Consumers Energy Completes New Gas Line
Consumers Energy recently completed construction of the Saginaw Trail Pipeline, a four year, 610 million dollar construction project to upgrade natural gas pipelines and infrastructure in Saginaw, Genesee and Oakland counties. The project modernizes Consumers’ natural gas infrastructure while providing environmental enhancements along the route. The work is part of the company’s Natural Gas Delivery Plan, a 10 year road map to a system Consumers describes as even more safe, reliable, affordable and clean. The Saginaw Trail Pipeline project replaced 78 miles of a 1940s vintage natural gas pipeline with about 90 miles of new, larger pipeline. While most of the project followed the existing route through rural agricultural areas, a pipeline reroute was designed to avoid densely populated areas in Saginaw and Flint. In addition to replacing pipeline, crews also rebuilt city gate facilities where gas pressure is regulated for safe delivery to homes and businesses. Each phase of construction was completed without service interruptions for customers. While the pipeline is now operational, some additional final restoration work will occur in 2021. Consumers worked closely with officials from the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County and Kensington Metropark in Oakland County to ensure the project was constructed in an environmentally sensitive manner.
The Michigan Public Services Commission has also approved an update to Consumers’ natural gas pipeline running from Ovid to Chelsea. Construction on that line will begin in a couple years.
