from PG&E and requires no new entry cables.

I also found a neighbor in my cookie-cutter sub that happened to still have his MSP sticker. Even though it was tattered beyond belief, it was still possible to read the model (Challenger SMB 20) and 200 amp rating.


[RESEARCH STEP 2] KNOW WHAT MSP YOUR SOLAR/ESS IS GOING TO INSTALL

Now you'll want to confirm that the new main service panel is rated the same as the previous one. Ask your installer to get the model number of your new main service panel. Ideally, it would be rated for the same amps as your existing main service panel. For example in my case, Sunrun was going to put in a new Square D main service panel that was also rated for 200 amps. The busbar is 225 Amps, but that's to help accommodate the "120 percent rule" and does not represent the size of the panel.

This step may seem silly, but it's worth checking so you're informed.


[RESEARCH STEP 3] KNOW YOUR PERMITTED MPU & SOLAR PROJECT. AND LOOK AT YOUR NEW SYSTEM LINE DIAGRAM

This step may also seem superfluous... but I lost months because I refused to bulldog my way to looking at this. Sunrun, Tesla, Local-Whatevers probably have proud folks working for them. They cannot fathom making a mistake to be discovered by the homeowner. Or they may hate having nosy homeowners getting in their business. So, they'll probably fight you on this. But trust me, if you're running into problems on your install with the red tape, I strongly suggest for you to get this information.

In my case, the Sunrun engineer accidentally put "MPU 125 Amps Upgrade to 225 Amps" on the line diagram (MPU = Main Panel Upgrade). So the permitted work said "MPU 125 Amps changing to 225 Amps". This means Sunrun was literally telling the county and PG&E that my service was increasing from 125 Amps size to 225 Amps.

To put the cherry on top, Sunrun said they were going to put a 125 A main breaker in the new 225 Amp panel. So PG&E thought I owed the big bucks to upgrade service, and PG&E thought Sunrun was trying to cheat the system by getting an under-sized breaker approved to be swapped later under the table.

What Sunrun should have put was "MPU panel replacement only. 200 A service size is unchanged." . Unfortunately I ASSumed Sunrun could handle the permitting and engineering since they are a publicly traded company and #1 in the nation in terms of PV volume. Easy mistake I guess.


Once you've covered the above steps, you'll know for sure that your existing service from PG&E is up to snuff. And you'll have confirmed that your main service panel size is not changing. If there are any break-downs or inconsistencies in the above steps, you should make sure to align all expectations and data. The homeowner is the only party in this entire process that has to live with the outcome. So you've got to do the legwork.

== =================================================================

So you're probably wondering why you went through the above 3 steps...


In the Greenbook, There is section 1.16.2 which provides an exemption for existing homeowners who are doing a like-for-like main service panel upgrade. This language was meant to grandfather homeowners in to avoid a very expensive lift-and-shift when they're simply replacing a panel. So under most interpretations, if you get a new rated panel that is the same size as your old one in the same location, you have not made your house "less safe." If you confirmed Steps 1 through 3, that should reinforce that you're doing a like-for-like panel upgrade.

But PG&E could still stonewall you. This is because in the Greenbook there is a section 1.16.4 which states that any "self generation" (solar and ESS) must be at least 36 inches from the gas riser. Clever people who love red tape could assert that your "solar ready" main service panel is part of your new self generation energy system. They're basically ignoring 1.16.2 which was written expressly for main service panels. And instead, they are applying 1.16.4 to include your main service panel as part of your new green system.

PG&E doesn't want people to self-generate; they want people to pay their mega-high rates for life. So... you can see the conflict of interest PG&E has in this. They want people to run into hiccups or bail on their installation since that helps their bottom line. A like-for-like is relatively cheap. But a lift-and-shift could require the homeowner to need to pay ~$7k to move the main panel recess, and possibly pay another $10k to re-trench a longer service line to connect things back to PG&E. When faced with these surprise costs, many customers would just cancel and PG&E gets more $.

== =================================================================

Here are the solutions I've found:


1) Be a Karen (in a good way) and start trying to get supervisors/managers involved to get the like-for-like.
I don't think PG&E is across-the-board trying to mess up homeowners from getting solar and ESS. It's probably a few weird apples that think adding friction in the process of going green helps their pension. So, eventually you should be able to find someone who sees your point of view. The work you did in Steps 1 through 3 above should give you all the evidence you need to argue that like-for-like applies to your situation. With effort, you may find an empathetic ear.


