As construction of our Mid-Michigan Pipeline enters the home stretch, we’re celebrating a decade of dedication to modernizing Michigan’s natural gas infrastructure.

Since 2014, we’ve replaced hundreds of miles of the “expressway” that powers our gas system as part of our Natural Gas Delivery Plan, a 10-year roadmap to improve safety, reliability and affordability for our   while creating a cleaner energy future.

In all, we’ve invested nearly $1.5 billion to replace pipe dating to the 1940s, ensuring the major arteries that keep natural gas flowing to homes and businesses are as safe and reliable as possible. These upgrades have impacted large swaths of our service territory in the Lower Peninsula.

Replacing transmission pipelines in our natural gas system allows us to move larger volumes of natural gas more efficiently to homes and businesses, and installing new, stronger steel pipe improves the integrity of the line, makes it easier to conduct more frequent safety tests and reduces risk for customers.

And we’ve completed the upgrades while maintaining our commitment to protecting Michigan’s environment and caring for the communities we serve.

Investing for the Long Haul

The Mid-Michigan project is a two-phase, $550 million effort to replace 55 miles of transmission pipeline in Clinton, Shiawassee, Ingham, Livingston and Washtenaw counties. The project has replaced vintage  20-inch pipeline with new 36-inch pipeline that helps us move more natural gas quickly, safely and efficiently.

The first phase of construction – a 30-mile stretch from Chelsea to Williamston – was completed in 2023. The second phase, covering 25 miles from Williamston to Ovid, began in May and will be complete in time for the winter heating season.

Mid-Michigan is the latest in a line of successful projects to upgrade our 2,371-mile transmission network, which keeps gas flowing reliably from storage and compression facilities for safe delivery to homes and businesses. Major construction projects already completed include:

  • 2014: The $120 million Southwest Michigan Pipeline, running 24 miles through St. Joseph and Branch counties and completing a 90-mile dual gas transmission pipeline corridor
  • 2021: The Saginaw Trail Pipeline, a four-phase, $610 million project replacing nearly 95 miles of pipeline in Saginaw, Genesee and Oakland counties.
  • 2022: The South Oakland Macomb Network, a four-phase, $200 million effort replacing natural gas pipeline and infrastructure in Macomb and Oakland counties.

Counting the Ways You Can Count on Us

During all pipeline projects, we protect the environment by following a successful strategy designed to safeguard the land, water, wildlife and other natural resources.

  • We complete detailed environmental inventories of project areas — including all wetlands, drains and stream crossings — and work with federal, state and local agencies to consider all environmental concerns such as identifying and protecting any threatened or endangered species and their habitats.
  • On-site environmental inspectors ensure best practices and protect wildlife, and a herpetologist helps impacted reptiles such as snakes and turtles. We’ve cared for sick foxes and rescued adult turtles and turtle eggs from the right-of-way. The eggs were incubated under the care of a herpetologist, hatched and released back into their habitat.
  • We use special fencing made of all-natural fiber to prevent erosion without trapping or harming birds, snakes or other animals, as well as green construction techniques to conserve soil, reduce waste and recycle wood and other materials.

This winning recipe has helped us safely replace transmission pipelines in sensitive environmental areas, including state-owned public lands, on several projects.

The Mid-Michigan Pipeline construction route has included state-owned public lands, a welcome challenge considering we’re accustomed to working safely and carefully in unique environmental settings.

The Saginaw Trail Pipeline project, for example, went through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw County and Kensington Metropark in Oakland County. In all cases, we’ve worked closely with local officials to communicate with their constituencies, protect the environment and reduce our footprint.

Lush Legacy

When work is complete on the Mid-Michigan Pipeline, we’ll restore construction areas in an environmentally responsible manner – as we’ve done on past projects.

In many spots, we’ll again use a special pollinator mix to restore wild and wetland areas where new pipeline was buried to create new habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

Since 2018, we’ve planted about 2,000 acres of a special seed mix including beautiful perennials including yarrow, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower, coreopsis and butterfly milkweed.

In many spots, especially those from the early stages of the Saginaw Trail Pipeline project, the flowers are in full bloom above the safely replaced pipelines. The plantings provide an ongoing life force for Michigan’s pollinators and a pleasant reminder of an important job well done.

Watch the video below to learn more about the Mid-Michigan Pipeline project and count on us to continue working safely and efficiently to bring you reliable natural gas while caring for the planet.