Minnesota begins administrative action against CenturyLink
(FOX 9) - The state of Minnesota is preparing to take action against CenturyLink for failing to respond to requests to locate utility lines.
The delays began in April when CenturyLink changed the vendor it uses to locate utility lines.
According to Gopher State One Call, the number you call before you dig, CenturyLink failed to show up for more than 70,000 appointments in April alone.
The company is currently looking at fines exceeding $787,000.
The Office of Pipeline Safety is currently investigating those delays.
Thursday, CenturyLink issued a statement that reads:
As of April 1, we changed locate contractors. Our new contractor encountered unanticipated staffing issues, which have unfortunately impacted our install and construction schedules.
We value our relationship with our customers, the excavator community, and the State of Minnesota. We are actively working to resolve the backlog of locates, deploying more than 200 technicians to the field, communicating with excavators and coordinating with the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety (MNOPS), Gopher State One Call (GSOC), CenturyLink’s utility location contractor, and other partners until this situation is resolved. We apologize for these delays and appreciate your patience as we work to get this situation resolved.