Center, David Leathers, Jamestown Board of Public Utilities general manager, during the BPU’s monthly board meeting Monday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

The overhaul of steam turbine generator No. 5 at the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities is near completion.

On Monday, David Leathers, BPU general manager, discussed the last change order for the overhaul project during the board’s monthly meeting. He said the final cost of the overhaul will be $2.5 million, which is $100,000 less than the overhaul done to steam turbine generator No. 6 in 2016. He added that it had been 18 years since the turbine had been overhauled, so more work and more expense were anticipated.

In March, the BPU approved contracting with S.T. Cotter Turbine Services of Clearwater, Minn., to perform the maintenance overhaul of steam turbine generator No. 5. According to the resolution approved by the BPU, S.T. Cotter Turbine Services was the lowest of seven bids. The cost for the majority of the work was included in the 2021 electric division budget overhaul reserve fund.

In December 2020, the BPU discussed the assessment report on steam turbine generator No. 5. Cory Allen, BPU power plant manager, said the assessment report was better than expected. He said the last overhaul of the generator was in 2003. He added the throttle valve end seats are pitted, but that is what is expected after 17 years between overhauls.

Allen said the nondestructive evaluation was completed for the rotor inspection and showed no cracks found on the shaft. He said blade damage was found, but there were no cracks. He said the nondestructive evaluation completed for diaphragm halves showed multiple minor cracks and erosion patterns. He said minor cracks and erosion were expected.

In other business, the board approved the 2022 electric budget, with no rate case increase expected next year. Last month, Kelly Hawkins, BPU finance and customer accounts manager, said BPU officials were planning to ask the state Public Service Commission for a rate increase of 1.9% in 2024. The last rate increase approved by the Public Service Commission happened in 2016 when the charge for customers increased by 1.69%, which increased BPU revenues annually by more than $800,000.