2) Push for legalities
The State of California has passed mandates for renewable energy targets (I think it's 50% by 2030). As part of this initiative, the California Office of Planning and Research has enacted policies that were intended to streamline green energy investment. Since your new system is not demonstrably "less safe" that what you already have in your house, you may be able to get help from your local AG to push PG&E to granting the like-for-like assessment. I don't think this approach will be fast, but it sure beats paying $17,000 to lift-and-shift plus retrench a new line.


3) Ask your PV/ESS contractor to split the project up.
Some installers are performing the MPU change completely outside of the scope of a solar/ESS installation. This could also be required in your city/county. This approach basically requires submitting a stand-alone building permit and PG&E connection request that only covers the MPU.

For example, I have a Challenger (Zinsco) main panel that is 30 years old. A stand-alone permit could simply be that the Challenger brand panel presents a fire risk, and the main service panel is end-of-life and is weather-damaged. Since there is no PV or ESS involved in this MPU, then PG&E would not be able to bring in 1.16.4 into the equation and should grant like-for-like under 1.16.2.

You should still make sure Step 1 and Step 2 above are analyzed to ensure you are in fact getting a like-for-like panel is in play.

Keep in mind if you go this route, there cannot be a big pallet of solar panels; stack of powerwalls; or a roof crew on site when the PG&E lineman comes out to perform the MPU disconnect. The lineman could see that there is in fact solar and ESS involved, and say 1.16.4 applies and block you.

== =================================================================

Here what I think you should NOT DO:


1) DO NOT Cheat the system.
Some contractors may submit a lower-rated panel or main breaker in the permit and line design. Then when PG&E isn't looking, they swap in the higher amp items.

This is highly risky and probably going to be a bigger headache in the long run. Maybe your current service entry lines are only rated for 125 A. So suddenly bumping things up to 200 A in a sneaky way could cause a fire risk. If your house really does needs a service upgrade, you'll want to check out my post below (probably coming in a few hours since I have actual work I need to get done today).


2) DO NOT Just blindly pay what PG&E wants you to pay.
PG&E's first recommendation will always be to pay large sums of money to "fix" the situation. There are solutions out there that may cost a few thousand dollars, but should be cheaper than the $20k fix that PG&E will initially ask for.


3) DO NOT Give up.
PG&E wants you to give up. When you give up on going green, they win.

 

[nwdiver]

4) Go 100% electric and get rid of the gas riser.

 

[miimura]

4) Go 100% electric and get rid of the gas riser.

The corollary to this is that it may be cheaper to move the gas riser than the electrical service.

 

[nwdiver]

The corollary to this is that it may be cheaper to move the gas riser than the electrical service.

I guess technically speaking 'removing' does qualify as 'moving'

Seriously... I don't understand how piping an explosive gas into our homes in 2020 is still a thing. It's idiotic on so many... many levels. Sure... in 1974 when heat pumps sucked and electric stoves were terrible it made a little sense. Last time I checked it's not 1974.

2020 sucks for a lot of reasons but at least power electronics and better refrigerants gave us kick a$$ heat pumps and induction cooktops. Might as well use them

 

[holeydonut]

As a continuation of what I started this thread with... here are some options if you're dealing with Issue 2 (where you need to do a service upgrade). If you performed the Research Steps 1 through 3, but something along the way has indicated that you actually need a service size upgrade or some significant change to things.

Since this won't be a "like for like" main panel upgrade any more, you're going to be facing extra costs no matter what. But the following possible solutions may mitigate your costs instead of doing the full cost of a lift-and-shift plus a longer (retrenched if underground) service entry cable.

The safest option is to just do what PG&E tells you to do. I take no responsibility if you try any of the following and don't get the result that you want/need.



1) Try to have your gas riser relocated.
The PG&E electricity folks will tell you "don't touch the gas riser, that's a big no-no". But then remember these PG&E electricity folks do not have your best interest in mind. Moving the gas riser could be cheap, but it's hard to tell without someone really researching your unique situation. Just like before, PG&E has a connections form that you can complete and begin the process to see what it would entail to get the gas riser to be farther away from the main service panel.

If your home is newer and moving the gas riser away from the MSP means getting closer to the street, this could just cost you a couple thousand dollars. This is because newer gas lines can be modified without a complete replacement. And shortening the pipe (getting closer to the street) is way easier than trying to lengthen it. But this could also be SUPER expensive in an order home if they have to replace the entire underground plumbing under your house.

PG&E will charge a $2,000 cost to do the assessment to see if this option could work for you. The $2,000 will apply toward the cost of moving the riser if you go this route.


