TECUMSEH – Tecumseh is proposing power plant and water well projects to improve its resiliency against natural disasters.

Doug Goracke told the city council on Feb. 3 that the scope of the project will be reduced from a proposed $20 million in improvements to $10 million for a grant application to the federal Economic Development Administration.

Proposals would increase the cooling capacity at the city’s power plant, so Tecumseh can generate electricity for the city’s needs if a natural disaster interrupts Omaha Public Power District distribution lines.

Tecumseh also proposes two new water wells and an electrical generator to maintain any of the existing five wells in the event of a disaster.

A new water main to town and a booster pump are also proposed.

Goracke said a proposed water main to the Elk Creek Superalloy Materials Project has been trimmed from the grant application. He said that water main can be pursued later.

The federal EDA has made $587 million available for disaster recovery grants for disasters in 2018 and 2019. Tecumseh proposes at least a 20 percent match in its grant application.

The Tecumseh City Council also approved the hiring of summer pool staff after hearing a report that construction of the new swimming pool is on schedule.