A subcontractor that worked on Ball State University’s geothermal heating and cooling system is suing the project’s general contractor, alleging breach of contract.
 
EnLink Geoenergy Services of Gardena, Calif., drilled hundreds of 500-feet-deep bore holes last year for the second phase of the Muncie campus’ geothermal system. Its lawsuit filed in Delaware County against Cincinnati-based Messer Construction demands that Messer pay it $1.3 million it’s owed for the drilling work.
 
EnLink also says Messer is unlawfully seeking “grossly inappropriate” damages against it for late completion of work on the geothermal system that will use buried pipes to tap the Earth’s natural heat storage capacity to both heat and cool.
 
Messer Construction vice president Steven M. Bestard said EnLink’s allegations are “absolutely not a true statement.”