Union Gas is proposing a $63-million pipeline replacement in Sudbury for 2018.
The proposed project would replace nearly 23 kilometres of existing 10-inch pipe with 12-inch pipe.
The existing pipeline runs nearly 30 kilometres from the Garson-Coniston Road to the Walden station and serves roughly 40,000 customers in Sudbury.
Some sections of the pipeline have already been upgraded to 12-inch pipe, with the most recent work being done last year, south of Maley Drive, near Benita Boulevard, the company told Sudbury.com.
On Dec. 1, Union Gas and Aecom held a public information session at the Garson Community Centre to outline the scope of the project.
One of the largest projects that Union Gas has taken on in Sudbury since the pipeline was originally built in 1958-1959, the replacement pipeline would likely have a lifespan much longer than that of its predecessor.
"The life of the pipe depends on a lot of factors; the soil it's in, the coating on the pipe, and I think today with the improvement to the coating and improved installation requirements, hopefully this pipe will go longer than 60 years," said Chris Minor, northeast district manager, Union Gas.
"Codes and standards are higher and this should lead to a longer lifespan."
With annual maintenance costs on the existing pipeline hitting a high of $7 million a year, replacing the remainder of the pipeline makes financial sense, Minor said.
"What we will spend to replace it will be made up in about six years," said Minor.
The plan at present is to have the project start and finish during the spring and summer months of 2018, when the load on the system is lower.
"People aren't heating their homes during the summer, and we have a secondary pipe that runs alongside the one we're replacing so this project will be done with no service interruptions," said Minor.
The idea of creating as little disruption as possible is another that Minor says Union Gas is cognizant of, which is another factor in replacing the entire pipeline.
"It's a very large project and we have to mobilize work crews and bring people in to complete this," said Minor. "We don't want to be behind one person's house one year replacing a small section of the pipe, and then the next year we're back again behind their neighbour's house."
Residents in six different wards (2,4,5,8,9,12) will all be consulted during the proposal process, as the pipeline runs through each ward's boundaries.
"We're reaching out to councillors in these wards and we'll be having meetings with the community action networks as well," said Minor.
Union Gas will be presenting their proposal to Greater Sudbury Council on Jan. 10, 2017.
For more information on this project, visit Union Gas online.
