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Jul 19, 2007 6:12 pm US/Eastern
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NYC Explosion Prompts Concern About Boston Pipes
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A steam pipe system similiar to the one which exploded in New York City is also used in Boston.
An energy company called Trigen uses the steam pipes to provide centralized heating to more than 200 commercial, government, institutional and hospitality customers throughout Boston.
But the size and scope are much different here.
The piping network runs 22-miles under city streets, according to Trigen, compared to more than 100 miles of steam pipes in New York City. The company also says some of the pipes in New York date back to the late 1800's, while Boston's go back to the 1930's. Trigen also says Boston has 2 generating plants while New York has 9.
Mayor Thomas Menino and city officials are pushing legislation to have steam energy regulated by the state. Trigen oversees the pipes but the city has no way of checking the condition of them.
"My administration continues to monitor steam related infrastructure with Trigen and has been assured that existing problems have been identified, isolated and are being remedied appropriately," said Menino in a statement.
According to the Mayor's office, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania regulate steam energy.
A steam pipe ruptured on Congress Street on May 9. No one was injured in that accident.
Back in March, a 6-year-old boy suffered burns on his feet from steam heating up a manhole cover near the Aquarium. Two people also suffered serious burns back in 2004 because of steam bursting through manhole covers.
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