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Gardner council authorizes roughly $1.28 million extra for Unit 2 generator repairs after inspections find rotor and gearbox damage
Summary
City staff said field inspections found a pitted, contaminated collector ring and cracked retaining rings on the Unit 2 rotor and recommended a $1.278 million supplemental appropriation (staff number); council approved additional funding after debate about funding source, possible penalties and whether Unit 1 will need similar work.
The Gardner City Council voted to authorize additional funding to complete an upgrade and repairs on the city’s Unit 2 generating equipment after staff reported two critical problems identified during inspection: corrosion and cracking on rotor retaining rings and pitting/contamination of the collector rings, and damage to the accessory gearbox.
Utility staff member Gonzales told the council the inspection identified an estimated $675,575 in rotor repairs and $480,102 to rebuild the accessory gearbox; the team also identified an unanticipated gas‑meter replacement (about $36,000) and recommended a 5% contingency. Gonzales said, "The retaining rings were removed... they found some corrosion and some cracking," and warned that, "if we leave the retaining ring as is, there is a possibility that [coils] can come apart during operation," which would damage the rotor and stator.
Staff recommended asking the council to authorize $1,278,414 to cover the repairs and contingency; during the meeting the council’s motion reading recorded the additional authorization as $1,278,448. Council discussed the funding source (electric capital funds), the scale of the cost relative to previous budget items, and possible penalties tied to KMEA capacity rules if the unit remains offline — Gonzales explained penalties would be calculated against a multi‑year average availability metric and could reduce credited megawatt capacity for the city.
Council members pressed on moisture as a likely cause of pitting and the limited runtime of Unit 2: Gonzales said the unit had about 800 hours of operation and 400 starts since a prior rewind and identified improved heater and motor‑control measures to keep the generator dry. Several council members acknowledged sticker shock but moved forward on the basis that the repairs were necessary to restore reliable generation.
The council adopted a motion to authorize additional funding for Unit 2 inspection and upgrade; the clerk recorded the amount in the motion text as $1,278,448. Staff said they will return with performance‑test results after the repairs and recommended next steps for Unit 1 based on that test.
