BEFORE THE WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

In the Matter of the Request by The )
Washington Water Power Company )
for a Waiver to Operate the Spokane ) DOCKET  UG-980579
Fairchild High Pressure Feeder )
Supply Pipeline at Pressures above ) ORDER GRANTING
250 psig Within One Hundred Feet ) WAIVER
of Buildings Intended for Human )
Occupancy (WAC 480-93-030). )
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . )


 On October 21, 1997, with follow-up letters on April 3, 1998 and June 3, 1998, 
The Washington Water Power Company (WWP), a Washington Corporation, filed a 
request for a waiver of WAC 480-93-030, Proscribed areas, to operate the 
Spokane-Fairchild eight inch high-pressure supply pipeline at pressures above 
250 psig within one hundred feet of buildings intended for human occupancy.


FINDINGS OF FACT 

 1. WWP has provided documentation that the maximum allowable operating 
pressure (MAOP) of this pipeline has been established at 350 psig as a result 
of an uprate in 1972.

 2. WWP has provided documentation that the Spokane-Fairchild high pressure 
pipeline cannot provide adequate capacity to meet future demand at the current 
operating pressure of 250 psig.

 3. The Spokane-Fairchild pipeline has been operated as a distribution pipeline 
since it was put into operation approximately 30 years ago. The highest 
pressure the pipeline may operate and still be a distribution system is 366 
psig.
 
 4. All high pressure service sets operated as part of the pipeline to be 
uprated that are located against a building are to be rectified through one of 
three options:

a. Installation of an intermediate pressure distribution system to eliminate 
the need for the high pressure service set.

b. Removal of the high pressure service set to a location away from the 
building as far as practical, preferably 100 feet.

c. Install an excess flow device to stop gas flow at the main to protect the 
downstream of excess pressure in the event of a failure.
 Docket  UG-980579        Page  2


 5. On the pipeline to be uprated, WWP identified 39 high pressure service sets 
located against buildings.  All but seven of the 39 will be replaced with 
intermediate pressure distribution lines or moved away from the building.  The 
remaining seven listed below will have excess flow devices installed at the 
main to minimize risks should a failure occur.

 i. N 110 Hayford (Shamrock Office
ii. 5318 W. Lawton Road (2 meters)
iii. 5412 W. Lawton Road
iv. 5411 W. Lawton Road
v. 5509 W. Lawton Road
vi. 1712 S. H Street
 
 6. WWP will follow procedures for uprating the Spokane-Fairchild pipeline to 
increase pressure from 250 psig to a maximum of 600 psig. The pressure will 
then be reduced to an operating pressure below transmission levels and result 
in a specified minimum yield strength (SMYS) below 20% (366 psig or below).  
Uprating to a strength test of 600 psig exceeds the minimum requirements for 
uprating and establishes an increased level of assurance of safe operation.

 7. WWP has provided the Commission with operation and maintenance history of 
the pipeline.  No corrosion has been found during the life of the pipeline and 
no leaks have been reported.

 8. Staff has reviewed the information provided by WWP relating to the 
operational history of this pipeline and has found nothing that would preclude 
the safe operation of this pipeline at distribution pressures up to 366 psig.


ORDER


 THE COMMISSION ORDERS: 

 1. The request by Washington Water Power for a waiver of WAC 480-93-030, 
Proscribed areas, shall be granted to allow the operation of the 
Spokane-Fairchild high-pressure supply pipeline at pressures above 250 psig 
within one hundred feet of buildings intended for human occupancy.

 2. WWP shall not operate the Spokane-Fairchild high-pressure supply pipeline 
above 366 psig unless approved by the Commission.


Docket  UG-980579        Page  3


 3. For the purposes of this order, the Spokane-Fairchild high-pressure supply 
pipeline shall mean the following sections of pipe, as found at the date of the 
order:

a) The eight inch line running from the Spokane West Gate Station (#3) located 
near the intersection of Graham Road and Offutt Parkway to the Coeur d'Alene 
Street regulator station (#33) on Coeur d 'Alene Street and Sunset Highway.

b) Laterals off of the eight inch line where no pressure reduction takes place 
to Shamrock Paving, Boeing, customers located at addresses listed in item 5 
below, and services to residences found within 100 feet of the main.

 4. All high pressure service sets operated as part of the pipeline to be 
uprated that are located against a building must be rectified through one of 
three options:

a. Installation of an intermediate pressure distribution system to eliminate 
the need for the high pressure service set.

b. Removal of the high pressure service set to a location away from the 
building as far as practical, preferably 100 feet.

c. Installation of an excess flow device to stop gas flow at the main to 
protect the downstream from excess pressure in the event of a failure.

 5. All but seven of the 39 high pressure service sets against buildings must 
be replaced with intermediate pressure distribution lines (4a) or moved away 
from the building (4b).  The remaining seven listed below must have excess flow 
devices installed at the main to minimize risks should a failure occur (4c).

i. N 110 Hayford (Shamrock Office)
ii. 5318 W. Lawton Road (2 meters)
iii. 5412 W. Lawton Road
iv. 5411 W. Lawton Road
v. 5509 W. Lawton Road
vi. 1712 S. H Street







Docket  UG-980579        Page  4


 6. The Commission retains jurisdiction over this matter to effectuate the 
provisions of this order.


 DATED at Olympia, Washington and effective this 15th day of June, 1998.


  WASHINGTON UTILITIES AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.
      CAROLE J.  WASHBURN 
      Secretary