BGE refutes claims of pipeline safety risks tied to falsified contractor audit
(UI) — Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) has formally contested findings by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) that allege the company failed to address safety issues tied to falsified pipeline inspection records, according to CBS News.
In a filing dated April 17, BGE pushed back on accusations stemming from a PSC report that centered on a former employee allegedly submitting fraudulent inspection documentation over a four-year period. The report suggested that BGE did not take appropriate steps to investigate the extent of the issue or reassess potentially affected infrastructure, raising concerns about public safety and improper ratepayer charges.
BGE argued the report contains "numerous misstatements" and misrepresents the impact of the former employee’s actions. The company emphasized that the incident involved only one known falsified audit and rejected the notion that it had acknowledged a broader pattern of falsification. It further clarified that the audit in question was related to contractor compliance, not pipeline safety, and asserted that no falsified records were submitted in 2023.
Addressing why the former employee wasn’t immediately dismissed, BGE cited labor protocols outlined in its agreement with Local 410 and guidelines set by the National Labor Relations Board, CBS News reported. The company stated it had placed the employee on suspension while closely monitoring his performance. A subsequent internal review in April 2024 led to the discovery of the falsified audit and the initiation of a new investigation.
BGE also responded to criticism that it failed to reinspect past work overseen by the employee. The utility argued there was no need to do so because the relevant project had not yet started.
In its filing, BGE underscored its commitment to transparency and argued that the PSC’s conclusions were based on flawed interpretations of the employee’s role. According to the company, the audits in question had limited relevance to the operational safety of its gas distribution system.
"While it is accurate that safety and compliance are, of course, a part of any inspection or audit, the PSCED has grossly misrepresented the former employee's specific job duties and overstated the impact these audits have on the overall safety of the gas distribution system," BGE told CBS News.
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