Voluntary  Mitigation  Plan       Name:   Date:     Plan:              SNGME  Electrofusion  Coupling  Mitigation  Plan   September  21,  2015   Effective  immediately,  SNGME  is  implementing  this  mitigation  plan  to  locate  and  inspect  the   electro-­‐fusion  couplings  identified  below,  and  to  replace  the  electro-­‐fusion  couplings  that  fail   visual  inspection  (the  “Plan”).    SNGME  commits  to  work  with  MPUC  Gas  Safety  Staff  to  use  a   data  driven  process  similar  to  the  one  used  for  electro-­‐fusion  tee  mitigation:    1)  SNGME  will   locate   all   the   couplings   issued   to   CCB,   Inc.,   Tetra   Tech   and   PES,   the   three   contractors   who   have   a   demonstrated   history   of   improper   pipe   preparation   (the   “Identified   Contractors”);   and   2)   SNGME   will   work   with   the   MPUC   Gas   Safety   Staff   to   identify   the   crews   who   appear   to   have   mis-­‐installed  electro-­‐fusion  couplings  and  prioritize  the  mitigation  efforts  based  the  results  of   visual  inspections.         The  location  of  the  distribution  systems  where  the  Identified  Contractors  performed  electro-­‐ fusion   coupling   work   is   shown   on   the   maps   on   Attachment   A.     These   maps   will   be   supplemented  as  additional  information  is  collected  from  the  field.     Process  for  Crews  of  Identified  Contractors     By   December   31,   2015,   all   electro-­‐fusion   couplings   installed   by   crews   of   the   Identified   Contractors  shall  be:   § Excavated  and  inspected;   § Those  couplings  failing  visual  inspection  shall  be  replaced;   § A  minimum  of  five  couplings,  installed  by  each  Identified  Contractor,  which  pass  visual   inspection,  shall  be  removed  for   destructive  testing  by  the  coupling  manufacturer  in   accordance  with  ASTM  F1055;  and   § Failure   of   the   above   testing   by   any   of   these   samples   shall   warrant   the   replacement   of   all  couplings  installed  by  the  Identified  Contractor(s).     Process  for  Other  Contractors     By  December  31,  2015,  the  following  inspection  process  shall  be  used  for  all  other  contractors   that  installed  electro-­‐fusion  couplings  in  2013  and  2014:     § A   minimum   of   5   couplings,   installed   by   each   contractor,   shall   be   excavated   and   visually  inspected;   § Any  coupling  failing  visual  inspection  shall  be  replaced;     § For  any  contractor  experiencing  failure  of  visual  testing,  a  minimum  of  five  couplings   installed   by   each   contractor,   which   pass   visual   inspection,   shall   be   removed   for   destructive  testing  by  the  coupling  manufacturer  in  accordance  with  ASTM  F1055;  and   § Failure   of   the   above   testing   by   any   of   these   samples   shall   warrant   the   replacement   of   all  couplings  installed  by  the  contractor.   1         The   MPUC   Gas   Safety   Staff   shall   be   provided   a   schedule   of   all   field   inspections   and   replacements   associated   with   the   plan.     Additionally,   SNGME   will   provide   the   Commission   with  weekly  reports  detailing  progress  made  on  overall  mitigation.     Other  Risk  Mitigation  Measures     Starting  immediately,  and  throughout  the  inspection  and  replacement  process  for  the  electro-­‐ fusion  couplings  subject  to  this  Plan,  SNGME  will  continue  to  operate  its  distribution  systems   identified  on  Attachment  A  at  reduced  pressures.    SNGME  commits  to  operating  its  systems  at   the  lowest  pressure  necessary  to  serve  customer  load,  but  in  no  event  shall  SNGME  operate   its   systems   at   pressures   exceeding   90%   of   MAOP   until   the   MPUC   Gas   Safety   Staff   has   approved   a   higher   operating   pressure.1     SNGME   will   verify   and   demonstrate   to   MPUC   Gas   Safety   Staff   that   all   couplings   have   been   inspected   and   replaced   if   necessary,   prior   to   increasing  the  operating  pressure  of  any  segment  of  the  distribution  system  that  falls  within   the  scope  of  this  Plan.       `Throughout   the   implementation   period   of   this   Plan,   SNGME   will   continue   to   perform   leak   surveys   every   75   days.   In   addition,   SNGME   will   perform   leak   surveys   no   less   than   every   30   days   for   the   portions   of   the   distribution   system   which   have   yet   to   be   inspected   and   all   necessary   replacements   made.   If   any   leaks   are   detected,   SNGME   will   notify   the   MPUC   Gas   Safety   Staff   and   request   Commission   approval   of   any   modifications   to   this   Plan   as   may   be   necessary  based  on  the  assessment  of  the  leak.     If  Any  Mitigation  Work  is  Not  Completed  by  December  31,  2015     In   the   event   that   SNGME   is   unable   to   complete   the   inspections   and   any   warranted   replacements  by  December  31,  2015,  SNGME  shall  provide  a  plan  to  shut  down  or  otherwise   cease   operation   of   affected   portions   of   the   distribution   system.     SNGME   acknowledges   that   this  date  may  be  amended  based  on  weather  conditions  causing  accelerated  ground  frost.     As  a  contingency  for  this  eventuality  SNGME,  shall  also  propose  a  plan  to  provide  customers   impacted   by   a   shutdown   or   cessation   of   the   operating   status   of   the   system   with   alternative   fuel  sources,  at  no  incremental  cost  to  such  customers.    SNGME  shall  submit  a  draft  plan  to   the   Gas   Safety   Staff   no   later   than   October   15,   2015.     This   draft   plan   will   include   provisions   for   customer  communications  and  provide  details  of  construction  planning.     Requests  to  Modify  Mitigation  Plan       SNGME  may  submit  a  request  to  MPUC  Gas  Safety  Staff  to  modify  this  Mitigation  Plan.      Under   no   circumstances   will   this   Plan   be   modified   without   the   prior   approval   of   the   Commission.       For  example,  SNGME  may  use  field  inspections  to  demonstrate  to  the  MPUC  Safety  Staff  that   there  is  not  a  safety  concern  with  regard  to  work  performed  by  a  specific  crew.                                                                                                                               1  SNGME  currently  operates  its  system  at  50%  of  MAOP  in  Waterville  and  Fairfield  and  90%  of  MAOP  in   Madison.    The  remainder  of  SNGME’s  system  operates  at  40%  of  MAOP.   2       SNGME   reserves   the   right   to   perform   tests   at   the   University   of   Maine   and   present   those   results  to  the  MPUC  Gas  Safety  Staff.    SNGME  may  use  these  test  results  in  a  request  to  the   Commission  to  modify  this  Plan.     Under   no   circumstances   will   this   plan   be   modified   without   the   express   approval   of   the   Commission  and  SNGME  acknowledges  that  the  Commission  may  amend  this  Plan  of  its  own   accord.           3