MMU pursuing funding for project to bury power lines along bluff
McGregor Municipal Utilities (MMU) is pursuing grant funding for a project that would bury the power lines on the bluff side of the 100 block of Main Street. (Photo by Audrey Posten)
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
McGregor Municipal Utilities (MMU) is pursuing grant funding for a project that would bury the power lines on the bluff side of the 100 block of Main Street.
Speaking at the Sept. 17 McGregor city council meeting, Kris Eulberg said MMU has been consulting with an engineer since May to tackle a stretch that has long been difficult to maintain.
“Basically, across from the Riverview to The Left Bank, the power lines all go on the hillside. As we know, trees don’t get smaller, and it’s kind of a struggle with us maintaining that. If there’s a break, there’s no road, no access,” she explained.
In a separate interview, Eulberg said MMU employees trim the trees they can reach every fall to help protect the lines while still maintaining McGregor’s scenic bluff side. Sometimes an outside contractor is utilized.
Luckily, she noted, “we’re in a valley so we don’t get as much wind.”
According to Eulberg, MMU has long aimed to address what it calls the “suicide run” between Marquette and McGregor that goes up the hillside to Ridgewood Drive on the McGregor Heights. It’s one of the most dangerous and difficult sections the utility maintains.
The plan was to start small “with something we could potentially cover [the cost of] on our own,” Eulberg said.
That vision has now expanded to include burying the line that provides electricity to a large section of downtown residents and businesses, but also serves a well. The line on the 100 block would be buried behind the buildings, so as not to tear up new sidewalk from the recent Main Street project and to prevent unsightly transformer boxes in front of buildings.
Eulberg said a preliminary estimate puts the project cost at $1.287 million.
To help ease that burden, MMU is pursuing funding through the Iowa Grid Resilience Fund, which supports efforts to improve the all-hazards resilience of the electric grid and reduce the frequency and duration of outages. The program provides grants to eligible entities to address current and future resilience. The Iowa Energy Office administers the program with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, which was authorized through the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act.
These federal monies could cover over $800,000 of the cost, and the state another 15 percent.
“So that really makes our 33.33 percent come down,” Eulberg said.
She’s hopeful actual project costs would be less.
“This is an estimate from one boring company. It would go out for bid and other electrical construction companies will also be able to bid that,” she added.
The grant application was submitted in August, and MMU should know if it’s been awarded this year. Work could take up to two years to complete.
Eulberg acknowledged it’s a big project.
“Looking at the terrain, it’s a challenge, but if we can get it done, it will be good,” she said.
