WILLMAR — When the Willmar Power Plant shuts down for good on July 1, it could still be years before the building is torn down or sold. Essential controls for Willmar's power grid are housed in the plant, and until Willmar Municipal Utilities decides to move those to a new location, the plant will be needed.
However, before anything can be done to the power plant, Willmar Municipal Utilities will need to understand just what it is dealing with when it comes to environmental hazards such as lead and asbestos in the building.
"It might be timely for us to do some of these studies," said Willmar Municipal Utilities Commissioner Bruce DeBlieck.
The commission, which approved a contract at the March 23 meeting, awarded the job to complete the environmental studies to Wenck Associates for $59,310.
"We are pretty confident in their background and their past experiences," said Kevin Marti, facilities and maintenance supervisor.
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In the first phase of the environmental site assessment, Wenck will retrieve and review plant records, do reconnaissance on the site and speak with people with knowledge of the site, Marti said in an email to the West Central Tribune. The second phase of the assessment will include drilling core samples from around the plant site and testing them for hazards. There will also be samples of groundwater, vapor, air and dust taken and tested.
The pre-demolition survey will identify and catalog the hazardous materials found in and around the plant. Wenck Associates will also provide Willmar Municipal Utilities with preliminary costs on how much it would cost to abate the hazards found.
"Which is needed before we can move forward with any demolition or repurpose of the plant," DeBlieck said.
