Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
ESU says hydro units near installation; board accepts rehabilitation bid and awaits FERC feedback on relicensing
Summary
The ESU board accepted a $362,100 rehabilitation bid for the city’s hydroelectric project and discussed relicensing progress. Staff said unit installation remains on schedule and that federal and state agencies returned stakeholder comments on the draft license application that may prompt additional studies.
Kankakee City’s Environmental Services Utility board on Oct. 20 accepted the bid for rehabilitation work on the municipal hydroelectric facility and discussed the relicensing process and schedule.
Superintendent Newton told the board the accepted bid (sole bidder) totaled $346,400 for base work plus $15,700 for an alternate that modifies the intake basin to draw water from a slightly higher elevation and reduce sediment ingestion, bringing the total to $362,100. The board voted to recommend the bid to City Council. Staff said the work is funded from previously bonded capital amounts tied to the hydro project and from ARPA set-asides already allocated to the effort.
Relicensing and agency comments
Newton said the public comment period for the draft license application has closed and that the city received stakeholder comments from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requesting additional studies. Staff said it is possible — though not typical — that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) may also comment on the draft application; the city is still awaiting any FERC response.
Staff priorities: get units running, then studies
Newton emphasized the priority is to get the hydro units installed and operating; he argued conducting some studies while the units are not yet running would not accurately reflect operating conditions. The ESU expects unit installation to occur next month and described the schedule as “on track.” Board members asked about transfer switches and coordination with the local electric provider to ensure safe testing and initial runs; Newton said staff were discussing using existing switchgear temporarily while newer switchgear procurement or upgrades proceed.
Why it matters: Restoring hydro generation represents a capital investment that will return local generation capacity and is part of a multi-year relicensing and capital program. The accepted bid and board recommendation move the project closer to operational testing.
Provenance: bid totals, alternate scope and funding source discussion appear in transcript lines beginning at 2043.61 through 2275.30; relicensing comment-period and agency responses are discussed earlier in the hydro update starting around 1396.45.
