Infrastructure Fire Causes Natural Gas Supply Issue

[Scottathew]

Update: Voluntary Natural Gas Reduced Use Request Lifted at the end of 1/31/2019


Original Post:

An email from Consumers Energy I just received:

Public Call to Voluntarily Reduce Gas Use

As a result of an unexpected incident at a Gas Compressor station this morning in Southeast Michigan, we are asking customers to temporarily reduce gas usage over the next 24-48 hours. This step, taken out of an abundance of caution will help keep Michigan residents and businesses warm during this cold spell.

In addition to voluntary reductions requested of residential and small commercial customers, industrial and large commercial customers have been required to curtail their gas usage except for levels necessary for plant protection and for services essential for public health and safety which cannot be covered by an alternate fuel.

WHAT HAPPENED

A fire involving equipment at Consumers Energy’s Ray Natural Gas Compressor Station occurred in Macomb County at 10:33 a.m. today. The fire is out and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. All gas flow from the compressor station has been shut in until safety and damage assessments can be completed. Consumers Energy is activating natural gas peaking storage fields in Northville and St. Clair to help deliver natural gas to our customers as we experience this unusually cold weather.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

• LOOK AT THERMOSTAT SETTINGS: Save energy while staying warm by setting your heat to a lower temperature. Use your programmable thermostat to set your heat at 65 degrees, as your circumstances permit.
  
  
• SEAL & SHUT WINDOWS AND DOORS: Check for leaks in your windows and doors by feeling around for cool air. Also, please ensure all windows and doors are closed tightly.
  

This is one of many steps we are putting into place to keep gas flowing reliably and safely through Michigan and expect this to be resolved within the next 24-48 hours.

As Michiganders, we know that we’re all in this together. We appreciate your cooperation and patience during this time.

For more information or tips, visit: ConsumersEnergy.com/coldweather.

Thank you!

[Scottathew]

Freep article: https://www.freep.com/story/weather/...ex/2724017002/

In the midst of a polar vortex that has brought record-breaking low temperatures to Michigan, Consumers Energy has called for customers to voluntarily reduce their natural gas usage and DTE Energy is asking customers to reduce electricity usage. And the Michigan PUblic Service Commission has ordered a suspension of all utility shutoffs during the cold spell, according to a news release from the Lansing regulators.
Both of Michigan's two biggest utilities suggest turning thermostats down. Here's why:
Consumers Energy called for customers to voluntarily reduce their natural gas usage due to a fire on Wednesday and DTE Energy asked customers to reduce their electric usage.
Consumers Energy executives said that a fire at the Ray Township Natural Gas Compressor Station in Macomb County broke out around 10:33 a.m. The fire was quickly brought under control, with no injuries, but now the utility is scrambling to supply enough gas from reserve storage areas in Wayne and St. Clair counties, officials said.

[Jimaz]

REALLY bad timing. Couldn't be worse. This could easily devolve into a scandal.

Will there be a consequential death count? How does this disaster unfold if the victims can't conserve enough gas?

Do we all migrate to our car heaters as a last resort?

Thunderdome: Plan?! There ain't no plan!!!

[Richard]

Naw,everybody has an emergency heat loss plan B,right?

I read an article a few days back where a couple of guys visiting from Florida to Michigan got stuck and froze to death,which kinda had me wondering.

When I was growing up in Minnesota,I remember a few winters where -50 was not uncommon,we used to have an emergency kit in the trunk of the car,blankets,emergency heaters,flare kit etc.

It did not take up much space,do people still do that? Like,prepare for what might happen just in case?

[Johnnny5]

Did anyone else receive an emergency alert for this on their phone? I had one come through about a half hour ago similar to and Amber Alert.

Naw,everybody has an emergency heat loss plan B,right?

I read an article a few days back where a couple of guys visiting from Florida to Michigan got stuck and froze to death,which kinda had me wondering.

