(KLZA)-- Several agenda items during the Falls City Council meeting Monday evening concerned the new electrical generator project currently underway. 

The new engine, made in Finland by Wirtsila has traveled by ship to Texas. It has been transferred to a railcar.  It is expected that 14 cargo containers carrying parts for the engine will arrive next week, prior to the engine arriving.

The engine will be removed from the railcar and stored at the Herzog facility until its final move to the Power Plant in about two weeks. 

Monday evening the Council approved a recommendation from the Board of Public Works on a contract with Profile Contracting to install a higher capacity natural gas line to the Power Plant at a cost of nearly $544-thousand.  Utility Superintendent Alan Romine explained the new engine for electrical generation requires a higher gas pressure than is currently available. The upgrade will also improve the towns border station gas capacity.

The Council also approved a change order for the generator project amounting to nearly $71-thousand. Due to some of the equipment for the new engine not arriving soon enough, a larger hatch will be required in the building floor to get the engine set in place.  The added funds will pay for demolition, additional concrete and steel and a temporary wall to be constructed for use while there is a hole cut in the back of the building when the new foundation is being constructed. 

Total cost to complete the generator project will be in excess of $11-million. 

In a related agenda item, City Administrator Gary Jorn sought approval by the Council on a resolution allowing some of the $4.3-million in bonds the city will use for the project to reimburse the city of out-of-pocket expenses prior to the bonding is in place. 

The resolution passed unanimously.