2) Ask PG&E to help you to design an extension to their service entry to help reach the lifted-and-shifted MSP.
The existing PG&E entry wires may be too short to get to the lifted-and-shifted main service panel. But instead of paying them to re-trench a longer wire, it could be possible for them to allow you to install an end-cap on their existing lines and the you pay for longer terminals off of this new busbar that can reach your relocated main service panel.

To be honest I'm not 100% how this works since it seems the end-cap would still be within 36" of the gas riser. But PG&E did present this as an option where I would still have to pay some bucks for the lift and shift, but I wouldn't have to pay to re-trench the service lines.


3) Get a NEMA 7 rated enclosure around your main service panel.
PG&E's Greenbook says if your MSP is Class I Division 2 compliant, then you only need to be 18 inches away from the riser. A NEMA 7 enclosure (explosion proof) using compliant equipment would satisfy this requirement.

Companies like Graybar can customize an enclosure for you that houses a Eaton (Bussmann) Class 1 Division 2 and UL67 main service panel. This cost is going to be around $7k, but it would let you re-use the existing service wires without a re-trench and lengthening of the underground service. I'm not 100% sure this would work though; Graybar told me they've never done a residential application and this just sounds "idiotic". Keep in mind the NEMA 7 enclosure is way bigger (it has lots of extra bolts and reinforcement to make it explosion proof). So maybe this won't even fit on a normal residential wall between normal wall studs. It's also super heavy.


4) Get a "slam shutoff valve" installed
There are valves that completely close off in an adverse event. This would need to happen underground to prevent any gas from getting to your riser. PG&E has entertained this concept, but I think it may become more trouble than it's worth.

This should not be confused with the commonly available earthquake shutoff valves. The typical earthquake valve sits after your riser and gas meter (but) before the inlet to your home. The slam shutoff sits well before your own regulator, gas meter, riser, etc.

PG&E made it sound like having this slam-shutoff underground would be ok... but keep in mind the gas folks don't work closely with the electricity folks. So getting this "slam shutoff" option to work may be even more difficult than the NEMA 7 enclosure.


5) Try to go all-electric.
You can't violate a 36" restriction if PG&E removes the gas riser all-together. But if you go this route, it's likely your PG&E energy service will need to be upgraded. This is because an all-electric kitchen, water heater, and heat pump will likely draw much more power than your current home design. Even if you put monster solar array on your house and a huge number of powerwalls in your own "home microgrid" ... you'll still need to connect your home to PG&E's grid.

So unless you're going to take your home off grid completely (probably not allowed if you're in an HOA), you could be looking at a re-trench anyway to upgrade the service cables. Plus you're going to have to buy all new appliances. And you probably won't be able to sell your house to Asian buyers anymore since they don't like cooking on induction cooktops.


Good luck!

 

[nwdiver]

6) Try to go all-electric.
You can't violate a 36" restriction if PG&E removes the gas riser all-together. But if you go this route, it's likely your PG&E energy service will need to be upgraded. This is because an all-electric kitchen, water heater, and heat pump will likely draw much more power than your current home design. Even if you put monster solar array on your house and a huge number of powerwalls in your own "home microgrid" ... you'll still need to connect your home to PG&E's grid.

Depends on when your house was built. 200A service is pretty much the standard now regardless of whether your home is all-electric or not. 200A service is more than sufficient to go all electric. The primary culprits of high demand is resistance backup heat. Which isn't really needed with modern heat pumps so long as temps are > -20F. If it gets that cold in CA there are probably other concerns.... like figuring out where the black hole that just devoured the sun is headed next.

My home is only ~1000 square feet but it's all electric with only 30A service.

 

[getakey]

Depends on when your house was built. 200A service is pretty much the standard now regardless of whether your home is all-electric or not. 200A service is more than sufficient to go all electric. The primary culprits of high demand is resistance backup heat. Which isn't really needed with modern heat pumps so long as temps are > -20F. If it gets that cold in CA there are probably other concerns.... like figuring out where the black hole that just devoured the sun is headed next.

My home is only ~1000 square feet but it's all electric with only 30A service.

I have a brand new heat pump. It struggles to heat at <50 F

 

[nwdiver]

I have a brand new heat pump. It struggles to heat at <50 F

What brand is it? Sounds like you got a lemon.

 

[holeydonut]

What brand is it? Sounds like you got a lemon.

Yeah heat pumps should struggle once things dip below 20F (that positive 20F). If it's 50F and your heat pump isn't performing, you may want to get that looked it.

I don't think heat pumps are intended for climates that get well below freezing for long stretches.

 

[nwdiver]

Yeah heat pumps should struggle once things dip below 20F (that positive 20F). If it's 50F and your heat pump isn't performing, you may want to get that looked it.

