In The News

PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS URGES EVERYONE TO ‘KNOW WHAT’S BELOW’—CONTACT 811 BEFORE DIGGING

In observance of National 811 Day, remember to call 8-1-1 before you dig to protect yourself and your community

PHILADELPHIA (August 11, 2026) – Today is August 11 – National 811 Day. Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), along with other utilities, contractors, excavators, and property owners across the nation are joining the national effort to raise awareness about safe digging practices.  National 811 Day serves as an important reminder for residents and contractors to call 811 before starting any digging project, whether planting flowers or building a deck. When a resident calls 811, the Pennsylvania One Call ticket will notify all utility companies with infrastructure in the area. Utilities then send trained technicians to the property to mark the exact locations of their underground lines using flags or spray paint.
 

Why call 811?

Regardless of the size of the project, anyone planning to pave, excavate, or demolish a structure in Pennsylvania that has utility service or is adjacent to a utility line, including electric, telephone, water, sewer and gas, should – and is legally required to – call Pennsylvania 811 before work begins. This law helps prevent dangerous and costly damage to underground utility lines and protect homeowners, utility workers, the community and residents in the area.

PGW also encourages city residents to call 811 to report any job sites without visible paint or flag markings onsite. Reporting a job site that may be digging without a valid Pennsylvania One Call ticket marking in place alerts all facility owners of a possible safety concern. 

How to call 811?

Dialing 811 connects homeowners and contractors to the Pennsylvania “One Call” system. This system alerts utilities to identify the location of their service or distribution lines within the scope of the proposed worksite. The 811 service is free to any homeowner and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

When to call 811?

It is required to call three to 10 business days prior to beginning a project.

What do the colorful markings on the street represent?

Utilities mark their lines with specific color codes:

• Red represents electric power lines, conduit and power cables
• Orange represents communication lines
• Blue represents water
• Green represents sewers and drain lines
• Yellow, which PGW marks, represents natural gas utility lines or steam.

Over the last year, PGW marked underground natural gas lines for more than 70,000 planned and emergency projects in Philadelphia ahead of contractors, residents, and excavators breaking any ground.

Learn more about the importance and responsibility of calling 811 before any digging occurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn_IpxRdKM.

At any time, the smell of gas or a foreign odor should be reported immediately to PGW’s emergency hotline at 215-235-1212 or 911.

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PFMC Selects Brian Dingerdissen as Next PGW Chief Financial Officer

PHILADELPHIA (August 11, 2026) – Today the Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation (PFMC) announced the appointment of Brian Dingerdissen as the new Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW). As a seasoned utility finance executive and leader with more than two decades of experience in regulated water and natural gas utilities. Dingerdissen joins at a pivotal moment as PGW builds upon decades of financial improvement and infrastructure investment while helping to shape Philadelphia’s evolving energy future.

PGW’s financial turnaround over the past 25 years has been extraordinary. PGW dramatically improved relevant financial metrics since 2001, including:

• Rising bond rating from BBB+ to A+
• Increasing its collection rate from 86% to 97%
• Exceeding its goals for maintaining and replacing critical natural gas infrastructure

“On behalf of the entire PFMC Board, I would like to express our excitement in welcoming Brian to PGW,” said Leigh Whitaker, Chair of the PFMC Board. “Brian brings a rare blend of financial depth, industry knowledge, and strategic planning experience. We are confident that he will be a tremendous asset to PGW’s leadership team to continue building on the foundation built by outgoing CFO, Joseph F. Golden Jr.”

Dingerdissen brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in regulated utility operations, finance, planning and strategy. Most recently, he served as the Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis, Investor Relations, and Treasurer for Essential Utilities, the parent company of Aqua and Peoples Natural Gas. During his tenure, he has held several senior leadership positions with increasing responsibility, partnering closely with executive leadership and the board of directors on financial stewardship, long-term planning, strategic initiatives, and stakeholder engagement.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brian Dingerdissen to PGW,” said Seth Shapiro, President and CEO of PGW. “I am confident that he has the background to both maintain the financial discipline for which PGW has become known, while also bringing creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit that will be critical to succeeding as the energy industry evolves over the coming years.”

Dingerdissen’s appointment was unanimously approved by the Philadelphia Gas Commission on August 11.

