(Estherville)– Some major repairs at the municipal power plant have city officials in Estherville looking at some possible changes in the long term.
The city council Monday approved $219,000 in repairs to an engine on one of the generators, along with another $231,000 to replace two oil coolers. City Administrator Penny Clayton says one of the coolers failed immediately after they did a test run on the recently repaired generator. Clayton adds it’s becoming more and more difficult to get replacement parts for the aging equipment. Two of the city’s generators were installed in 1946; two others went into operation around 1970…
“Yes, that is a significant problem which is why this council has ordered a generation study. The generation study draft, we’ve had it for some time, have been reviewing it to track down some other questions, dealing with other fires that have gotten in the way. So at some point, probably in the next two months or so, the generation study will be presented to council for information. That will look at when do we consider discontinuing investment into these old engines and replace them with something else, or if we replace them with anything else.”
Clayton says the findings of that study could come before the council in March.
