Council asks Hibbing Public Utilities for cost‑benefit study on BeltLine substation relocation

The City Council approved a letter asking the Hibbing Public Utilities to provide detailed engineering estimates that compare rebuilding the BeltLine substation at its current location with relocating it to city‑owned land near 34th Street and the Highland Hills development.

Olavanti read the draft letter aloud: "I'm writing to express the city of Hibbing's support to the Hibbing public utilities to investigate the cost benefit analysis of the potential move to the BeltLine substation..." The letter requests engineering estimates for rebuilding in the current location and for the rebuild plus move to a new site, and asks HPU to collaborate on cost‑sharing so the city can determine whether taxpayer dollars would be justified to reclaim the prime corner for commercial development.

Councilors discussed preliminary ballpark figures presented in the meeting: a rebuild in place estimated at about $1,000,000 and a move estimated between $500,000 and $1,500,000, though those were described as high‑level estimates. Councilor Davis and others emphasized the urgency of addressing an aging 1960s‑era substation and asked whether external engineering would require city cost‑share; they also flagged potential grant opportunities through IRRR and other infrastructure funding channels.

Council approved the mayor signing the letter requesting a cost‑benefit analysis and more detailed engineering estimates. Staff and the utility commission will coordinate next steps, and the information will be used to pursue grant funding where applicable.