I don't think heat pumps are intended for climates that get well below freezing for long stretches.

That was the case. Not so much with the newer models. CO2 based heat pumps do even better.

 

[getakey]

What brand is it? Sounds like you got a lemon.

Its a York. I got the unit with gas backup, not electrical. We turn it off at night. It is only for 1/2 of hte house. I have a separate gas furnace for the other 1/2. The part of the house heated by the heat pump will get down to ~60 on cold nights (low in 30s). The heat pump without using the gas would take many hours to heat the house up to 70.

Do you have a heat pump and if so, what is your experience? I've read where lots of people do not get good performance <45 F.

 

[nwdiver]

Its a York. I got the unit with gas backup, not electrical. We turn it off at night. It is only for 1/2 of hte house. I have a separate gas furnace for the other 1/2. The part of the house heated by the heat pump will get down to ~60 on cold nights (low in 30s). The heat pump without using the gas would take many hours to heat the house up to 70.

Do you have a heat pump and if so, what is your experience? I've read where lots of people do not get good performance <45 F.

I have an older LG. It works fine down to ~20F. It struggles a bit <20F but the newer ones are a lot better. I would get your York looked at. If it's not working <45F you might have air in the lines or be low on refrigerant. One tell-tale sign is if only part of your outdoor coil gets frosted when working as a heat pump. That frost line is the level of the refrigerant.

 

[getakey]

the AC works great, so pretty sure refrigerant is right

 

[nwdiver]

the AC works great, so pretty sure refrigerant is right

IIRC using the AC requires less refrigerant than when it's operating as a heat pump. When it's a heat pump the condenser is filled with liquid. When it's operating to cool the condenser is filled with hot gas. The volume of the coils in the condenser is greater than the volume in the air handler.

So if you're low on refrigerant it will stop heating correctly before it stops cooling correctly...

 

[jboy210]

As a continuation of what I started this thread with... here are some options if you're dealing with Issue 2 (where you need to do a service upgrade). If you performed the Research Steps 1 through 3, but something along the way has indicated that you actually need a service size upgrade or some significant change to things.

Since this won't be a "like for like" main panel upgrade any more, you're going to be facing extra costs no matter what. But the following possible solutions may mitigate your costs instead of doing the full cost of a lift-and-shift plus a longer (retrenched if underground) service entry cable.

The safest option is to just do what PG&E tells you to do. I take no responsibility if you try any of the following and don't get the result that you want/need.



1) Try to have your gas riser relocated.
The PG&E electricity folks will tell you "don't touch the gas riser, that's a big no-no". But then remember these PG&E electricity folks do not have your best interest in mind. Moving the gas riser could be cheap, but it's hard to tell without someone really researching your unique situation. Just like before, PG&E has a connections form that you can complete and begin the process to see what it would entail to get the gas riser to be farther away from the main service panel.

If your home is newer and moving the gas riser away from the MSP means getting closer to the street, this could just cost you a couple thousand dollars. This is because newer gas lines can be modified without a complete replacement. And shortening the pipe (getting closer to the street) is way easier than trying to lengthen it. But this could also be SUPER expensive in an order home if they have to replace the entire underground plumbing under your house.

PG&E will charge a $2,000 cost to do the assessment to see if this option could work for you. The $2,000 will apply toward the cost of moving the riser if you go this route.


2) Ask PG&E to help you to design an extension to their service entry to help reach the lifted-and-shifted MSP.
The existing PG&E entry wires may be too short to get to the lifted-and-shifted main service panel. But instead of paying them to re-trench a longer wire, it could be possible for them to allow you to install an end-cap on their existing lines and the you pay for longer terminals off of this new busbar that can reach your relocated main service panel.

To be honest I'm not 100% how this works since it seems the end-cap would still be within 36" of the gas riser. But PG&E did present this as an option where I would still have to pay some bucks for the lift and shift, but I wouldn't have to pay to re-trench the service lines.


3) Get a NEMA 7 rated enclosure around your main service panel.
PG&E's Greenbook says if your MSP is Class I Division 2 compliant, then you only need to be 18 inches away from the riser. A NEMA 7 enclosure (explosion proof) using compliant equipment would satisfy this requirement.

Companies like Graybar can customize an enclosure for you that houses a Eaton (Bussmann) Class 1 Division 2 and UL67 main service panel. This cost is going to be around $7k, but it would let you re-use the existing service wires without a re-trench and lengthening of the underground service. I'm not 100% sure this would work though; Graybar told me they've never done a residential application and this just sounds "idiotic". Keep in mind the NEMA 7 enclosure is way bigger (it has lots of extra bolts and reinforcement to make it explosion proof). So maybe this won't even fit on a normal residential wall between normal wall studs. It's also super heavy.


