Michigan-based Consumers Energy says it plans to spend nearly $440 million in 2017 to modernize its natural gas system.

Upgrade projects are in infrastructure replacement, growth, and pipeline integrity.

The company says that a total of $75 million will be spent to complete 40 improvement projects and replace 67 miles of pipe with plastic and steel.

In addition, the company is working in conjunction with state, county, and municipal projects to relocate or replace natural gas infrastructure, including replacing about 8,500 service lines leading to homes and businesses. The energy provider is investing about $60 million into these projects.

Consumers Energy also says it plans to invest $120 million in its natural gas system to keep up with growth in Michigan, including:

• $35 million in expansions and improvements to serve 8,000 new business customers.
• $33 million to construct 190 miles of distribution main to serve customers in areas currently without natural gas service. More than 2,500 new residential customers will be reached through the energy company's Customer Attachment Program.
• $27 million for the first two project phases to augment the delivery systems and increase natural gas supply to meet growth in the Caledonia and Lowell, Mich., areas.
• $25 million to increase the capacity of regulation facilities where natural gas pressures are reduced and odorant is added for safety, including a city gate upgrade associated with the Caledonia-Lowell system upgrade.

Consumers Energy also plans to spend $183 million in pipeline integrity to help ensure the safe delivery of natural gas. These initiatives include:

• $63 million to inspect and remediate about 600 miles of its transmission and distribution system with inline inspection and direct assessment.
• $120 million on the first phase of construction of the Saginaw Trail Pipeline, a five-year, $610 million project that will replace 78 miles of transmission line into Saginaw, Genesee, and Oakland counties.

Consumers Energy is a unit of CMS Energy and provides natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million people across lower Michigan.