The Nebraska Public Power District held its May 8-9, 2008, Board of Directors’ meeting in Columbus, Neb. The next Board of Directors’ meeting will be held Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, 2008, in Columbus.

Guests at the meeting included: Bruce Pontow of the Nebraska Electric G&T; Jerry Palmer with Burt County Public Power District; and Adrian Sanchez with the Columbus Telegram.

The Board approved supplements to the following capital projects for Cooper Nuclear Station: simulator system neutronics and thermal hydraulics model upgrade for $100,000 and west warehouse expansion for $450,000.

The following contracts and engineer’s certificates related to Cooper Nuclear Station were approved:

• Contract to replace four low pressure feedwater heaters, to be installed during the Fall 2009 outage, awarded to Yuba Heat Transfer, LLC, for $4,977,525;
• Engineer’s Certificate to repair and test one service water pump bowl assembly and one service water booster pump with Sulzer Pumps, for an estimated amount of $328,208;
• Amendment with Proto-Power Corporation for design engineering services to complete the augmented off-gas system controller upgrade project for $160,000;
• Agreement with Nalco Company for chemical treatment of the CNS service water system for $151,552;
• Task Authorization with Global Nuclear Fuels to inspect discharged fuel bundles during five of the next seven refueling cycles (between 2008 and 2017) for $2,100,000; and
• An Amendment with Black and Veatch Corporation for additional engineering support items for the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation for $267,150.

Energy Supply items approved included:

• Engineer’s Certificate to procure materials and services for the refurbishment of an induced draft fan rotor at Gerald Gentleman Station (GGS) for an estimated amount of $219,700;
• Resolution to authorize a total of up to $13,500,000 for No. 6 fuel oil for Canaday Station during 2008, 2009 and 2010;
• Resolution for membership in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP);
• Agreement renewal with Invensys Systems, Inc., for three years of system maintenance and update services for the integrated control systems at Sheldon Station for $235,767; and
• An Agreement with Alstom Power, Inc., for field engineering services for the fall 2008 Unit 1 outage at GGS for $328,600.

Action was taken on the District’s Domestic Energy Research and Application Initiative to provide $4,500 for participation in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind for Schools Project.

The Board accepted the March 2008 financial statements. Traci Bender, vice president and chief financial officer, reported that the District ended March with a deficit of $1.0 million. The year-to-date deficit through the end of March is $1.1 million.

The following items were approved for Customer & Support Services:

• Finalized NPPD’s 2008 Integrated Resource Plan;
• Contract for 385 tubular steel poles to be used on the Electric Transmission Reliability (ETR) project at a cost of $28,643,524 with TransAmerican Power Products, Inc;
• Contract for refurbishment of a 115 kilovolt (kV) substation near Sutton, awarded to TESSCO Utility Services, Inc., for $509,458;
• Contract for transmission line hardware for the ETR project, awarded to Kriz-Davis Co., Part I for $766,929, Part II for $212,634, Part III for $82,032 and Part IV for $249,410;
• Contract with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc., for control panels for the Rising City Substation for $176,220;
• Engineer’s Certificate for the rebuilding of two 18-ton cranes to be used by transmission crews based in Kearney and Lincoln for an estimated amount of $450,400 with Manitowoc/Grove/National Worldwide, formerly National Crane; and
• An Agreement with SimplyWell for $160,000 for the continuation of a wellness screening program for the District employees through December 31, 2008.

Other action included:

• Rejected bids for three for 15 kV class air core shunt reactors; and
• Approved external audit services for 2008 and 2009 with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

The Board recognized the retirements of Danny A. Thaden, Training Specialist at Kearney; Theodore G. Tinker, Material Planner at Cooper Nuclear Station; Dennis A. Dethlefs, Senior Talent Development Specialist at the Columbus General Office; Stephen L. Phillips, Engineer at Cooper Nuclear Station; Laurence W. Bartels, System Operator at Doniphan; and Dietmar F. Botzki, Meter Reader in Scottsbluff.