http://www.nppd.com Always there when you need us Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:45:42 +0000 en hourlys 1 http://www.nppd.com/2013/watch-for-electrical-hazards-during-farming-activities/ Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District is encouraging farmers – many involved in spring planting at this time-- to be particularly alert to the dangers of working near overhead power lines year round. Contact between farming equipment and electric transmission and distribution lines could cause electrocution. NPPD urges farm workers to review farm activities and work practices that take place around any power lines. Everyone who works on the farm should know the location of power lines and keep farm equipment at least 20 feet away from them. The minimum 20 foot distance is a 360-degree rule – below, to the side and above lines. “It may take a little more time, but ensuring proper clearance can save lives and reduce the possibility of creating a power outage that impacts more than just the farm, but also can create an outage in a local community “ said NPPD Transmission and Distribution Manager John Humphrey. “Contact with power lines can have an adverse effect on an individual through the potential of electrocution, but also affected are homes, businesses and industry through the outage. “It’s important all farm workers know the location of power lines so we can have a safe planting season.” Humphrey urged farmers not to raise or move a power line under any situation and to be aware of underground lines before digging and contact the Digger’s Hotline (dial 811) before work begins. Many farm electrical accidents that involve power line contact happen when loading or preparing to transport equipment to fields, or while performing maintenance or repairs on farm machinery near power lines. It can be difficult to estimate distance and sometimes a power line is closer than it looks. A spotter or someone with a broader view can help. Safety tips to avoid contact with power lines include:

• Do not raise the arms of planters, cultivators or truck bed when moving vehicles;
• Be aware of increased height when loading and transporting larger modern farm machinery.
• Watch for radio antennas that extend from the cab to fifteen feet above the ground that could make contact with power lines;
• Be careful not to raise any equipment such as ladders, poles or rods into power lines. Non-metallic materials such as lumber, tree limbs, tires, ropes and hay will conduct electricity depending on dampness and dust and dirt contamination.
• Do not try to clear storm-damage debris and limbs near or touching power lines or near fallen lines.

The overhead electric wires are not the only electrical contact that can result in a serious incident. Pole guy wires are grounded to the neutral; but, when one of the guy wires is broken, it can cause an electric current disruption. This can make those neutral wires anything but harmless. If a guy wire is struck with farm equipment and breaks, or when making contact with electrical poles and wires, always contact your local rural public power district or electric co-operative. “It is also important for operators of farm equipment to know what to do if the vehicle comes in contact with a power line,” Humphrey explained. “It is always best to stay in the cab and call for help. Warn others who may be nearby to stay away and wait until the electric utility arrives to make sure power to the line is cut off.” If the power line is energized and the individual steps outside, they become the path and electrocution can be the result. Even if a power line has landed on the ground, there is still the potential for the area nearby to be energized. Remain inside the vehicle unless there’s fire or imminent risk of fire. In that case, the proper action is to jump – not step – with both feet hitting the ground at the same time. Do not allow any part of your body to touch the equipment and the ground at the same time. Continue to shuffle or hop to safety, keeping both feet together as you leave the area. Once away from the equipment, never attempt to get back on or even touch the equipment. Many electrocutions occur when the operator dismounts and, realizing nothing has happened, tries to get back on the equipment. Alert the local rural public power district or electric co-operative, that have highly-trained lineman that can assist and return a potentially dangerous situation back to normal.]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:58:46 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/watch-for-electrical-hazards-during-farming-activities/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/elkhorn-wayne-capture-power-drive-crowns/ Columbus, Neb. – Cool temperatures, high winds and a little bit of rain and snow didn’t dampen this year’s finals of the Power Drive championships, as Elkhorn and Wayne captured Saturday’s overall championship, held at Warner Park in LaVista. A combination of the competitive endurance rally, design engineering, and documentation supplied by each competing school determined the winners. Points were awarded in each category of Standard, Advanced and Exhibition, and were combined to tally a final score. The event has been held annually since 1998 and is co-sponsored by the Nebraska Public Power District and the Omaha Public Power District. Elkhorn topped the field in the Standard Class followed by Columbus Lakeview in second, Bancroft-Rosalie in third, Raymond Central in fourth, and Beatrice in fifth. Lakeview was ranked first in Design Engineering with Syracuse second and Adams Central third. Elkhorn was first in Documentation with Wayne second and Bancroft-Rosalie third. Columbus Lakeview topped the Standard Class in the Endurance Rally portion of Saturday’s