A $700 million natural gas pipeline enhancement project designed to improve reliability and meet rising demand came online in Wisconsin and northern Illinois at the start of the month.
TC Energy, a Canadian company with a U.S. headquarters in Texas, announced the completion of the project on Monday. The “Wisconsin Reliability Project” replaced about 51 miles of aging pipeline across Wisconsin and northern Illinois with modern infrastructure. The company said the change would improve safety and reliability.
TC Energy also upgraded natural gas compression facilities in Kewaskum and Weyauwega, as well as meter stations in Lena, Merrill, Oshkosh, South Wausau, Stevens Point and Two Rivers.
The company received approvals from federal regulators for the project in 2023 and 2024, according to a fact sheet from the company. Construction began last year and the project came into service on Nov. 1.
According to TC Energy, the pipeline will help meet a projected 45 percent increase in demand for natural gas in Wisconsin over the next decade.
Jon Draeger, vice president of U.S. Projects for TC Energy, said in a statement that reliable energy fuels everything from factories to farms.
“The Wisconsin Reliability Project connects our state to the energy it needs while creating well-paying jobs for local workers and generating millions in tax revenue that supports our schools and communities for generations to come,” Draeger stated.