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Aliso Canyon could shut down in the not-too-distant future

Nearly 10 years ago, the Aliso Canyon gas storage leak in Porter Ranch pumped 100,000 tons of methane and other chemicals into the air over a four-month period.

Roughly 8,000 families temporarily evacuated their homes within days after some reported headaches, nosebleeds, nausea and other illnesses. It was the largest natural gas leak in American history.

Around that time, local concern surrounding the leak, which took place between late 2015 and early 2016, galvanized a question repeated often by community activists: “When will Aliso Canyon close?”

On Wednesday, the California Public Utilities Commission provided some clues to that riddle, unveiling a proposal that could potentially shutter the Aliso Canyon gas storage field, operated by SoCalGas, in the coming years.

Local activists and politicians, however, were quick to say that the plan doesn’t provide a fast or clear enough timeline to shut down the site.

What is the plan?

My colleague Clara Harter and I reviewed the plan.

Southern California’s demand for natural gas is expected to lessen in the coming years as the state increases its use of renewable energy sources, according to the CPUC.

The goal is to get the region to a point where peak demand can be served without Aliso Canyon. But it could be years before that happens.

According to the plan, the CPUC would initiate proceedings to review and potentially close the facility only when the peak demand forecast for a date two years in the future is below 4,121 million metric cubic feet per day.

Peak demand, currently forecast at 4,618 million metric cubic feet per day, is expected to drop to 4,197 million in 2030, according to the CPUC.

“We continue to review the decision but share the commission’s view that Aliso Canyon is a necessary part of California’s energy infrastructure today,” SoCalGas spokesperson Chris Gilbride said in a statement Friday.

Damage caused by the leak, and the changes since

SoCalGas has a contentious relationship with the Porter Ranch community and has faced lawsuits alleging it knew about issues at the site and failed to address them.

Firefighters also filed suits alleging that the company failed to inform them about the extent of their exposure to harmful chemicals when responding to the leak.

In 2016, SoCalGas pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of failing to immediately report the leak. In 2021, it agreed to pay up to $1.8 billion to settle the claims of more than 35,000 victims.

Since then, the company has implemented a number of safety improvements at Aliso Canyon, including an infrared methane monitoring system, safety tests on all 114 wells, employees who operate new leak-detection systems 24 hours a day, new reporting policies for releases of hazardous materials and more safety training.

Aliso Canyon can’t close fast enough for community activists and politicians

Several politicians who represent Porter Ranch and support closing Aliso Canyon said they are frustrated by what they see as a lack of urgency and clarity around when the site will realistically cease operation.

“The optimism part is that there is a path to shut it down,” Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) said in a phone interview. “The skeptical side, however, is there really is no timeline. It’s unclear.”

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath called the draft decision “unacceptable,” saying in a statement that it “fails to prioritize the health and well-being of a community that bore the brunt of the worst natural gas leak in American history.”

This sentiment was echoed by Matt Pakucko, president of the advocacy group Save Porter Ranch, which has fought to close the storage facility since shortly after the leak.

“This isn’t an energy issue, it’s a health issue,” Pakucko said.

Why is Aliso Canyon still operating?

In 2023, Newsom’s appointees to the CPUC voted 5-0 to allow SoCalGas to store far more fuel at the site to help bring down gas rates.

Rising natural gas costs were a big issue last winter, when SoCalGas said the average bill for each of its 21.8 million customers in January 2023 was about $300 — more than twice the previous year.

The company blamed unusually cold winter weather and constraints on pipelines and gas storage facilities for the spike in prices. Others blamed the company for mismanaging its inventory and increasing exports to Europe to take advantage of high prices due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Next steps

The closure plan will be discussed at the commission’s Dec. 19 meeting in San Francisco. The public can attend in person or virtually.

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Column One

Column One is The Times’ home for narrative and longform journalism. Here’s a great piece from this week:

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At the end of her first summer camp, 11-year-old Naíma Arteaga was nervous about the final group activity she was required to do: sing in a rock band and perform onstage in front of a large audience. The task sounds ludicrous, but Arteaga wasn’t at any ordinary camp — she was at Chicxs Rockerxs South East Los Angeles (pronounced cheek-ecks roh-kerr-ecks), where girls, trans and gender-fluid youth learn to play instruments, create bands with one another, write original songs and perform live for a crowd during a showcase, all in just the span of a week.

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For your weekend

Actress Kaley Cuoco for Sunday Funday (Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Going out

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L.A. Affairs

Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.

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Their online profiles could not have been more dissimilar. She was recovering from an excruciating divorce and signed up on the advice of her writer friends (“It’s great character material!”). Her profile was just a photo of an eye and a passage from a novel. He posted a straightforward photo with a complete description of who he was and who he wanted to meet. Lucky for her, he’s into literature.

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Cindy Chang, City Editor

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