When I was growing up in Minnesota,I remember a few winters where -50 was not uncommon,we used to have an emergency kit in the trunk of the car,blankets,emergency heaters,flare kit etc.

It did not take up much space,do people still do that? Like,prepare for what might happen just in case?

For most people in urban/suburban areas cell phones have eliminated the need for such on the road preparedness. I do still pack a flashlight, sand, and sometimes a shovel when the weather is really bad. If I'm heading Up North or elsewhere where service may be spotty, I'll carry more.

[O3H]

The utility is worried about its stock price and dividend payouts
--- NOT your well being or comfort.

[Lowell]

Did anyone else receive an emergency alert for this on their phone? I had one come through about a half hour ago similar to and Amber Alert.

Got mine, turned my thermostat down.

[Lowell]

The utility is worried about its stock price and dividend payouts
--- NOT your well being or comfort.

I fail to see where cutting back on consumption of their product helps their bottom line, stock price or dividend pay out.

[Johnnny5]

Got mine, turned my thermostat down.

I did the same, now I'm hiding under two blankets on the couch. I'm definetly not looking forward to waking up to cold house on the coldest day of the year!

[djtomt]

What year is this?? Last I checked, it's 2019, not 1959. Are we in a 3rd world country?? Apparently. God...the USA is so screwed. Can't even meet the demands of ordinary citizens. DTE Energy & Consumers Energy [[Grand Rapids, MI) should be EMBARRASED to put this crap out.




FYI - I just turned my thermostat up to 85. Screw these companies. Gouging the public, and then when the chips are down, asking us to save their hide. No bueno

We should ALL get refunds for the entire month of January.

[313WX]

I fail to see where cutting back on consumption of their product helps their bottom line, stock price or dividend pay out.

In defense of O3H, I think he was referring to them minimizing their loses by making sure their bad problem doesn't get worse, which would be a much bigger hit to their bottom line than a brief/temporary drop in consumption.

[Scottathew]

What year is this?? Last I checked, it's 2019, not 1959. Are we in a 3rd world country?? Apparently. God...the USA is so screwed. Can't even meet the demands of ordinary citizens. DTE Energy & Consumers Energy [[Grand Rapids, MI) should be EMBARRASED to put this crap out.




FYI - I just turned my thermostat up to 85. Screw these companies. Gouging the public, and then when the chips are down, asking us to save their hide. No bueno

We should ALL get refunds for the entire month of January.

It is very odd that this is the third person I have seen react like this.

You're not hurting consumers with non-compliance, you are just being selfish.

[DetroitSoldier]

When the gas or electricity grid goes off line those same people will continue to complain and say "this shouldn't happen." So much for being a good neighbor in 2019.

[Meddle]

FYI - I just turned my thermostat up to 85. Screw these companies. Gouging the public,

You're only gouging your own wallet.

[Honky Tonk]

It is very odd that this is the third person I have seen react like this.

You're not hurting consumers with non-compliance, you are just being selfish.

Make that 4. This is a growing trend by business and government to keep passing incompetency costs down to the consumer. Problems @ the refinery? Spike the gasoline prices. [[don't forget "Summer Blend" and "Winter Blend") Jack up gasoline tax, move it from road repair to the General Fund, create Social Programs and bike lanes. Potholes be damned. Failed policies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries? Take in the refugees and pass the medical, shelter, food, education, and legal costs on to the consumer. [[don't worry, they'll keep us in office, no ID required) Wait until the rolling brown outs hit, the US will become just like Puerto Rico. Just make sure that bottom line stays even keel. I wouldn't worry too much about getting texts in the middle of the night. Once all the "Smart Meters" are in place, they'll just dial it down for you.

[Zacha341]

I did - on my mobile. I dialed down a bit, but have a cold on top of everything. I don't want to end up at the hospital. Then I can't pay my DTE bill which would be a bigger problem to their and my bottom line.

Did anyone else receive an emergency alert for this on their phone? I had one come through about a half hour ago similar to and Amber Alert.

