Out with the old to make way for the new

Crane operator Bryan Barnhart, Luverne, lifts a 1960s transformer from the city power plant lot Tuesday, Feb. 1, to make room for a new one coming this spring as part of an $11 million upgrade underway at the power plant. It’s the transformer that the existing Worthington generator utilized to connect its power to city circuits. It is being replaced with a new one because it’s showing signs of internal aging. Also coming soon are two new additional transformers, one for each of the new Caterpillar generators coming to the power plant as part of the project. The transformer was sold to T&R Electric, Colman, South Dakota, for $10,000.