Work continues on underground distribution project in Parker

A small contracting crew from Karian and Peterson Powerline Contracting is wrapping up their first month in Parker converting twelve blocks of overhead power lines to underground. Parker Electrical Superintendent Rob Buller says the work completed thus far has been free of incidents and setbacks and believes the project is on track towards its expected completion date of October 1.

Thirty-eight homes are affected by the upgrade. Most of the line will be buried using directional boring, so homeowners will not be subject to trenching in their backyard.

The nearly $600,000 project is only the second underground distribution project in the city’s history and part of the long term capital improvement plan. The first underground service project occurred in 2004 after the city raised electrical rates to raise funds to pay for the upgrades. This project is bonded out for ten years, after which the city will move on to their next big project.

Pictured below: On July 28, the contractors prepared to bore line beneath one particular street and had to avoid fiber optics cable, sewer line, two natural gas lines and two phone lines.

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What’s going on in #ParkerSD? #publicpower #electricutility #improvementproject pic.twitter.com/ZZEA4ddU9r

— Heartland Power (@HeartlandPower) July 28, 2016

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