Czech gas pipeline damage during excavation is rising; network marking can prevent it

The Czech Republic’s largest gas distributor, GasNet, is seeing a rising number of gas pipelines damaged during excavation work. In the first half of this year, the distributor recorded more than 200 cases of third-party damage to gas pipelines. This continues last year’s trend, when the total number of such cases rose by 15 % year on year. These incidents can pose a serious danger to people’s health and property. The distributor is urging construction companies to have the route of the gas network marked by the distributor before starting work, rather than digging blindly.

The most common cause of damage to gas pipelines is improperly carried out earthworks and excavation. Construction workers fail to check in advance where the pipeline runs underground, and then breach the pipe while digging. This can lead to interruptions in gas supplies, damage to gas infrastructure, gas leaks and often a threat to people and property in the surrounding area.

One such incident occurred at the beginning of this year in Ústí nad Labem, where gas workers had to respond to damage to a gas pipeline on Velká Hradební Street. While preparing an excavation, an excavator damaged a medium-pressure gas pipeline. Firefighters then evacuated around sixty apartments in the vicinity of the construction site as a precaution. Emergency services also evacuated people in connection with damage to gas pipelines in Josefův Důl and Lubenec this spring.

„The damage is usually caused by an excavator bucket or even an ordinary pickaxe. This happens mainly in residential areas, where such accidents naturally put people nearby at risk. The damage caused can run into millions of crowns,“ says Petr Koutný, GasNet’s Chief Operating Officer.

Gas workers seek compensation from those responsible not only for the gas lost, but also for repairs to the damaged pipeline. Serious cases are also referred to the Energy Regulatory Office, which may impose a fine. It is often necessary to take part of the local network out of service so that gas workers can repair the pipeline safely. For example, more than 5 000 customers were temporarily disconnected from gas supplies as a result of these accidents last year.

The number of gas pipelines damaged during excavation began to rise last year: in 2024, GasNet’s gas workers dealt with 513 such cases, 15 % more than the previous year.

Digging blindly breaks the law; marking the network is the way to prevent it

„Any construction activity in a gas pipeline’s protective or safety zone requires the distributor’s consent. The Energy Act imposes this obligation on developers, and failure to comply is a clear breach of the law,“ explains Petr Koutný of GasNet.

Developers and designers can obtain consent through the distributor’s online portal, Gas Distribution Online (dpo.gasnet.cz). If the distributor confirms in its response that the work will take place near a gas pipeline, construction companies must also ask gas workers to mark the route of gas infrastructure. This helps prevent damage during excavation.

To mark the route, a gas technician comes directly to the construction site and uses reflective paint to indicate the location of gas pipelines or a gas service connection on the ground. This clearly shows where to dig with the utmost care. The distributor provides both its response and the marking service free of charge, and both can be arranged online.

Emergency gas service: call 1239

If a gas service connection or pipeline is damaged during construction, call the 24-hour emergency gas service immediately on 1239, or call the fire service. The phone number is valid throughout the Czech Republic. Gas workers investigate every call.

All the information and procedures you need can be found at gasnet.cz/vytyceni.