Power Line Lowering Project Set For 2024
April 11, 2023 at 11:07 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Nathan Lienhart, civil engineer with CHA Consulting, said he thought they were making some forward progress on the project.
“Since we’ve gotten the construction agreement signed and in place, AEP has actually set up biweekly meetings that they are running, which is fantastic, because I think it’s demonstrating to us that this is a real thing for them and it’s no longer us pushing them. So it’s been a good change of pace.”
He said AEP has sent them a revised schedule, and primarily due to lead time for materials, AEP is looking at having the design complete in mid to late May, and then they will go out for procurement, “which is basically their way of bidding two subcontractors for the work.”
Lienhart said actual construction is looking to start in July 2024 and be completed by the end of October 2024. At the March BOAC meeting, it was noted that the goal up until then was to have the power lines in place by November 2023, but that was pushed back until spring 2024.
“About a three- to four-month construction timeframe to install the new towers, demolish the old ones and string the new conductors. A little bit further out than we were initially planning, up until this point, but nevertheless it’s good to see some definitive dates in front of us and they have said where they can trim time they certainly will,” Lienhart said.
When he asked the board if they had any questions on the power line lowering project, Board President Jay Rigdon said, “No, just disappointing looks on those dates.”
Lienhart said CHA had the same reaction, but there is a finish line.
Airport Manager Nick King said, “They did say one of the big issues that they had was just getting the actual towers built. Those lead times are over 13 months now. They used to be three to four months, and so just getting shop time with the manufacturers to actually build the towers is becoming increasingly difficult. They’ve been doing everything they can to try to trim this time off.”
The project also has to be scheduled with and approved by the Department of Energy, King said. “It’s not just a sourcing issue, it’s a scheduling issue as well because it is a part of the national power grid, so it’s unfortunately a complicated process that’s going to take a little more than we originally foresaw.”
Rigdon asked if the construction date moving into 2024 as opposed to 2023 would affect any of the project’s funding sources. King said, as of now, the project should be able to be completed without any issues with the funding sources.
“We’ve been meeting with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and they know where we’re sitting on this project,” King said.
Board member Gene Zale asked how many towers were they talking about. Lienhart said AEP is looking at six new structures and removing three. King said AEP has been bouncing back and forth between six and seven.
Lienhart then brought up the 9-27 RSA (runway safety area) program, phase I.
“So from last meeting to today, we’re roughly about 50% complete with the runway safety area determination study,” he said.
One thing to note, Lienhart told the board, was that “just based on the aircraft that you have operating there today, honestly, it justifies runway 9-27 to be a little bit longer than it is today. That’s a great place to be, especially coming out of Covid, and just the activity that you have supports that,” he said. “The other thing that we’re finding ... it’s no surprise that improvements to runway 9-27 are most likely going to have to go eastward, which means impacting County Road 100 East.”
He said that means when he and King met with the FAA on March 22, a lot of the conversation they had was around the runway program and where it was going.
“One of the things that we had mentioned is the local community aspect, and one of the elements that really revealed very high levels of support, from not only FAA but INDOT as well, is the potential for the (city-county) airport authority and mainly being that united voice for the community and the drive behind the improvements at Warsaw,” Lienhart said.
At their February meeting, the BOAC approved recommending to the city council that the airport authority be approved. The city council approved moving forward with it at their March 20 meeting. On April 6, the county council held a public listening session on the airport authority with King and supporters giving a presentation on it. Members of the public were allowed two minutes each to comment on it, too.
Lienhart said Tuesday the next steps for the runway program was making some final edits to the draft of the RSAD report, which will be provided to King for review over the next few weeks. That will then be submitted with a forecast update in May to the FAA.
Lienhart presented an invoice to the board from CHA for the project. The total amount is $71,225.90, with the local share of that being $3,561.29; the state share being $3,561.29; and the federal share being $64,103.32. The invoice was approved.
Another new task order presented to the board was for a wildlife hazard site visit. Lienhart said the FAA and INDOT encouraged it as a baseline assessment of the airfield to determine if any wildlife mitigation measures are needed for the facility. He said it typically reveals a wildlife deterrent fence is needed.
The assessment will start in August and be completed by the end of this year. Total cost is $51,650, with the FAA paying $46,485 and the local and state shares each being $2,582.50.
The board approved the task order.
The next BOAC meeting is tentatively scheduled for 5:15 p.m. May 9.
