Michigan and region reach milestone in securing energy future, modernizing infrastructure

Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority moves forward process for selecting the Great Lakes Tunnel construction contractor

Feb. 23, 2022

Michigan and the region have taken another major step in an effort that will help secure a safe, reliable and environmentally sound energy future.

On Feb. 16, the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA) concurred with its staff that Enbridge’s request for proposal (RFP) for a project construction contractor meets all requirements specified in the Tunnel Project Agreement between the State of Michigan and Enbridge. The Authority’s action moves the process forward with the next step being Enbridge’s issuance of the RFP to select a construction contractor to build the Great Lakes Tunnel.

The Tunnel will encase in concrete a replacement section of Enbridge’s Line 5 deep below the lakebed in the Straits of Mackinac. It will remove the pipeline itself from the water, eliminate the chance of an anchor strike and virtually eliminate the chance of a release. The Tunnel also will accommodate other utilities, such as fiber optic cables for internet connectivity, while also allowing enough space for Enbridge to maintain the Tunnel and its pipeline.

“This project will help make a safe pipeline even safer and provide extra layers of environmental protection around critical utility infrastructure,” said Amber Pastoor, Enbridge’s Project Services Manager. “The Tunnel will enable area consumers to continue to receive from Line 5 reliable and affordable energy such as propane and other energy on which they rely every day.”

Nearly 70% of Michiganders support construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel, which Enbridge is funding and in which it has invested more than $100 million to date.

More than half of Michigan’s propane users—and 65% in the Upper Peninsula—rely on Enbridge’s Line 5 for propane for home heat and cooking. The light crude oil transported through Line 5 also contributes to the manufacture of more than 6,000 life-saving and everyday products, including medicine, inhalers, anti-perspirant, eyewear, telephones, computers, televisions, and fuels for transportation.

“Enbridge has assembled a world-class team for this project,” said Pastoor. “We are eager for the region to continue to receive the benefits from Line 5, and this latest milestone enables us to advance the Tunnel. Once we receive all permits, we are committed to starting construction with a largely local workforce and within the timeframe stated in the Tunnel Agreement with the State of Michigan.”