[Zacha341]

Yep, good times ahead. Course the folks dictating/ mandating will have all the heat, AC, big foot-print gas guzzeling homes, private jets, boats, etc. they desire. And no, they'll NOT all be the right-wing batch either.

Once all the "Smart Meters" are in place, they'll just dial it down for you.

[Scottathew]

Make that 4. This is a growing trend by business and government to keep passing incompetency costs down to the consumer. Problems @ the refinery? Spike the gasoline prices. [[don't forget "Summer Blend" and "Winter Blend") Jack up gasoline tax, move it from road repair to the General Fund, create Social Programs and bike lanes. Potholes be damned. Failed policies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries? Take in the refugees and pass the medical, shelter, food, education, and legal costs on to the consumer. [[don't worry, they'll keep us in office, no ID required) Wait until the rolling brown outs hit, the US will become just like Puerto Rico. Just make sure that bottom line stays even keel. I wouldn't worry too much about getting texts in the middle of the night. Once all the "Smart Meters" are in place, they'll just dial it down for you.

Don't get me wrong, I'm upset that a single fire at a single facility can have this impact.

However, they're not passing the "costs" down to us, they're asking us to reduce usage to ensure supply. Some folks, like I said three so far, have responded by saying they're going to increase usage as an FU to Consumers.

My point is that increased usage doesn't have a negative impact on Consumers Energy, but it instead contributes to a shortage that could impact critical things like hospitals, old folks homes, etc...

It's perfectly fine to be critical of Consumers, but if you purposely increase usage in response to a public call to decrease usage, you're just an asshole.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Point well taken. I'm glad to hear that many manufacturers/ factories are dialing down which as big foot print users should help reducing the strain!

[Oddz313]

What year is this?? Last I checked, it's 2019, not 1959. Are we in a 3rd world country?? Apparently. God...the USA is so screwed. Can't even meet the demands of ordinary citizens. DTE Energy & Consumers Energy [[Grand Rapids, MI) should be EMBARRASED to put this crap out.




FYI - I just turned my thermostat up to 85. Screw these companies. Gouging the public, and then when the chips are down, asking us to save their hide. No bueno

We should ALL get refunds for the entire month of January.

I hope you are joking about turning up the thermostat to 85 but to answer your first question about the USA being a 3rd world country. The answer is no but it has fell out of first class in many areas.

[sirrealone]

So many people are blaming Consumers and saying how unprepared they are. I actually have a completely opposite point of view. After all, this happened yesterday at around 10:30am, and how many people lost their gas service right away? None. How many people have lost their service since? None.

I guess I don't get the outrage.

Seems that they actually have some good redundancy in place, and probably under any normal day, they could handle the outage seamlessly.

Also seems like they're trying to actually make sure that people keep their heat on. They're not asking people to turn off their furnaces. They are just asking people to cut back a little on probably the most high demand time period in decades.

I think it's a pretty reasonable ask.

[Zacha341]

Consumers has a link showing how many affected so far/ outage areas:

https://www.consumersenergy.com/outages/outage-center

[Crystal]

In winter our thermostat is programmed to 65 degrees in the daytime, 61 degrees at night [[9:00 PM to 5:00 AM).

[Honky Tonk]

Yep, good times ahead. Course the folks dictating/ mandating will have all the heat, AC, big foot-print gas guzzeling homes, private jets, boats, etc. they desire. And no, they'll NOT all be the right-wing batch either.

Exactly. It's like politicians with lifetime. top-of-the-line, permanent healthcare for themselves and their loved ones, telling you to tighten up your belt.

[Zacha341]

We prefer hotter at night. I'm cold natured and chill easily, even with tons of clothes on. Breathing cool air makes me ill. Everyone's needs vary.

In winter our thermostat is programmed to 65 degrees in the daytime, 61 degrees at night [[9:00 PM to 5:00 AM).