SoCalGas is shutting off service to 135 homes in Rancho Palos Verdes following continued land movement

SoCalGas plans to shut off gas utility service to about 135 homes in the Portuguese Bend region of Rancho Palos Verdes on Monday.

According to SoCalGas, recent land movements in the area made it necessary to temporarily cut off the neighborhood's supply of methane, commonly known as natural gas.

The shutoff is expected to take effect around 9 a.m. Monday, though the city of Rancho Palos Verdes issued a statement saying it has reached out to the utility to discuss the possibility of delaying the shutoff.

For their part, SoCalGas says the shutoff could take effect even before the scheduled time if necessary. The utility service said they will not bill customers if that occurs.

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"Unfortunately, the neighborhood continues to experience significant new land movement damaging roads, homes. and further threatening the safety of SoCalGas’ infrastructure," said SoCalGas in the news release. 

SoCalGas advised against connecting alternate fuel sources like propane to the methane gas meter, which can cause safety concerns.

No methane gas leaks have yet been reported, according to the city of Rancho Palos Verdes.

Lack of notice draws criticism

The sudden nature of the shutoff drew criticism, including from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.

"This is a big problem," Hahn wrote in a statement provided to LAist. "I understand the risks, but I believe residents needed more time and better outreach to prepare for their gas to be disconnected. The County’s Department of Public Works and our Office of Emergency Management stand ready to assist these residents in anyway we can."

The current land slippage in Portuguese Bend has been ongoing since 1956, but has worsened in recent years after two winters' worth of heavy rain accelerated land movement in the area.

Drilling efforts to stabilize the land are currently underway, with a projected end date of September. If the drilling is successful, it could take about two to six months to be effective. The land is currently moving at a rate of about one foot a week.

Impacted streets

Streets in the Portuguese Bend region impacted by the shutoff include:

• CHERRYHILL LN
• CINNAMON LN
• CLOVETREE PL
• FIGTREE RD
• FRUIT TREE RD
• GINGER ROOT LN
• KUMQUAT LN
• LIMETREE LN
• NARCISSA DR
• PALOS VERDES DR
• PEPPERTREE DR
• PLUMTREE RD
• E POMEGRANATE RD
• W POMEGRANATE RD
• ROSEAPPLE RD
• SWEETBAY RD
• TANGERINE RD
• THYME PL
• VANDERLIP DR