4) Get a "slam shutoff valve" installed
There are valves that completely close off in an adverse event. This would need to happen underground to prevent any gas from getting to your riser. PG&E has entertained this concept, but I think it may become more trouble than it's worth.

This should not be confused with the commonly available earthquake shutoff valves. The typical earthquake valve sits after your riser and gas meter (but) before the inlet to your home. The slam shutoff sits well before your own regulator, gas meter, riser, etc.

PG&E made it sound like having this slam-shutoff underground would be ok... but keep in mind the gas folks don't work closely with the electricity folks. So getting this "slam shutoff" option to work may be even more difficult than the NEMA 7 enclosure.


5) Try to go all-electric.
You can't violate a 36" restriction if PG&E removes the gas riser all-together. But if you go this route, it's likely your PG&E energy service will need to be upgraded. This is because an all-electric kitchen, water heater, and heat pump will likely draw much more power than your current home design. Even if you put monster solar array on your house and a huge number of powerwalls in your own "home microgrid" ... you'll still need to connect your home to PG&E's grid.

So unless you're going to take your home off grid completely (probably not allowed if you're in an HOA), you could be looking at a re-trench anyway to upgrade the service cables. Plus you're going to have to buy all new appliances. And you probably won't be able to sell your house to Asian buyers anymore since they don't like cooking on induction cooktops.


Good luck!

A convoluted set of requirements. Which way are you leaning?

 

[holeydonut]

A convoluted set of requirements. Which way are you leaning?

Those requirements you quoted are if you actually need a service size upgrade.

I am covered under like-for-like (200 A before and after). I just need to get a lineman (or troubleman as they're called) to do the disconnect that isn't trying to save his pension by shutting down my solar/ESS install.

 

[GHTech]

Hi!

Just a comment on the cost of moving the gas riser. In my case, I am in LADWP and SoCalGas territory. Already had solar from 2006 (replaced with Tesla PV and PW in Sep 2020). I was replacing the Zinsco panel and going from 100A to a 200A solar ready panel. Had to move the panel or the gas riser. Gas line was coming into the neighbors property and getting split to their meter and mine. SoCalGas quoted $1,048 to move my meter (further away from the street). They ran a new line from the street to my meter. This was in 2016.

Regards,

GHTech

 

[holeydonut]

Hi!

Just a comment on the cost of moving the gas riser. In my case, I am in LADWP and SoCalGas territory. Already had solar from 2006 (replaced with Tesla PV and PW in Sep 2020). I was replacing the Zinsco panel and going from 100A to a 200A solar ready panel. Had to move the panel or the gas riser. Gas line was coming into the neighbors property and getting split to their meter and mine. SoCalGas quoted $1,048 to move my meter (further away from the street). They ran a new line from the street to my meter. This was in 2016.

Regards,

GHTech

Yep, it sounds like with newer construction, moving the existing riser and meter isn't actually that expensive. I think with older homes built in the 80s (or older), the gas lines are much more fickle and need to be completely replaced.

But your example is great; it shows it's possible to add a larger service without paying the huge amount of money to do a lift-and-shift or re-trenching underground lines.

Also, thank you for brining the thread back on topic instead of the foray into heat pumps.

 

[GHTech]

Yep, it sounds like with newer construction, moving the existing riser and meter isn't actually that expensive. I think with older homes built in the 80s (or older), the gas lines are much more fickle and need to be completely replaced.
.

Hi holeydonut,

My home was built in 1974, and they ran a new pipe from the street.

What is interesting is one of my neighbors upgraded their panel in 2014, and the gas riser did not have to be moved, even though it was located right under the panel. I asked the inspector, and he wanted me to give the address so that he can check. There was no way I was going to through a neighbor "under the bus".

Regards,

GHTech

 

[holeydonut]

Hi holeydonut,

My home was built in 1974, and they ran a new pipe from the street.

What is interesting is one of my neighbors upgraded their panel in 2014, and the gas riser did not have to be moved, even though it was located right under the panel. I asked the inspector, and he wanted me to give the address so that he can check. There was no way I was going to through a neighbor "under the bus".

Regards,

GHTech

Whattttt

SoCalGas trenched up your old gas line, laid new pipe from the street to your house, and covered it all back up for $1,048?

PG&E said if they had to trench up an old line and put in a new one, that could be upwards to around $15,000. But just shortening an existing line should be only a few grand.