WHITE PIGEON, Mich., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Consumers Energy's $6.4 billion "Growing Forward" program includes a significant natural gas system project near the Village of White Pigeon in St. Joseph County. Consumers Energy plans to install four new natural gas compressors at its existing White Pigeon Compressor Station, located east of the village. Currently in the design phase, the total project cost is estimated at $50 million. The utility filed for initial environmental permits for the project earlier this month. The four new natural gas-fueled compressor engines will have a combined horsepower of approximately 16,500. The new engines will be cleaner running, more fuel efficient and easier to maintain than the existing units. Compressors play a critical role in a natural gas delivery system by ensuring that gas is moved safely and reliably at proper pressure levels. The project will replace existing gas compressor equipment with an average age of more than 40 years. A factor in investing in the new compressors is that it has become increasingly difficult and more costly to locate replacement parts for the existing equipment. A building to house the new compressors will be constructed on the west side of the current facility, and an auxiliary building for support equipment will also be added. Information on Consumers Energy's "Growing Forward" program is available on its Website, http://www.consumersenergy.com/ . Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.5 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at http://www.consumersenergy.com/ DATASOURCE: Consumers Energy CONTACT: Dan Bishop, +1-517-788-2395, or Jeff Holyfield, +1-517-788-2394, both of Consumers Energy Web site: http://www.consumersenergy.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/203850.html

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