Consumers Energy : Reduces Methane Emissions from Michigan Natural Gas System by 20 Percent

Jackson, Mich. Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Consumers Energy announced today it has reduced methane emissions from its 30,000-mile natural gas system by 20 percent since 2012, an important step in its plan to neutralize the impact of the greenhouse gas - which is more potent than carbon dioxide - from its operations by the end of the decade.

"Consumers Energy is committed to protecting the planet as we heat nearly 2 million Michigan homes and businesses safely and affordably this autumn and winter," said Christopher Fultz, Consumers Energy's vice president of natural gas operations. "We are taking actions every day to strengthen our system across our state and to achieve net-zero methane emissions by 2030."

Consumers Energy received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission today for a settlement agreement allowing a $95 million rate adjustment, which will enable the work to continue reducing leaks and making its natural gas system more safe, reliable, affordable and clean. The improvements are part of the company's Natural Gas Delivery Plan, a 10-year, $12 billion blueprint to modernize the system of pipelines and storage that delivers natural gas to homes and businesses.

Consumers Energy's efforts to reduce methane emissions in the last decade are equivalent to removing 18,000 vehicles from the road for a year.

Consumers Energy also has replaced more than 600 miles of pipeline that dates back as far as the 1940s. Over one-third of that is made of cast iron, which is more susceptible to leaks than modern technology.

Other major components of Consumers Energy's plan include:

• Replacing thousands of the lines that connect the main arteries of Consumers Energy's natural gas system to homes and businesses.
• Replacing hundreds of miles of the pipeline "expressway" that powers the natural gas system. Last year, we completed construction of the South Oakland Macomb Network and started work on the Mid-Michigan Pipelinethis spring.
• Rehabilitating or retiring outdated infrastructure, including transforming our natural gas compression fleet technology to modern, efficient and clean-running equipment. That includes the Freedom Compressor Station in Washtenaw County, which was upgraded last year.

"Our customers look to Consumers Energy for natural gas, and we take that responsibility seriously in our cold-weather state," Fultz said. "We want people to know we're making our system stronger, safer and cleaner, and we can do that while keeping bills affordable for people who count on us."

Changes to customer bills will take effect in October. The price Consumers Energy residential customers pay for natural gas will continue to be less than the national average this winter.

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

###

Media Contacts: Brian Wheeler, 517-740-1545, or Tracy Wimmer, 517-539-4465