Gas Pipeline Safety in Pennsylvania

Gas Infrastructure in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the oldest and most extensive gas distribution systems in the United States, reflecting the state's foundational role in American natural gas history. UGI Utilities and PECO (an Exelon company) serve major portions of the state, with Philadelphia Gas Works providing service in the city of Philadelphia under municipal ownership. The Marcellus Shale formation underlying much of the state makes Pennsylvania the second-largest natural gas producer in the country, creating a complex environment where production, transmission, and distribution infrastructure all coexist.

Key Risk Factors

Pennsylvania's most urgent pipeline safety challenge is its massive inventory of aging cast iron and bare steel distribution mains, concentrated in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and dozens of older industrial cities throughout the state. Philadelphia alone has historically had one of the largest remaining cast iron main systems in the country, with some pipes dating to the nineteenth century. The juxtaposition of dense urban aging infrastructure with high Marcellus Shale drilling and gathering activity in rural areas creates two distinct but serious risk environments across the state.

Incident Patterns

Pennsylvania's incident record is among the most extensive in the nation, driven by the sheer scale of its aging urban distribution networks and persistent third-party excavation damage across both urban and rural service territories. Corrosion failures in cast iron and bare steel mains in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh account for a significant share of the state's incidents. You can explore all incidents in Pennsylvania on our site.

Regulatory Oversight

Gas distribution utilities in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which oversees safety compliance, infrastructure replacement programs, and rate structures for the state's investor-owned and municipal gas utilities. Before any digging project, Pennsylvania residents and contractors must call Pennsylvania One Call (PA 811) to have underground utilities marked — it's the law and it saves lives.

Stay Safe

• Learn the signs of a gas leak
• Know what to do if you smell gas
• Understand how gas leak detectors work