Designing is underway to replace electric wiring that dates back to the 1920s and 1930s.

The $4 million electric re-wiring project is scheduled to start at the end of the semester and is expected to be completed in the fall.

“The electric infrastructure was so old that it was failing,” said Jeff Cooley, vice president for business affairs.

Some parts of campus have lead-insulated cables, which have been out of production for more than 20 years.

Cooley added certain wiring is older than other wiring on campus, and those would be the areas constructed on.

Gary Reed, director of facilities planning and management, said the new wiring would limit electrical outages.

He added a major part of the project is to provide a new power feed for the south end of campus.

The lead-insulated cables would be replaced with 15,000 volt-rated rubber-insulated cables, Reed said.

He added the intent of the electric plan is to raise the campus distribution voltage from 4,160 volts to 12,470 volts through the rubber-insulated cables.

“This will increase efficiency of the electrical system by decreasing distribution losses, and will provide for additional load carrying capacity on our system,” Reed said.

He added the campus would not be obstructed when this project starts and that they would not have to re-route students.

Reed said, in addition to changing the cables, a high voltage switchyard and transformer would be installed east of the Ninth Street parking lot.

The new switchyard will also be able to be used for Eastern’s new co-generation power plant, which will be built east of Greek Court, if the General Assembly approves money for it, Reed said.

He added an underground high voltage raceway would be installed to feed the Life Science Building, Buzzard Hall and Doudna.

Reed said some manholes and electrical raceways would also be repaired because of damages from age.

The electric re-wiring project is being handled by the Capital Development Board, and the state of Illinois is paying the entire $4 million expense.

Cooley said CDB engineers are looking at load requirements and how the new pieces of wiring will connect with the older infrastructure.

He added Eastern is consulting with the CDB engineers as the project goes through the designing phase.

Reed said switching to the rubber-insulated cables is the smarter move.

“Rubber-insulated cables perform better, is cheaper and does not present the environmental hazards of lead,” he said.

Stephen Di Benedetto may be reached at 581-7945 or at sdibenedetto@eiu.edu.