Consumers Energy Southwest Michigan Pipeline Starts Operations

$120M Project Creates Jobs, Improves Natural Gas Reliability

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Oct 01, 2014, 06:00 ET

COLDWATER, Mich., Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is celebrating today with landowners, contractors and employees involved in the successful 24-mile Southwest Michigan 1200B Pipeline project, which began commercial operation Sept. 18.

"It is important to pause and reflect on the magnitude of effort involved in taking a large project like this Southwest Michigan Pipeline from concept to completion, and more importantly to recognize and thank the individuals who made it happen," said Dan Malone, Consumers Energy's senior vice president for distribution and customer operations.

Consumers Energy Southwest Michigan Pipeline Starts Operations (PRNewsFoto/Consumers Energy)

"Today is a celebration for those landowners whose support was crucial to this project. We also recognize the more than 300 people who over the past year worked tirelessly and safely to make this pipeline a reality."

The pipeline runs 24 miles through St. Joseph and Branch counties and completes a 90-mile dual gas transmission pipeline corridor, which increases value, reliability and safety for Consumers Energy's 1.7 million natural gas customers.

It allows Consumers Energy the ability to transport larger volumes of natural gas to help its customers benefit from the affordable, abundant and clean fuel source. The pipeline also allows the energy company to keep the gas flowing during routine inspections on either of the parallel pipelines.

The $120 million project created about 300 jobs and generated an additional approximately $25 million in direct and indirect wages over the course of construction.

Malone and other Consumers Energy officials will be celebrating with those involved in the pipeline project at a luncheon today at Brill's Grill House & Event Center in Coldwater.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com, join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ConsumersEnergyMichigan and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ConsumersEnergy.

Media toolkit

PHOTOS: View and download photos of the Southwest Michigan Pipeline:
www.flickr.com/photos/consumersenergy/sets/72157634342591265/

LEARN MORE: All about the pipeline:
www.ConsumersEnergy.com/swpipeline

NEWS RELEASES: Past news releases about the project during construction:

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140930/149520

SOURCE Consumers Energy