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Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) board of directors approved a two percent rate increase for retail rates and no overall increase for wholesale rates for 2025, during Thursday’s regularly scheduled meeting.
The average residential retail customer uses around 1,000 kilowatts of electricity a month, and based on this amount, a residential customer would experience an increase of approximately $3.25 per month.
NPPD benchmarks its retail rate using data from U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), who collected data from over 2,600 utilities across the nation. According to finalized EIA data for 2023, NPPD continues to meet the goal to maintain a total retail base rate position among the lowest 15 percent of providers, with the most recent ranking finishing at 5.2 percent.
“We are incredibly proud of the stable rates we have provided our retail customers over the past eleven years, and the ability to continue serving our customers with some of the most affordable and reliable power in the country, with our retail rates sitting at approximately 45 percent below the national average.” said NPPD General Manager of Retail Services Pat Hanrahan. “Similar to other utilities across the country, NPPD continues to experience cost pressures related to inflation, supply chain constraints, material cost increases, and increases to fleet and facility costs. All factors driving the need for an increase to retail base rates.”
NPPD’s board also approved wholesale rates for 2025. While there are increases and decreases in individual demand and energy rate components that will impact customers differently depending upon their electric usage characteristics, there is no overall wholesale base rate increase for the eighth straight year. In addition, the NPPD Board of Directors has voted to provide approximately $53 million to wholesale customers in the form of a Production Cost Adjustment (PCA) credit. This is the seventh consecutive year that NPPD’s wholesale customers will receive a PCA credit.
“We are at an exciting time in our industry, where we are seeing growing load and a growing interest in industries coming to areas all over Nebraska,” noted NPPD President and CEO Tom Kent. “Affordable, reliable electricity is essential to drawing and supporting these businesses, which can provide great economic benefits to many of our state’s communities and complement our agriculture industry. Public power has brought tremendous value to our state and will continue to do so through low rates and reliable service.”
In 2016, NPPD began benchmarking its wholesale rates against others in the nation, utilizing a database maintained by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). The large group includes more than 800 electric utilities which purchase wholesale power. NPPD’s Board of Directors set a goal to be in the first quartile – which is at or below the 25 percentile for power cost. NPPD first achieved this goal in 2020 by reaching the 23.2 percentile and has remained in the lowest quartile since. The rankings for 2023 placed NPPD at the 16.7 percentile.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) continues to rank among the lowest cost providers of retail power in the nation, according to data released from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The EIA recently released its latest rankings of retail electric rates, which were based on rate data from 2023. NPPD benchmarks its retail rate through EIA, who collects data from more than 2,600utilities across the nation. NPPD set a goal to maintain a total retail base rate position among the lowest 15% of providers, with NPPD’s most recent ranking finishing at 5.2%.
“The EIA rankings are a tangible way for us to see how NPPD’s retail rates compare to our peers across the nation, and I’m proud of our team’s efforts to consistently provide our customers with affordable, reliable power,” said NPPD General Manager of Retail Service Pat Hanrahan. “NPPD retail rates are approximately 45% less than the national average. The state of Nebraska as a whole ranks among the most affordable places for retail electricity rates in the nation, and NPPD retail rates are lower than even the state average.”
NPPD serves 81 communities with retail electric service.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) will begin serving the village of Lodgepole as the retail electric service provider beginning November 1, and a part of that transition will include trimming trees around power lines and installing new meters.
NPPD’s vegetation management program follows the federal requirements set out by the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) after the northeast blackout of 2003. “Trimming trees around powerlines is important for ensuring reliability and resiliency of the electric system. Severe thunderstorms, heavy snow, and ice can cause trees and large branches to break and fall into powerlines, which can result in power outages. Being proactive helps keep the system operating as best as possible during severe conditions, especially heading into the colder winter months,” said NPPD General Manager of Retail Services Pat Hanrahan.
As noted in a previous press release, NPPD crews will replace the current electric meters with new ones. The new meters are equipped with two-way communication known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI); a digital metering technology used around the world for more than a decade. The new meters allow NPPD personnel to automatically read electric meters from service centers, provide a higher level of customer service, help customer service representatives troubleshoot billing concerns, and improve electric service reliability and power quality for customers.
