Service resumes on Mariner East 1 pipeline

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) issued an order allowing Sunoco Pipeline, also known as Energy Transfer Partners, to reinstate operations of the Mariner East 1 pipeline, a major transporter of propane in the state.

Operations had been suspended since March 7, when the commission issued an emergency order after the discovery of sinkholes near the pipeline in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The action to reinstate operations came in response to a petition filed by Sunoco to lift the emergency order.

The reopening follows an extensive investigation into safety concerns raised by the commission’s independent Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement, the commission says. The order requires Sunoco to comply with several conditions involving notification and reporting as the company reinstates service on the pipeline.

Energy Transfer Partners says procedures to resume public utility service on the pipeline will begin immediately. The company says there were no issues with the pipeline when it was shut down temporarily as a precautionary measure and that it has been operating safely for decades.

Mariner East 1 is part of a larger public utility system, including the Mariner East 2 and Mariner East 2X pipelines, which are under construction.