Behind the Meter: Safe Digging

This month's Behind the Meter episode of the MPSC podcast covered the topic of Safe Digging hosted by Mark Burn, the commission’s chief operating officer; featuring MPSC Chair Dan Scripps and the MPSC's Director of the Gas Safety & Operations Division, Dave Chislea.

Chair Scripps (left) alongside Director Chislea (right)

Not so surprisingly, underground utility facilities and pipeline safety aren't things that the average citizen usually takes into consideration as apart of their day to day. Director Chislea alleviates that burden for the common Michigander with his critical work: conducting pipeline safety inspections and reviewing the commission's new pipeline infrastructure applications. Interestingly, Dave's division is also involved in rate cases: reviewing utilities' rate increase proposals concerning operations and maintenance expenses. His team investigates issues related to preventing damage of all underground infrastructure in the state.

Vital utilities underground include municipal facilities like water and sewer, communications lines and telecom infrastructure that service 911 dispatch and airports as well as the electricity and natural gas infrastructure that could cause service disruptions, electrocution or personal injury if disturbed.

Scripps shares, "It's there literally beneath our feet and I think we take it for granted but these can be by their nature inherently dangerous if they're not treated with the respect that they deserve". It's insightful to hear an act as seemingly simple as pitching a tent, installing a fence or planting a tree could damage buried utility lines and cause harm.

The topic of safe digging brings the discussion to MISS DIGG, a data center and a statewide service for Michiganders to alleviate any safety concerns around potential damage to underground infrastructure.

Have you ever noticed little yellow or red flags or thin painted lines in the grass? Those markings indicate where the infrastructure is to avoid underground. Professional contractors and even residents call MISS DIGG, then data is collected for the project that involves digging and MISS DIGG contacts and appropriate utility to make their markings. "MISS DIGG also is responsible for education. So you may see the billboards on the sides of the roads or other information. They educate excavators across the state " Chislea shares.

Three business days are required for Michiganders to call prior to digging, following the steps above is especially important when using power tools and is essential for professionals and even residents doing smaller DIY projects.

Dave emphasizes, "Annually there's about 4,000 damages to underground, natural gas distribution systems a year and of those 4,000 damages in 2024 over 1,200 of them were related to no call to MISS DIGG. Of those 1,200, over 400 of those were homeowners".

The consequence for failing to call 811 resulting in underground infrastructure damage are substantial, including a fine of up to $5,000 for the first offense and potentially being billed by the utility for associated repairs. In addition to not calling 811, excavators (diggers) could also be penalized for not "hand exposing" prior to digging, meaning that after markings are made the digger must verify those markings by hand, uncovering the underground piping or line prior to digging. Utilities could also be fined for failing to complete their markings in response to an 811 call, not doing so in a timely manner or marking inaccurately.

This episode makes ratepayers aware of some of the less popular but equally critical work of the MPSC and its staff. This work, also being directly connected to the rate case process, gives us direct insight into the inextricable connections of energy and its infrastructure.