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Pipeline will soon reopen
Will carry gasoline to 5 states
W gas
A sign informs customers of a gas outage at a station in Smyrna, Ga., Monday. Gas prices spiked and drivers found "out of service" bags covering pumps as the gas shortage in the South rolled into the work week, raising fears that the disruptions could become more widespread. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued an executive order Monday aimed at preventing price gouging. - photo by Associated Press
ATLANTA — Gasoline should begin flowing again Wednesday — through a temporary bypass on a critical pipeline — after a major leak in Alabama forced a shutdown that led to surging fuel prices and scattered gas shortages across the South, a company official said Tuesday.The roughly 500-foot (152-meter) section of pipe serving as the bypass is now complete, but supply disruptions may continue for days, Colonial Pipeline spokesman Steve Baker told The Associated Press."When Line 1 restarts, it will take several days for the fuel delivery supply chain to return to normal. As such, some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions. Colonial continues to move as much gasoline, diesel and jet fuel as possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal," Colonial said in a statement.Here are some details related to the spill that led to long gas lines and empty service stations:WHAT HAPPENED?Alabama state workers discovered the leak Sept. 9 when they noticed a strong gasoline odor and sheen on a man-made retention pond, along with dead vegetation, according to a report by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.The preliminary report does not identify the cause as the federal investigation continues.
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