# What is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2001, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103 "2001-07-19T21:09:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Michael\_Payne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Michael\_Payne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Payne)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/1 "2001-07-19T21:09:30Z")
My curiousity is driving me crazy about this thing! Alongside the Northwest Tollway (I-90), adjacent to the NW quadrant of the interchange with Elmhurst Rd (Rte. 83), there is what seems to be a large and deep retention basin; however, it has what appear to be very heavy duty electric transmission towers and cables contained within. What is this installation and what purpose does it serve? I am a very technical person and I cannot figure out what it is just by looking at it. Please answer this for me. (BTW: you have a great column, keep up the good work) ---
**Author:** ![Gaspode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gaspode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaspode)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/2 "2001-07-19T22:44:31Z")
Is there any reason to believe that a collection of heavy duty pylons and associated buildings isn’t just a substation? I’m assuming here that there are more than just pylons and cables here, that the whole deal is fenced in or in some way not open to public access, and that the pylons run out of the compound across country. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Payne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Michael\_Payne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Payne)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/3 "2001-07-20T01:18:37Z")
To Gaspode: It could be a substation, but I wonder why they would put the facility in a giant pit about 100 ft. deep. It is fenced all around and I have only seen it while negotiating the ramp from SB Rte. 83 to EB I-90. There is a spillway from a creek that parallels the Tollway at that point and the basin seems to be lined with sheeting to retain liquid - so it must have something to do with the water. The power lines (VERY heavy lines) seem to enter from underground as I have seen no above ground lines leading away from the facility. I wonder why they would put very heavy duty electrical equipment in a place that apparently sometimes fills with water? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/4 "2001-07-20T05:13:16Z")
**Do you think you are writing poetry?** 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Schwanzong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Schwanzong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schwanzong)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/5 "2001-07-20T05:19:15Z")
I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. — (G. Gordon Liddy: Fighting ignoramuses since 1958) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Payne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Michael\_Payne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Payne)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/6 "2001-07-20T10:18:09Z")
To Kniz: No I am not writing poetry, I have a Sony WebTV Classic internet terminal, not a computer. Apparently my input gets altered between my terminal and the message board server. After I saw the first post I went back and retyped it with appropriate margins, and the server still altered it back to what you see, and it does that every time. So it’s not my fault man. BTW: since I see this is a nation-wide board the facility in question is in Des Plaines, Illinois just Northwest of O’hare Airport outside of Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/7 "2001-07-20T11:08:34Z")
Apparently the Web TV likes haiku so You have little choice ---
**Author:** ![DVous\_Means](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@DVous\_Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVous_Means)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/8 "2001-07-20T14:16:56Z")
This is a WAG… Is it possible that the facility in question is a storm water drainage area, and the cabling is there to drive heavy duty pumps? ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/9 "2001-07-21T18:36:11Z")
It’s possible (judging from your description) that this may be a pit intended to retain any spills or leakage of transformer oil. Many (if not all) of the transformers used in power transmission are oil-cooled, and the oil is (or at least used to be) PCB-laden, so there are obvious environmental concerns connected with leaks and spills, especially if the site is near a creek bed. Another possibility: you say this is near an airport. Could they have built a power substation in a pit to avoid the danger of high-tension wires and transmission towers being too close to a flight path? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Payne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Michael\_Payne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Payne)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2001, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it/73103/10 "2001-07-23T11:38:07Z")
I have gotten by now lot of speculation; but can someone analytical drive past and then figure out what this facility actually is, or can someone who really knows what it is explain it (without killing me)? In Des Plaines, Il take Elmhurst Rd South from Oakton St, take the “East I-90/Chicago” ramp - you can’t miss it (don’t forget to watch the road too).