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Utility work starts at three Bradley industrial sites

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Utility planning and purchasing have begun for the future industrial sites of Wacker Chemical and Whirlpool in Bradley County.

The Cleveland Utilities Board on Tuesday authorized Arcadis U.S. Inc. to begin engineering services for a sewer main and pump station off Lauderdale Memorial Highway to the Wacker site. That contract is for $53,000.

The board also approved purchases of electrical equipment for the new Chatata Creek substation. The two purchases for high voltage breakers and distribution vacuum breakers total nearly $150,000.

Site plans for the substation, which will serve the new Whirlpool plant, have been filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said Dennis Daniel, manager for Cleveland Utility’s electric division.

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Grading at the substation site could begin by February, he said, while site preparation at the plant location is already well under way.

“Obviously, we are on a tight schedule to be completed in time for Whirlpool, but we are confident we will be able to meet that deadline,” Daniel said.

Craig Mullinax, water division manager for the utility, said a temporary water line has been completed to serve the construction work at Wacker in northern Bradley County.

Meanwhile, water and sewer lines have been approved for the site of the new Amazon.com distribution center, a 1 million-square-foot facility also on Lauderdale Memorial Highway, Mullinax said.

“We will not be paying for those. That will be paid by the developer,” Mullinax said.

Amazon is building a similar facility in Hamilton County.

Contact Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.