Dunn County to review detailed plans, timeline for countywide geothermal and solar project

DUNN COUNTY — Dunn County facilities staff and representatives of Verigee outlined a work plan and timeline for a proposed geothermal and solar project and told the Facilities Committee they will deliver drawings, a detailed scope and lifecycle-cost analysis before a contract is signed.

Committee members were told the project team expects to present a scope-verification package in mid-April, and to return to the committee with a final contract for review ahead of a full-board decision in May.

The scope-verification meeting “is an opportunity for us to relay questions…verify information obtained during site visits and present project options,” Jason (Verigee representative) said. Verigee said that by the committee meeting in April the team expects to be “95%” certain about how much physical space the project will need and where to place a solar field so the county can review to-scale drawings before any contract is signed.

Why it matters: the project is intended to replace or retrofit heating and cooling across multiple county facilities and add a solar field. Committee members repeatedly emphasized protecting county taxpayers from unexpected cost overruns and asked for clear, auditable calculations of expected savings.

Verigee said the packet it will bring back will include “drawings, written scope documents itemizing everything that we are doing” plus a preliminary schedule and life-cycle cost analysis comparing the existing systems to the proposed geothermal system. “You can go through it and see exactly how the savings was calculated,” Jason said.

Committee members pressed Verigee on financial risk tied to federal grant programs. Jason acknowledged the county’s exposure depends on when it becomes financially obligated. “Before the county would ever become financially obligated to the project, they would know whether or not the Inflation Reduction Act would be part of the project funding,” he said, adding the company believes there is bipartisan support to maintain funding for the relevant programs.

Committee members also raised concerns about whether the planned equipment will physically fit in the spaces available near the Justice Center and jail. Rory (Verigee engineer) said the team will verify dimensional data in the next weeks and provide to-scale drawings for the committee to review.

On cost certainty, a Verigee representative said the company uses a no-change-order policy for its guaranteed work: “When we give you a scope of work, when we say we’re going to do X, Y, Z, we also put a price to that. And unless…we hit some unforeseen circumstance…that is the cost, period. We don’t come back to you and go, ‘well…we need another $25,000,’” Rory said.

What’s next: Verigee said engineers are continuing site visits and expect to present a scope-verification package on April 14 and a report back to the committee on April 23. The county staff packet should include the methodology for calculating savings, a preliminary construction schedule and contract samples (some redacted for proprietary information). Verigee said a final contract will be available to the county on April 22 for review ahead of a May full-board deadline.

Ending: Committee members did not take formal action on the project at the meeting; staff and Verigee will return with the detailed package and contract for committee review.