The city of Peru will have to borrow money to move an electric substation on Water St. out of the flood plain. Mayor Ken Kolowski says the city didn’t receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant that could have covered 75% of the cost. He says the city is now trying to move forward.
Alderman Mike Sapienza says this project should have started a while ago.
It could cost between nine and ten million dollars for the project. The city wants to move the substation to Center St within the next year. Kolowski also says it could take thirty to forty weeks to get the materials to move it. City Engineer Eric Carl said several months ago that there is a flood wall around the substation. But Kolowski says it wouldn’t be good to have to pay for damages to the substation if something broke.