Citizens Energy Group started the upgrade of the final four miles of the aging, cast iron natural gas piping of a 4,000-mile distribution network.
The multi-phase, multi-year project will see Citizens replace legacy infrastructure with protected steel or plastic pipes that are more resistant to corrosion and leaks, it said in a press release.
Construction will begin just east of the intersection of Fall Creek and Keystone Avenue, according to Citizens. Pipe replacement work in 2024 will be focused along the Rural Street corridor, between Fall Creek and 30th Street.
The company said it had received $7.5 million from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in 2023 to replace legacy infrastructure.
“With Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization grants like this one, PHMSA is effectively improving our American natural gas networks and thereby further increasing public health and public safety outcomes in our communities”, said J.P. Ghio, Citizens vice president for energy operations. The new infrastructure will curb potential methane emissions, according to Citizens.
PHMSA grants have been allotted $1 billion in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to be awarded to community- or municipality-owned gas distributional systems in the coming years, Citizens noted.
The areas hosting Citizens’ replacement projects are in the vicinity of the Avondale Meadows, Martindale Brightwood, and Far Eastside neighborhoods. Citizens said it continues to claim and direct funding for utility safety upgrades in neighborhoods that need it most across the totality of the service area.
“The safety of our infrastructure systems is critical for our neighborhood’s vibrancy”, said Barato Britt, president and CEO of the Edna Martin Christian Center. “Investment in the long-term sustainability, security, and health of our community is welcomed as this effort aligns perfectly with Martindale Brightwood’s resident-led Quality of Life goals. Citizens’ commitment to continued community engagement also helps ensure neighbors are informed of improvements made for their benefit”.
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