Prior to installation, NPPD’s Customer Care Contact Center will contact Lodgepole customers via telephone to alert them to the installation of the meters. An NPPD employee will switch out the meter at the residence or business and remove the old one from the premises. A resident or business owner does not need to be there when the switch-out occurs, and there will be a short interruption of electric service during the switch.
Customer electric accounts will automatically be transitioned to NPPD’s system, and customers will have access to the NPPD web portal and mobile app to view and manage their accounts.
If a customer believes a tree on their property is becoming an issue or has a question about the transition to NPPD’s service, they can contact NPPD customer support at 1-877-ASK-NPPD. More information regarding NPPD’s vegetation management program can be found on nppd.com.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) mutual aid team has wrapped up work in Augusta, Georgia and will now be on standby to support mutual aid efforts in Florida following Hurricane Milton.
The mutual aid team finished their work in Augusta Thursday morning at approximately 11:00 a.m. and will standby in Covington, Georgia before traveling to Florida Friday morning. The team is currently planning to assist the Orlando Utility Commission.
The 15-man crew, including 12-line technicians, one fleet technician, and two supervisors departed from the York Operations Center Thursday, October 3 and responded to Augusta, Georgia to support Georgia Power following the destruction left by Hurricane Helene. At that time, Georgia Power had over 141,000 customers without power, which had been reduced to just over 1,500 customer outages Thursday morning.
NPPD’s mutual aid crew includes technicians from Ainsworth, Atkinson, Bassett, Chadron, Humboldt, Kearney, Lexington, Norfolk, O’Neill, Plattsmouth, and Ravenna.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) joins the nation in celebrating the tenth annual National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, which marks the progress of the industry by raising awareness of the benefits hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies provide in reducing emissions, while also driving economic growth.
National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day is observed on Oct. 8 (10.08) in recognition of the atomic weight of hydrogen - 1.008. Hydrogen is already providing fuel, feedstock, and power to wide-ranging sectors of the U.S.
“The hydrogen and fuel cell industries are seeing tremendous growth here in the U.S., with many new technologies and industries utilizing hydrogen in their production processes and as a fuel source.” said NPPD Generation Research Senior Program Manager Roman Estrada. “NPPD evaluates all different advancements in the energy industry, including the usage of hydrogen as a fuel source and energy storage element for use in generation assets, both current and new, along other fuels options.”
The Road Map to a US Hydrogen Economy report projects that continued investment in hydrogen will support more than 3 million jobs and $750 billion in revenue by 2050. “Hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies have the capacity to help many market sectors and provide an economic boost to the areas that can utilize it. This can create opportunities for high-quality jobs and spur manufacturing and export opportunities at both the local and national level,” added Estrada. “We look forward to the opportunities it will bring to Nebraska and the wider region as the technology continues to grow.”
For more information on National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day, please visit the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association website.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) has assembled a crew of technicians who will be heading to Georgia Thursday morning to aid in restoration efforts, following Hurricane Helene
A 15-man crew, including 12-line technicians, one fleet technician, and two supervisors departed from the York Operations Center Thursday morning and are headed towards the Augusta and Savannah, Georgia areas. Once crews have gotten closer, they will coordinate with Georgia Power to identify where they can begin work to restore power. As of Thursday morning, Georgia Power reported having over 141,000 customers still without power.
NPPD crews assisting in the mutual aid come from Ainsworth, Atkinson, Bassett, Chadron, Humboldt, Kearney, Lexington, Norfolk, O’Neill, Plattsmouth, and Ravenna.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants to remind equipment operators to keep a focus on safety around power lines as they head out to the fields for harvest.
When large equipment gets too close to a power line, electricity can arc to the equipment, leaving the equipment damaged with the potential to cause serious or fatal injuries to the operator.
“Taking the extra time to check your surroundings can help ensure someone doesn’t accidentally get their equipment too close to a line while they are working,” said NPPD Vice President of Energy Delivery Scott Walz. “Harvest becomes a busy time of year, especially for farmers, and we want to encourage people to keep a focus on safety as they head back out to the field.”
If a piece of equipment is in contact with a power line, call 911 or your local power provider and remain inside the vehicle until help can arrive and de-energize the line. When a power line is touching a vehicle, it can electrify both the vehicle and the ground in the surrounding area. If a fire forces you to exit the vehicle, then do so by jumping away from the vehicle, landing on two feet, and shuffling as far away from the area as possible.
