CONSUMERS ENERGY CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 5:24 A.M ON AUGUST 9, 2017 CONSUMERS ENERGY GAS DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED BY A PASSERBY OF A STRONG ODOR AT THE INTERSECTION OF POTTER ROAD AND STATE ROAD (M-15), DAVISON, MICHIGAN (GENESEE COUNTY). CONSUMERS ENERGY PERSONNEL ARRIVE ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 5:56 A.M. TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE SAFE. A WATER MAIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WAS UNDERWAY AND THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION MAY HAVE IMPACTED NEARBY UNDERGROUND GAS FACILITIES. A DISTRIBUTION CREW WAS NOTIFIED AND ARRIVED ONSITE AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 A.M. THE CREW WORKED THROUGHOUT THE DAY UNTIL THE LEAK SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SEPARATION AT A 6""S-MP INSULATING FLANGE. DUE TO UNSTABLE SOIL CONDITIONS AND EXCAVATION DEPTH AS WELL AS THE ON-GOING WATER MAIN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, ACCESS AND REPAIR WAS DELAYED. AN INCIDENT REPORT WAS MADE TO THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 10, 2017 DUE TO ANTICIPATED GAS LOSS AND REPAIR COSTS EXPECTED TO EXCEED STATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. THE LOCATION WAS CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED BY CONSUMERS ENERGY PERSONNEL UNTIL THE LEAKING SEGMENT WAS RETIRED SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2017 AT 3:25 P.M. THE PIPELINE SEGMENT WAS ISOLATED (STOPPLE/CUT AND CAP) AT FOUR LOCATIONS BECAUSE OF LIMIT ACCESS TO LEAKING COMPONENT. THE SYSTEM WILL BE TIED-IN ALLOWING FOR A TWO-WAY FEED ONCE WATER MAIN INSTALLATION IS COMPLETE. THE FLANGE LOCATION WAS APPROXIMATELY 16' FROM THE WATER CASING BORE AND MUCH OF THE AREA AND ROAD HAD SIGNIFICANT SETTLING. THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AT THIS LOCATION IS THE WATER MAIN CONSTRUCTION DISTURBED THE AREA CAUSING THE ROAD TO SETTLE AND PLACED STRESS ON THE GAS COMPONENT RESULTING IN A LEAK.