The secret’s out. Nebraska, it just might be for everyone. After 20 years of small, organic load growth, Nebraska’s demand for electricity is skyrocketing. Over the next few years, NPPD, PCRPPD’s Wholesale power provider, anticipates the need for an additional 700-4,000 mWs of electricity. This is due to the increasing electrification of transportation and equipment as well as the growing number of data centers, crypto-mining, and bio-energy agriculture-related industries that are being incentivized through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This increased demand for electricity also brings economic growth and job opportunities to our local communities.
Nebraska is completely served by a customer-owned public power system, making it a favorable landing spot for new and expanding businesses. Public Power was created with an obligation to provide reliable electricity at cost with net revenue reinvested into infrastructure or additional generation capacity, not inflated for shareholder pockets. The US Energy Information Agency has ranked Nebraska at the top of the list nationally for the lowest electricity prices and highest reliability statistics.
To meet this demand for electricity, NPPD has applied to extend the operating license at Cooper Nuclear Station. This carbon-free resource provides the majority of baseload generation, along with Gerald Gentlemen Station. NPPD is also planning additional generation capacity, including combustion turbines, RICE (reciprocating internal combustion engine) units, and battery storage. These additions will enhance NPPD’s diverse generation fleet and provide operating flexibility, reliable, and affordable power.
Providing low-cost power is a high priority for all Nebraska Public Power entities, and we are all working together to ensure the new generation costs will be kept to a minimum for our customer-owners. This is not a new growth scenario for Nebraska; Public Power tackled the same load growth issue 40-50 years ago when Cooper Nuclear and Gerald Gentleman stations were built. Over the course of this year, we have been meeting with NPPD to discuss potential Wholesale Power Contract extensions that would allow the lowest cost financing and continue to provide the best value for your energy dollars.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
