Consumers Energy Completes Four-Year Saginaw Trail Pipeline Project

By Brianna Rodriguez, Digital Editor

Consumers Energy completed its four-year, $610 million construction of the Saginaw Trail Pipeline to upgrade natural gas pipelines and infrastructure in Michigan.

The construction project modernizes Consumers Energy's 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 that is even more safe, reliable, affordable and clean.

"We are pleased to share that the Saginaw Trail Pipeline has been successfully completed," said Dennis Dobbs, vice president of enterprise project management for Consumers Energy. "The project was a huge undertaking and we are grateful for the cooperation and patience shown by affected landowners, community leaders, residents and other entities throughout construction. We also recognize the outstanding efforts of the hundreds of company and contractor skilled trades employees who worked through the challenge of COVID-19 to bring this project to successful fruition." 

Consumers Energy 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 by achieving several small projects.

"The Saginaw Trail Pipeline helped model the way for environmental sustainability efforts for these types of large pipeline projects," Dobbs said. "I am so proud of the care and concern shown by our employees and contractors who worked to ensure that we protected the landscape of our great state as this project was constructed." 

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.

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