Vectren to upgrade $58M of pipelines this year. Here are the local cities on the list.

In Ohio, about $58 million will go toward retiring more than 60 miles of gas mains and service lines in 2019.

“We continue to modernize our pipeline infrastructure, replacing essentially all of our bare steel and cast-iron pipeline throughout our Ohio territory,” said Richard Leger, vice president of Natural Gas Distribution, Indiana and Ohio.

The cities that will see work this year include Bellefontaine, Bradford, Brookville, Dayton, Eaton, Fairborn, Greenville, Kettering, Lewisburg, Miamisburg, New Madison, New Paris, Oakwood, Piqua, Sidney, Troy, Versailles, Washington Court House, Wilmington, Xenia and Yellow Springs.

A polyethylene (plastic) system will be installed to replace the current bare steel and cast-iron gas pipeline system, according to a release from Vectren.

The gas main will be replaced first and is underneath the streets or sidewalks. It will be replaced within the right-of-way and then the service lines that run to each home or business will be replaced.

Once the project in each area is completed, affected yards, sidewalks and street will be restored.

“Construction for these pipeline projects may take several weeks to complete, and times may vary based on the size of the project, weather, ground surface/soil and other situations that may arise,” said Leger.

Before the replacements start, a Vectren representative will contact each customer that will be impacted and give an overview of the work.

Vectren reminds residents to exercise caution when driving through the construction zones and to keep a safe distance away from work zones.

The project began in 2009, and more than 430 miles of the 700 have been replaced. The replacements have led to a reduction in leak calls and natural gas emissions from the distribution system, according to Natalie Hedde, Vectren director of communications Midwest.

“The reduction in natural gas emissions aligns with Vectren’s pledge to replace cast iron and unprotected steel natural gas mains at a rate of 5 percent,” Hedde said, “or roughly 42 miles, per year as part of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Natural Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program.”

Vectren customers can visit the Active Projects tab on www.vectren.com/pipelinereplacement for an updated list of streets in the cities impacted this year. The site provides an interactive map to search your address.

Vectren is part of the CenterPoint Energy that is based in Houston, Texas.

For questions or concerns about the project, contact Hedde at 812-491-5105.