NPPD encourages farmers to review the following safety precautions before entering the fields to begin harvest operations. Find more information on farm safety at NPPD.com.
Columbus, Neb. – Construction on Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) Scottsbluff Power Project is set to begin in October and is anticipated to be completed in Spring of 2025.
NPPD announced the final line route for this new ten-mile, 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in May 2023 and has since been acquiring easements from landowners along the route.
The new transmission line will feature a combination of single-pole wood and steel structures. NPPD is partnering with Watts Electric Company from Waverly, Nebraska to construct the line. Drivers in and around the Scottsbluff area will see more heavy trucks on the roads and are reminded to be safe and prepare for slower traffic.
Regarding this milestone, Project Manager Paul Brune says, “Safety remains our top priority. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we embark on construction for this project.” The new line will increase the transmission system capacity to meet electrical demand, reduce congestion, and further enhance the reliability and resiliency of the Scottsbluff and western Nebraska areas.
Before construction begins, the project team will prepare the workspace by installing gates in existing fences where needed and removing trees within or near the right of way to ensure safe operation of the line. Following this work, materials will be delivered, foundations for the structures will be poured, structures will be assembled and erected, and then wires will be strung and attached to each structure. After inspections, the line will be energized, and the workspace will be cleaned and restored.
Right-of-way agents will stay in touch with landowners during and after construction of the line. After construction is complete, agents will continue to work with landowners and/or tenants to address and resolve any property damage, including arranging for compensation or property restoration if needed.
A map of the final route and additional information on the Scottsbluff Power Project can be found on nppd.com under “Current Projects”.
Columbus, Neb. – Construction on Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) Kearney Power Project is set to begin in October and is anticipated to be completed in Spring of 2025.
NPPD announced the final line route for this new eight-mile, 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission line in May 2023 and has since been acquiring easements from landowners along the route.
The new transmission line will feature a combination of single-pole wood and steel structures. NPPD is partnering with Watts Electric Company from Waverly, Nebraska to construct the line. Drivers in and around the Kearney area will see more heavy trucks on the roads and are reminded to be safe and prepare for slower traffic.
Regarding this milestone, Project Manager Paul Brune says, “Safety remains our top priority. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we embark on construction for this project.” The new line will accommodate current and projected future loads and provide additional reliability and enhanced resiliency for the Kearney area.
Before construction begins, the project team will prepare the workspace by installing gates in existing fences where needed and removing trees within or near the right of way to ensure safe operation of the line. Following this work, materials will be delivered, foundations for the structures will be poured, structures will be assembled and erected, and then wires will be strung and attached to each structure. After inspections, the line will be energized, and the workspace will be cleaned and restored.
Right-of-way agents will stay in touch with landowners during and after construction of the line. After construction is complete, agents will continue to work with landowners and/or tenants to address and resolve any property damage, including arranging for compensation or property restoration if needed.
A map of the final route and additional information on the Kearney Power Project can be found on nppd.com under “Current Projects”.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) is draining the Sutherland Canal system between Lake Ogallala, Sutherland Reservoir, and Lake Maloney to conduct maintenance and inspection activities.
The process to dewater the canal system will last until September 21. The canal will then remain dewatered for approximately five to seven weeks before refilled to normal operating levels.
“It’s important for us to dewater the canal and conduct maintenance and in-depth inspections along the canal system to ensure the safe and successful operation of the system,” says NPPD Canaday, Water, and Renewable Energy Manager Kirk Evert.
While canal waters are lowered, crews will be conducting general maintenance activities along the canal, inspecting gates, inspecting the Lake Maloney Outlet, draining down Lake Maloney and the forebay above the North Platte Hydro to inspect the penstock inlet, and completing maintenance at the hydro.
While water is lowered at Lake Maloney, Nebraska Game and Parks will complete their angler access project to create additional fishing access to the south side of the Lake Maloney inlet area.
Columbus, Neb. – This week Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) will celebrate 33 years and more than $2 million dollars donated for college scholarships throughout the history of the Nebraska Open golf tournament and fundraiser.
More than $70,000 will be donated in 2024, bringing the total to more than $2 million donated since the event began. These scholarship funds are given to the Central Community College Foundation to support scholarships for students attending Central, Mid-Plains, Northeast, Southeast, and Western Community Colleges.
