Consumers Energy says system stable, public plea to conserve natgas ends soon

As temperatures continue to plummet to abominable levels in Michigan and throughout the Midwest, Consumers Energy announced its public appeal for customers to voluntarily reduce natural gas usage during an emergency will end at midnight tonight.

Temperatures well below zero led to a spike in demand for natural gas at the same time a fire occurred at the Ray Natural Gas Compressor Station in Macomb County, Mich., Consumer Energy’s largest natural gas storage and delivery facility. The fire led to equipment failures, emergency repairs and a temporary shutdown of that station. Because the company’s ability to make natural gas deliveries was adversely impacted by the shutdown, Consumers Energy had asked for conservation actions to be taken by residential, commercial and industrial customers until Feb. 1.

“To our residential and business customers who came together to help during our state’s time of need: THANK YOU,” Consumers Energy said in a Facebook Post on Thursday afternoon. “Because of your swift action and understanding, we were able to continue to supply natural gas service to critical facilities including hospitals, law enforcement offices and nonprofits, despite an unprecedented facility fire and record-breaking extreme temperatures. As of midnight tonight, we are calling an ALL CLEAR to our voluntary natural gas reduction.”

Patti Poppe, president and CEO of Consumers Energy, said at a press conference on Thursday that the energy system is stable, and the company is making natural gas deliveries across the state. Consumers Energy, which serves 1.8 million natural gas customers, had been able to deliver natural gas at peak demand prior to the fire.

“In our 130 years we have never experienced this kind of demand or these kinds of temperatures. And we prepare for these extremes. We were prepared for these extremes,” Poppe said. “However, we could not overcome the failure of the equipment as the result of the fire at our largest storage and delivery facility.”

Poppe had delivered a plea to the public on Wednesday to voluntarily reduce their gas usage as a result of the unexpected gas incident.

Production schedules at major local manufacturing plants were voluntarily shut down in the midst of the crisis to put less burden on the system. Further, Consumers Energy cautiously noted the request for gas reduction – including a late night text alert to all state residents – had a positive effect and the company saw a 10 percent reduction in demand. Since then, the Ray station has come back into partial service, though repairs are ongoing.

No one was injured in the fire, and investigation into its source continues.

“I would not attribute this to aging infrastructure because we have made significant upgrades and investments at that storage field because it is so important,” Poppe said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the company is asking residents to keep their thermostats at 65 degrees when at home and at 62 degrees when away and for businesses to temporarily reduce processes.