PUC OKs

go-ahead for Hutch

pipeline

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission Tuesday gave the Utilities Department the go-ahead for preparing specifications and seeking bids for a pipeline which would connect with the proposed Hutchinson natural gas pipeline.

Although Hutchinson Public Utilities has yet to state approval to build its 89-mile feeder gas line, Utility Planning and Development Engineer Dan Sonnek, who had served as interim director during the search for a new director, sought the commission's approval "to provide more options" at a critical point for the New Ulm department.

The Utilities Department must notify its current supplier, Northern Natural Gas, that it's not going to renew its contract with NNG by Oct. 31. The department's contract with NNG requires notification one year prior to cancel.

The judge who presided at HPU's hearing on its certificate of need is expected to issue a ruling by the end of September.

"The briefs are back, and it appears the [Minnesota] Department of Commerce has done a '180' and now supports Hutch's request," Sonnek told the commission. "That gives [the project] a big boost, but the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is expected to rule on the certificate of need in October or November."

Sonnek said department staff is attempting to negotiate a 60-day extension with NNG.

"In the meantime, we really need the flexibility of being able to prepare the specs and advertise and open bids. We're getting pushed back all the time, and there's really nothing we can do about it," Sonnek said.

With the NUUD's new director, Bruce Campbell, watching, Sonnek told the commission that "initial estimates were $800,000 for the permitting, materials and construction of a five-mile connecting gas line. It would have an estimated payback of three to four years, he said.

The commission awarded a $133,229 contract to low bidder ABM Equipment & Supply for a 2002 Model Material Handling Aerial Device which is a utility truck with an extendable "bucket" on it.

"This truck is going to do a lot of different things for us," Sonnek explained. "It's a very versatile truck."

The commission also approved a letter of intent allowing Utilities Plus to represent New Ulm Utilities Department in negotiating power with TRANSLink. With the conditions contained in the letter, "it's a pretty weak document," Sonnek said.

Sonnek also said he was relieved to report that the river of water that has been flowing across Broadway between 3rd and 4th North streets for nearly a month was stopped Tuesday.

"We were able to finally get in and fix it," Sonnek reported. "Because it was in the area of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's street re-surfacing project, we had to mesh our repair with their schedule because MnDOT wouldn't allow having more than one lane blocked at a time."

City Manager Brian Gramentz said the flow started when construction vibrations broke the sprinkler line for watering the median.

Sonnek also reported that work in "shoring up" the 20th South Street Lift Station is complete. He said it was a "big project because nearly everything goes through there, but we now have got it past the Corps of Engineers' 500-year flood stage."