“It’s been great to see the continued support for the Nebraska Open, which has provided an excellent avenue for NPPD to empower students across our service territory,” noted NPPD Marketing Content Specialist and Nebraska Open Event Coordinator Christy Avery. “We’re very thankful to everyone who has contributed to this effort this year and in decades past. Fundraising and donating more than $2 million is no small feat, and the support of the sponsors ensures we can continue providing scholarships to our local students.”
The Nebraska Open kicks off with an 18-hole Pro-Am event on Thursday, Sept. 12, followed by the 54-hole professional tournament, which begins Friday and is endorsed and sponsored by the Nebraska Section of the PGA. The Nebraska Open has been held in Columbus all 33 years and will conclude with an awards ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 15.
The 2024 tournament is sponsored by 42 businesses, whose donations help support the scholarships given to students at 11 different campuses across the state. Wells Fargo returns as the title sponsor for the 21st consecutive year, along with national, regional, and Columbus-based sponsors such as Behlen Mfg. Co, Kelly Supply Co., and Nebraska Energy Federal Credit Union.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) wholesale electric rates rank among the most affordable in the nation.
In 2016, NPPD began benchmarking its wholesale rates against others in the nation, utilizing a database maintained by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). The large group includes more than 800 electric utilities which purchase wholesale power. NPPD’s Board of Directors set a goal to be in the first quartile – which is at or below the 25 percentile for power cost. NPPD first achieved this goal in 2020 by reaching the 23.2 percentile and has remained in the lowest quartile since. The rankings for 2023 were recently released, with NPPD finishing at the 16.7 percentile.
“The electric industry is being impacted by many different factors, including inflation and supply chain constraints, and the team at NPPD remains consistently focused on meeting these challenges and providing our customers with affordable, reliable power,” noted NPPD President and CEO Tom Kent. “This CFC metric is a tangible example of how our team is meeting our goals and bringing the best of public power to Nebraskans.”
As a not-for-profit public corporation, NPPD is able to share surpluses with customers in the form of credits which have been applied to the wholesale power bills and have effectively lowered the cost of power. In addition, NPPD’s wholesale rates have remained steady for seven straight years. NPPD has wholesale contracts with 37 municipalities and 23 public power districts and cooperatives across the state.
Columbus, Neb. – The final outage in a series of planned outages is scheduled for electric customers in Boyd County, as well as parts of Holt and Knox County, Sunday, Sept. 15 from 1 to 6 p.m. to finish work on a transformer replacement at the substation serving the area.
The outage will impact Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) customers in the communities of Butte, Bristow, and Lynch, as well as the village of Spencer and Niobrara Valley Electric Membership Corporation customers in rural Boyd County, northwestern Knox County, and northern Holt County. These customers have been served off of a mobile substation during the summer months, while crews installed a new transformer at the permanent substation. During the upcoming outage, crews will be restoring the system back to normal operation.
In addition, crews from both NPPD and Niobrara Valley E.M.C. will be making repairs to poles and crossarms, as well as installing breakers, which can only happen by taking an outage.
“I want to thank everyone in the affected areas for your patience and understanding during these outages,” noted NPPD Account Manager Brittney Koenig. “The transformer replaced at the substation and the repairs to structures will help ensure the area continues to receive reliable electric service. Crews will complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, and customers will be restored once the repairs are completed.”
Some customers on the western side of the outage area may have their power restored first, after work on the substation is completed. Electric customers in the eastern area may be restored later than western customers because the additional repairs are taking place in this area and will likely take a little more time to complete than the substation work.
“This is necessary to make sure the system can operate properly heading into the winter months. We did our best to wait for irrigation load to drop in the area before taking this outage, and this will allow us to get some needed work accomplished. I’m thankful for everyone’s patience while we get this work completed,” added Niobrara Valley E.M.C. General Manager Matt Fritz.
Columbus, Neb. – Two planned power outages are scheduled for Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) customers in Shelton to allow for maintenance at the substation that serves the community, with the first outage scheduled for Sept. 8 from 2 to 6 p.m.
