CU breaks ground on multimillion-dollar pipe replacement project

After receiving tens of millions of dollars in federal grant funding to replace aging natural gas pipes, City Utilities of Springfield this morning broke ground on a renewal project in Zone 1.

A crowd of CU employees, Springfield City Council members and representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and American Public Power Association were among those in attendance at the ceremony held at Lafayette Park in Zone 1, the initial focus area of the project.

CU President and CEO Gary Gibson said at the groundbreaking ceremony that the utility provider received $30 million in grant funding this year and last year from the PHMSA, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation, for the initiative.

"Replacing aging natural gas pipe plays a crucial role in enhancing the safety of our neighborhoods, protecting residents from potential hazards associated with aging infrastructure," Gibson said. "Additionally, by replacing aging infrastructure, we reduce the release of harmful methane emissions which have up to 80 times more potent effect than carbon dioxide, so that will provide environmental benefits for years to come."

The funding will be used by CU to replace roughly 12 miles of legacy natural gas main and associated services in Zone 1, according to a news release. Brandon Braun, CU manager of natural gas and water engineering, said this morning that the project that would start within a few months has a three-year timeline under the grant guidelines.

Shakira Mack, director of PHMSA's natural gas distribution infrastructure safety and modernization grant program, said at the event that the funding through from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law would "enhance Springfield's safety, improve the environment and create good-paying jobs."

"This project is more than an infrastructure upgrade. It's an investment in the future of Springfield," Mack said.

The Zone 1 project represents Phase I of what CU officials are calling the legacy pipe replacement program. The initial phases of the program contain roughly 38 miles of plastic main and 3,300 services, according to the release, and CU has applied for additional funding to be used toward the initiative.