District told ComEd will charge about $117,648 to insulate transmission line for geothermal hookup

Oak Park–River Forest School District 200 officials told the board the district has reached a technical solution with ComEd to cross a 38,000-volt transmission line for the Project 2 geothermal field, but ComEd’s work is estimated to cost $117,648.

Board members were told the cost comes from ComEd’s requirement to insulate the line and to change how the district’s geothermal piping will cross the utility easement; the district’s team said ComEd set the price after performing on-site testing last week. The district’s staff and contractors — including Gilbane and the geothermal consultant (Verigee/Verity in the record) — presented the solution and said the work will not change the project schedule.

The geothermal line-crossing issue emerged during the Project 2 construction discussions. Tony (staff member) summarized that initial designs had assumed the geothermal well field could be routed north of…