A gas pipeline explosion that led to the evacuation of 100 people on Tuesday is now forcing the residents of British Columbia and the state of Washington to cut their gas consumption as the region faces a shortage until the pipeline is repaired. The Globe and Mail reports the explosion is being investigated by the Transportation Safety Board, noting that the blast damaged the two main pipelines, both operated by Enbridge, that bring natural gas into the FortisBC’s gas distribution system. A crude oil pipeline in the vicinity of the blast has also been shut down. FortisBC has announced as many as 700,000 customers are facing a temporary lack of access to natural gas because of the explosion. That’s more than two-thirds of the company’s customer base. FortisBC ships as much as 85 percent of the natural gas it supplies to customers via the twin Enbridge line where the […]