The first outage will allow field crews to switch the system over to a mobile substation, in order for them to complete maintenance on the permanent substation. The maintenance is expected to take roughly two weeks. If work is completed as scheduled, and no additional work is identified, the second outage is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 22 from 2 to 6 p.m. to return the system to normal operation. A second press release will be shared when the second outage date is finalized.
“Outages, no matter the reason, are inconvenient, so we appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding while this work is completed,” said NPPD Account Manager Grant Flamig. “Performing preventative maintenance helps us continue to provide our customers with safe, affordable, and reliable electric service for years to come.”
NPPD will reach out to each impacted customer to notify them of the time and date prior to both planned outages. NPPD works closely with community officials when setting the date and time for any planned outages.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) Cooper Nuclear Station will soon be implementing the use of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) national alert warning system which could be used to share emergency notifications to mobile devices and over radio and TV broadcasts.
FEMA’s system is called the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System. Better known as IPAWS, it works by sending local emergency messages to the public through mobile phones using Wireless Emergency Alerts, to radio and television via the Emergency Alert System, and also on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Weather Radio. In the case an emergency notification would need to be shared from NPPD about Cooper, IPAWS would send a notification to phones, radios, and TVs in a roughly 10-mile radius around the plant. This system is widely used by nuclear operators across the country as well as other agencies for emergency messages such as tornado warnings or amber alerts.
NPPD currently has sirens installed within a 10-mile radius of the plant that would sound in the case of an emergency. IPAWS will allow for NPPD to transition away from the use of sirens. As a part of the process to implement this system, NPPD will be testing IPAWS throughout the 10-mile radius surrounding the plant to ensure it operates properly. This system is able to notify anyone within the 10-mile radius and does not require anyone to sign up through a specific app or service.
“When sirens go off, it may not be clear whether it is a test or what the emergency may be. In some cases, it may be hard for people to hear the sirens inside their homes. Using the FEMA public alert warning system will allow for messages about emergencies to be shared in a quick, clear, and concise manner,” says NPPD Emergency Preparedness Manager Matt Nee.
Additional information will be shared with the public, including when the system will go live. This transition could be as early as January 1, 2025. There is a test of the sirens scheduled for September 17 in Nemaha and Richardson Counties, and on September 18 in Atchison County. A test of the IPAWS system will also be conducted on these two days, and its possible individuals in the area will receive a test notification on their phones during this test.
Additional information will be shared about this new system closer to the date it goes live. Emergency management information for Cooper can be found on NPPD.com/ep.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) is sending mutual aid to help Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) with power restoration following Wednesday’s severe windstorm.
A 24-man crew, including 21 line technicians and three supervisors, will report to North Omaha Station Thursday morning. Once there, crews will coordinate with OPPD and begin work to restore power.
OPPD’s service territory was hit with hurricane force winds Wednesday evening that resulted in power outages to roughly 218,000 OPPD customers. As of 10 a.m. Thursday morning, OPPD had over 140,000 customers without power.
NPPD crews assisting in the mutual aid come from Norfolk, Plattsmouth, South Sioux City, and York.
Columbus, Neb. – The Village of Lodgepole has entered into a Professional Retail Operating Agreement with Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) that will go into effect November 1.
The Village will retain ownership of the electric system, while NPPD will provide all the functions of electric service, including operating the system, responding to outages, billing customers, and providing customer service. Customer electric accounts will automatically be transitioned to NPPD’s system. Customers will have access to the NPPD web portal and mobile app to view and manage their accounts or can utilize NPPD’s 24-hour customer support by calling 1-877-ASK-NPPD.
“NPPD is very excited to begin serving Lodgepole as our 81st retail community, and the opportunity to provide the village with reliable and affordable power for many years to come” noted NPPD General Manager of Retail Pat Hanrahan.
As part of the transition, NPPD crews will utilize drones as well as system walk-downs by our field teams to build a map of the Lodgepole electric system. This work is expected to take place in late July or early August and will allow for a smooth transition in November.
Closer to the transition date on November 1, NPPD crews will replace the current electric meters with new ones. The new meters are equipped with two-way communication known as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI); a digital metering technology used around the world for more than a decade. The new meters allow NPPD personnel to automatically read electric meters from service centers, provide a higher level of customer service, help customer service representatives troubleshoot billing concerns, and improve electric service reliability and power quality for customers.
