April 30 (Reuters) - Canadian energy company Enbridge ( ENB )

has retained a joint venture partnership between

Barnard Construction Company, Inc. and Civil and Building North

America, Inc (CBNA). to construct the Great Lakes Tunnel in the

Straits of Mackinac, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Great Lakes Tunnel will link Michigan's peninsulas,

providing a secure route for Enbridge's ( ENB ) Line 5 pipeline.

Barnard, based in Bozeman, Montana, and CBNA, based in

Miami, Florida, will collaborate with Enbridge ( ENB ) to construct the

tunnel for the State of Michigan, the statement said.

The contract was granted after Enbridge ( ENB ) initiated a request

for proposal (RFP) process in early 2022. The construction and

operation of the Great Lakes Tunnel will be overseen by Mackinac

Straits Corridor Authority (MSCA).

Enbridge ( ENB ) will finance the project entirely, and upon its

completion, ownership and operation will transfer to the MSCA.

The company is preparing to begin construction following the

receipt of environmental permits from the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers.

Barnard and CBNA will each retain a 50% partnership under

the name Mackinac Straits Partners, according to the statement.

Earlier in the month, Enbridge's ( ENB ) Texas Eastern Transmission

subsidiary received approval from U.S. energy regulators to

commence service of a natural gas pipeline associated with its

Venice extension project in Louisiana.

Last month, The Canada Energy Regulator approved a toll

settlement between Enbridge ( ENB ) and shippers for moving oil along

the Canadian mainline.