Nathan Lienhart, civil engineer with CHA Consulting, said he thought they were making some forward progress on the project.
“Since we’ve gotten the construction agreement signed and in place, AEP has actually set up biweekly meetings that they are running, which is fantastic, because I think it’s demonstrating to us that this is a real thing for them and it’s no longer us pushing them. So it’s been a good change of pace.”
He said AEP has sent them a revised schedule, and primarily due to lead time for materials, AEP is looking at having the design complete in mid to late May, and then they will go out for procurement, “which is basically their way of bidding two subcontractors for the work.”
Lienhart said actual construction is looking to start in July 2024 and be completed by the end of October 2024. At the March BOAC meeting, it was noted that the goal up until then was to have the power lines in place by November 2023, but that was pushed back until spring 2024.
“About a three- to four-month construction timeframe to install the new towers, demolish the old ones and string the new conductors. A little bit further out than we were initially planning, up until this point, but nevertheless it’s good to see some definitive dates in front of us and they have said where they can trim time they certainly will,” Lienhart said.
When he asked the board if they had any questions on the power line lowering project, Board President Jay Rigdon said, “No, just disappointing looks on those dates.”
Lienhart said CHA had the same reaction, but there is a finish line.
Airport Manager Nick King said, “They did say one of the big issues that they had was just getting the actual towers built. Those lead times are over 13 months now. They used to be three to four months, and so just getting shop time with the manufacturers to actually build the towers is becoming increasingly difficult. They’ve been doing everything they can to try to trim this time off.”
The project also has to be scheduled with and approved by the Department of Energy, King said. “It’s not just a sourcing issue, it’s a scheduling issue as well because it is a part of the national power grid, so it’s unfortunately a complicated process that’s going to take a little more than we originally foresaw.”
Rigdon asked if the construction date moving into 2024 as opposed to 2023 would affect any of the project’s funding sources. King said, as of now, the project should be able to be completed without any issues with the funding sources.
“We’ve been meeting with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and they know where we’re sitting on this project,” King said.
Board member Gene Zale asked how many towers were they talking about. Lienhart said AEP is looking at six new structures and removing three. King said AEP has been bouncing back and forth between six and seven.
Lienhart then brought up the 9-27 RSA (runway safety area) program, phase I.
“So from last meeting to today, we’re roughly about 50% complete with the runway safety area determination study,” he said.
One thing to note, Lienhart told the board, was that “just based on the aircraft that you have operating there today, honestly, it justifies runway 9-27 to be a little bit longer than it is today. That’s a great place to be, especially coming out of Covid, and just the activity that you have supports that,” he said. “The other thing that we’re finding ... it’s no surprise that improvements to runway 9-27 are most likely going to have to go eastward, which means impacting County Road 100 East.”
He said that means when he and King met with the FAA on March 22, a lot of the conversation they had was around the runway program and where it was going.
“One of the things that we had mentioned is the local community aspect, and one of the elements that really revealed very high levels of support, from not only FAA but INDOT as well, is the potential for the (city-county) airport authority and mainly being that united voice for the community and the drive behind the improvements at Warsaw,” Lienhart said.
At their February meeting, the BOAC approved recommending to the city council that the airport authority be approved. The city council approved moving forward with it at their March 20 meeting. On April 6, the county council held a public listening session on the airport authority with King and supporters giving a presentation on it. Members of the public were allowed two minutes each to comment on it, too.
Lienhart said Tuesday the next steps for the runway program was making some final edits to the draft of the RSAD report, which will be provided to King for review over the next few weeks. That will then be submitted with a forecast update in May to the FAA.
Lienhart presented an invoice to the board from CHA for the project. The total amount is $71,225.90, with the local share of that being $3,561.29; the state share being $3,561.29; and the federal share being $64,103.32. The invoice was approved.
Another new task order presented to the board was for a wildlife hazard site visit. Lienhart said the FAA and INDOT encouraged it as a baseline assessment of the airfield to determine if any wildlife mitigation measures are needed for the facility. He said it typically reveals a wildlife deterrent fence is needed.
The assessment will start in August and be completed by the end of this year. Total cost is $51,650, with the FAA paying $46,485 and the local and state shares each being $2,582.50.
The board approved the task order.
The next BOAC meeting is tentatively scheduled for 5:15 p.m. May 9.
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