Prince Frederick, MD – Unlike the previous two Fridays, there won’t be a roadblock in Solomons due to a gas leak Aug. 29—not if Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) has any say in it.
On Tuesday, Aug. 26 a spokesman for the cooperative told the Calvert County Commissioners that the utility has temporarily halted work on its streetscape project on the island until a meeting with the contractor can be held to discuss work strategy going forward.
“Corrective actions are underway,” SMECO spokesman Tom Dennison assured the commissioners during their pre-meeting staff session.
Dennison explained that on Friday, Aug. 22 a contractor for the cooperative was digging near Alexander Street and Solomons Island Road when a marked Washington Gas Company line was breeched. The previous Friday the contractor hit an unmarked lateral gas line in Solomons.
Dennison said the co-op’s sidewalk project work won’t resume until after Sept. 4. Two contractor employees “were disciplined because of the disruption it caused to the community of Solomons,” Dennison said. “The contractor will take [corrective] steps but SMECO must approve those steps.”
Dennison thanked personnel from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and Calvert County Government for a swift response to the situation. Personnel from Washington Gas also responded to the scene. The road onto the island was closed for several hours during the Aug. 22 emergency. No injuries were reported.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com