“I am honored to join PGW and build upon the strong financial foundation established by Joe Golden and the entire PGW team," said Brian Dingerdissen. "PGW plays an essential role in the lives of Philadelphians and stands at the intersection of public service, infrastructure reliability, customer affordability, and energy innovation. I look forward to working alongside PGW employees, leadership, the Gas Commission, PFMC Board, City officials, and community stakeholders to ensure the utility remains financially strong, operationally resilient, and well positioned for the future.”

PGW is the largest municipally owned gas utility in the country, serving more than 500,000 customers and will continue to invest in innovative energy solutions and strategic initiatives. PGW launched a comprehensive search for an executive vice president and chief financial officer following the announcement of current CFO Joseph Golden, Jr.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank PGW’s outgoing CFO. Joe played a central role in improving and stabilizing PGW's finances during his more than 40 years of service.  I'm sure PFMC joins hundreds of current and former PGW employees as well as countless colleagues across the industry in saying that Joe will be sorely missed,” added PFMC Board Chair Whitaker.

Dingerdissen earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and MBA from Villanova University. He currently serves as Chair of the American Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter. His commitment to community service and civic leadership aligns closely with PGW’s mission of serving Philadelphia’s residents and businesses.

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PGW Brings Home the Gold: Honored by The APGA

American Public Gas Association recognizes PGW for excellence in operations in system integrity and improvement, employee safety and workforce development

PHILADELPHIA (August 11, 2026) - PGW received the American Public Gas Association’s (APGA) gold-level System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR), honoring its outstanding performance and excellence in operations of its natural gas utility. This distinction highlights PGW’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing safety, enhancing operational capabilities, and meeting challenges with innovation.

“This achievement belongs to our 1,600 employees, whose expertise, dedication and service strengthen our system,” said Robert K. Smith, Senior Vice President, Operations, Supply Chain & Gas Management at PGW. “We are honored to be recognized at the gold-level by the APGA, which reflects our core values, employing a safety-first culture, and our commitment to improving and investing in our system that provides safe, reliable natural gas to Philadelphians every day.”

This marks the first time PGW has earned the gold ranking from APGA, after previously receiving the silver-level award twice. PGW was selected as one of 11 gold-level awardees from among approximately 750 APGA member utilities. PGW received 164 of a possible 168 points in SOAR’s scoring rubric that focuses on four primary areas:

• System Integrity, which evaluates a utility’s commitment to safe operations through capital improvements, assets integrity management, and ongoing operations and maintenance activities. Through the Pipeline Infrastructure Improvement Program, PGW has significantly accelerated the installation of modern natural gas mains to increase safety, reliability and lower emissions. PGW expanded from installing approximately 18 miles annually a decade ago to more than 30 miles annually today. PGW also responds to more than 80,000 calls each year through Pennsylvania’s “One Call” system, which requires utilities to mark the location of their underground lines before any contractor or resident begins an excavation project to reduce the risk of damaging natural gas infrastructure or other underground utility lines.  

• System Improvement, which assesses a utility’s commitment to continuous enhancement through the use of innovative tools and technologies, participation in voluntary industry initiatives, and the adoption of best practices. PGW uses advanced technology for its leak detection program to proactively identify leaks in the distribution system and potential methane escape. This program assists in prioritizing areas that need repair or replacement and helps reduce methane emissions. This work was supported through a total of $125 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) Grant Program.

• Employee Safety, which evaluates a utility’s commitment to protecting its workforce through training, clear procedures, strong policies, and the proper tools and equipment. PGW puts safety first and is committed to embedding a true “safety first” culture across the entire organization. PGW’s field operations are now based out of a new state-of-the-art training facility in Northeast Philadelphia. PGW empowers employees to immediately halt work if unsafe conditions arise through its “stop work authority”, provides mandatory training for employees as well as safety tips to make sure employees know how to stay safe.

• Workforce Development, which evaluates a utility’s effort to recruit, retain, develop, and support its employees. As PGW celebrates 190 years in the energy industry, it continues to invest in its employees and help build their knowledge by encouraging participation in community events, industry events and conferences, and professional education opportunities.

“PGW was highly rated in all four areas that are required of SOAR,” said APGA President and CEO Dave Schryver. “PGW consistently demonstrates a commitment to providing natural gas safely and efficiently to all those in their community and as such, serves as a model for all other natural gas utilities in the country,” Schryver said.

Employees across several departments collaborated on the award submission, providing data, anecdotes, and information to illustrate PGW’s efforts in each of SOAR’s four categories.

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