“The installation of the AMI system helps maintain competitive electric rates for our customers by reducing operating expenses, but also allows our crews to pinpoint the exact location of outages quicker, meaning a faster response time in restoring power,” added Hanrahan.
Additional information regarding meter replacements will be shared prior to the installation of the meters.
Columbus, Neb. – Residents in northeast Nebraska may be seeing some drones flying around, as inspection work begins on a Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) transmission line that extends from north of Norfolk, through Pierce County and into Antelope County.
Work is scheduled to begin July 16, when drones will be used to take photos of structures along the high-powered transmission line. The photos are being taken so that NPPD can assess any maintenance work that may need to be completed along the line.
NPPD’s contractor, Valmont Utility, a business segment of Valmont Industries, Inc., will be conducting the drone work over a period of approximately four weeks and will be utilizing up to two drones simultaneously.
“The workers piloting these drones will be in marked vehicles and high visibility clothing, and we want to make sure people are aware the work is taking place, in case anyone notices drones flying along our transmission lines,” says Senior Project Coordinator Doug Meyers. “Drones are a great tool that allow us to thoroughly inspect the integrity of our transmission equipment in a cost-effective and efficient manner.”
The drones will not be operating until at least 30 minutes after sunrise and will finish operating at least 30 minutes before sunset.
Columbus, Neb. – The July Fourth holiday weekend is quickly approaching, and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants lake goers to remember the importance of safety and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Lake Maloney, the Sutherland Reservoir, and a portion of Lake Ogallala are all part of the Sutherland Canal system, which provides cooling water for Gerald Gentleman Station and powers the North Platte Hydro. The canal system, which is owned and operated by NPPD, is fed from water out of Lake McConaughey and eventually flows to the South Platte River.
“Invasive species can be carried from one waterway to another if boats are not drained properly after being taken out of the water. If Invasive species get into a waterway, they spread rapidly and stick to every surface available, which could clog intake structures and facilities along the canal system,” noted NPPD Canaday, Water, and Renewable Energy Manager Kirk Evert. “We hope everyone who uses NPPD recreation facilities can have fun but do so while being safe and avoiding the spread of invasive species.”
The public should follow all regulations established and enforced by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to ensure safe use of NPPD recreational areas.
Fishing along the Sutherland Canal is a popular activity, but the steep banks and fast-moving waters can be extremely dangerous if anyone were to fall in the water. As a safety precaution when fishing along the canal, it is encouraged to bring another person along or let family or a friend know when and where you are going to be. It is also encouraged to have a life jacket when fishing along the canal near the water.
Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD) Cooper Nuclear Station is celebrating 50 years of generating reliable energy for Nebraska, since first coming on-line July 1, 1974.
Nebraska’s longest and only current operating nuclear power plant, located near Brownville, has a capacity of roughly 800 Megawatts, and over the past five decades, Cooper Nuclear Station has generated approximately 275 million Megawatt-hours of carbon-free electricity. Throughout the past two years, NPPD has provided Nebraska customers with approximately 56% carbon-free energy, with 42% of the carbon-free generation coming from Cooper.
“We are thankful to have one of the most talented teams in the country working at Cooper Nuclear Station, providing our customers with safely generated, around-the-clock electricity,” said NPPD President and CEO Tom Kent. “Nuclear is a tremendous resource within NPPD’s diverse generation mix and is essential to the reliable, low-cost and sustainable energy our customers enjoy. Cooper employs more than 600 people and is a tremendous economic driver for southeast Nebraska.”
When Cooper was built, it cost $313 million and involved moving more than 760,000 cubic yards of dirt, pouring more than 90,000 cubic yards of concrete, and utilizing more than 10,000 tons of steel.
“Cooper Nuclear Station was named after Guy Cooper Sr. and Guy Cooper Jr. The Cooper family was a pioneer Nebraska family, active in civic, business, and electrifying the state, dating back to 1868,” noted Kent. “Though Guy Cooper Sr. did not live to see the construction of Cooper Nuclear Station, his son served on NPPD’s Board when the station began commercial operation.”
Cooper previously received a license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in November 2010 to operate the plant until January 2034. NPPD’s Board voted during February’s meeting to pursue the relicensing of Cooper Nuclear Station for another 20 years, which would allow the plant to operate until 2054.