competition with 45 laps completed in the 60-minute race, followed by Elkhorn with 44 laps, and Raymond Central third with 42 laps. Wayne was the overall champion in the Advanced Class followed by Elkhorn in second, Raymond Central in third, Bancroft-Rosalie in fourth, and Cedar Rapids Kennedy from Iowa finished fifth. Adams Central was first in Design Engineering followed by Elkhorn and Wayne. In Documentation, Elkhorn earned first place followed by Bancroft-Rosalie and Wayne. In the Endurance Rally portion of the Advanced Class, Wayne led the competition with 43.5 laps completed. Following closely was Raymond Central with 43 laps, and Elkhorn earned third place with 42 laps completed. Bellevue West was first In the Exhibition Class Endurance Rally with 43 laps completed, followed by Raymond Central with 35.5 laps and Bancroft-Rosalie was third with 26 laps. In the Novice Division Endurance Rally competition, Winside topped the field. The award for Best Driving Team went to Columbus Lakeview, and Bancroft-Rosalie won the Best Pit Crew Award. Chase County received the award for Best Performance by a First Year Team, and Elkhorn won the Ken Kitchen Best Paint/Finish award. Cody Slater of Syracuse High School was the recipient of the $1,000 Power Drive Scholarship, and Callen Hedglen of Bellevue East received the $1,000 Paul High Scholarship. Saturday’s event marked the completion of this year’s competition that included previous races in Lincoln, Hastings, Grand Island and West Point. The Power Drive program gives high school students hands-on experience building a safe, energy-efficient, electric vehicle. Teams design and build electric-powered vehicles during the school year, and then student drivers test their creations against other teams in several categories: braking ability, endurance, maneuverability and overall design/construction.]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 12:01:48 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/elkhorn-wayne-capture-power-drive-crowns/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/transmission-line-open-houses-scheduled-for-may-14-in-neligh-may-15-in-norfolk/ Columbus, Neb. – A third round of public open houses focused on potential line routes and substation locations is set for May 14 and 15 on Nebraska Public Power District’s proposed Hoskins to Neligh 345,000-volt transmission line project. The first of two open houses will be Tuesday, May 14, at the American Legion, 115 W. Third Street in Neligh. A second open house will be held on Wednesday, May 15, at the Lifelong Learning Center located at Northeast Community College, 801 E. Benjamin Ave., in Norfolk. Both open houses will run from 2 to 8 p.m. and input will be taken from landowners and interested public. The open houses continue NPPD’s public involvement process in routing transmission lines. Two earlier sessions on the Hoskins to Neligh line gathered information from landowners that assisted in identifying potential line routes and substation sites, although NPPD has made not made a decision on a final line route or substation site. Landowners who are within close proximity to those line routes have been extended an invitation to attend the open house, and were provided a map showing what NPPD feels is the most suitable line route and substation site at this time. NPPD is building the line route to enhance transmission system reliability and provide opportunities for additional renewable energy generation. The new line will cover approximately 50 miles in length, and also includes rerouting four, existing 115,000-volt transmission lines into a new substation location. “The Hoskins to Neligh transmission line will strengthen electric reliability in north central Nebraska and we encourage landowners who have been identified to attend and provide us with comments on the proposed routes,” NPPD Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent explained. Last summer NPPD and other utilities faced higher than expected electric loads in the area, and asked for customers to reduce their energy usage to avoid outages. “This line is one of several ways NPPD is addressing the energy demands in the area while maintaining the reliability of the system for all its customers.” Following this series of open houses, NPPD will come back with a final line route and substation site, and then host a public hearing as part of its comprehensive public involvement process.  “NPPD’s goal is to minimize the impact to landowners and find the most suitable line route and substation site in terms of considering items such as land use, environmental constraints, constructability, cost and electric system performance,” Kent pointed out. The Hoskins to Neligh transmission line was identified in the Southwest Power Pool's Integrated Transmission Plan (issued in January 2012), which assesses the needs of the entire transmission network within the SPP (www.spp.org) region over the next 10 years. The Hoskins-Neligh line was one of two identified, with the other being a line from NPPD’s Gerald Gentleman Station north towards the Cherry County area and then east to Holt County. Transmission line construction for the Hoskins-Neligh line is expected to begin in the summer of 2015 with an in-service date of spring 2016. More information on the Hoskins to Neligh project can be found at http://www.nppd.com/hoskins-neligh, and public comment is still being accepted. (Editor’s Note: A PDF of the potential transmission line routes and substation locations can be found at: http://www.nppd.com/hoskins-neligh/maps/.)  ]]> Mon, 06 May 2013 17:50:27 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/transmission-line-open-houses-scheduled-for-may-14-in-neligh-may-15-in-norfolk/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/power-drive-championships-set-for-saturday-cuming-county-open-winners-announced/ Columbus, Neb. – Four preliminary races are now in the books for the 2013 Power Drive competition. Next up are the championship finals this Saturday, May 4. The fourth and final rally prior to the finals was held this past Saturday with the Cuming County Open, staged at the Cuming County Fairgrounds in West Point, Neb. This Saturday’s Power Drive Championship will be staged at Werner Park in LaVista, Neb. The event begins at 7 a.m. with check in and vehicle inspection, followed by braking and maneuverability testing for the vehicles at 8 a.m. The first heat of competition will begin at 10 a.m., with the second heat at 11:15 a.m. and a third heat at 12:30 p.m. The awards presentation will be held at 2 p.m. The Cuming County Open had two challenges for the competitors this past Saturday: early morning fog and a race length that stretched from the usual 60 minutes to 90 minutes. In the Advanced division, Wayne High School, runner-up last week in Grand Island, topped Elkhorn High School by completing 84 laps to the runner-up’s 81. Bancroft-Rosalie High School was a close third with 80 laps. Raymond Central captured the Exhibition division, completing 72 laps with Omaha North finishing second. In the Novice division, Syracuse was a repeat winner from the previous week, completing 65 laps. Columbus Lakeview won a closely-contested Standard division for the second week in a row, completing 75 laps over the 90-minute race period. Second place went to Bancroft-Rosalie with 74 laps and Raymond Central took third with 71 laps. Raymond Central also won the award for “Best Pit Crew.” The Power Drive program gives high school students hands-on experience building a safe, energy-efficient electric vehicle. Teams design and built electric-powered vehicles during the school year, and then student drivers test their creations against other teams in several categories: braking ability, endurance, maneuverability and overall design/construction. Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) began offering the Power Drive program to high schools in its service territory in 1998. Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) became a partner in 1999 and began encouraging schools in the central and western parts of the state to participate. In addition to high schools, several colleges have developed Power Drive teams who compete in the Exhibition Class. Programs similar to Power Drive are currently operating in 28 states.]]> Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:24:21 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/power-drive-championships-set-for-saturday-cuming-county-open-winners-announced/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/winning-schools-announced-in-annual-its-easy-bein-green-video-contest/ Columbus, Neb. - Showing creative ways to conserve energy, build awareness about energy-wasting habits and promote energy efficiency, all in a 30-second television commercial, was the assignment that 124 Nebraska high school and junior high students took up. It was all part of the Third Annual “It’s Easy Bein’ Green” video contest, sponsored by Nebraska Public Power District and its wholesale utility partners. “Nothing is greener than energy not used.” said NPPD Energy Efficiency Supervisor Steve Zach. “This video contest is a great way to inspire students, peers, parents, and communities to be more efficient and conserve energy.” Winners were selected in two categories – the Creative Video category, judged by a panel made up of internal staff from NPPD and wholesale customers, and the Popular Video Award, based on the number of views on YouTube. The Creative Video Award was won by Bancroft-Rosalie Community Schools with their video, ‘Super Savers.’ Second place went to Alma High School and their video titled ‘Lessons in Laundry,’ and third place went to McCool Junction High School with ‘The Evolution of Energy.’ Creative Video Award winners, along with the Popular Video Award winners can be viewed at www.nppd.com/videochallenge. The ‘It’s Easy Bein’ Green!’ video contest was sponsored, in part, by NPPD’s EnergyWiseSM efficiency incentives program, which offers incentives to homeowners, businesses and agriculture. These programs provide opportunities to save energy, money and help the environment.]]> Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:21:08 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/winning-schools-announced-in-annual-its-easy-bein-green-video-contest/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/amateur-photography-sought-for-2014-public-power-calendar/ Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District and its wholesale partner utilities are looking for original photography done by amateur photographers for use in a 2014 Public Power Calendar. Amateur photographers could have their work selected as part of the calendar to be published in late 2013, and recognized with either a front cover photo or a photo best representing one of the 12 months of the year. Submission of photos is currently underway and runs through August 1, 2013. The calendar will engage customers with their local public power utility, increase their knowledge of Nebraska’s unique public power system, and provide meaningful tips on energy efficiency that can be used in residences, commercial businesses, or agricultural operations. Each submission should be built around the contest’s theme: “There is power in . . .”, The contest is open to customers in communities served by NPPD and the wholesale partner utilities that purchase the power that NPPD generates. To view the community listing and wholesale partner utility list, go to www.nppd.com/about-us/who-we-serve. Submitted photos must be taken by amateur photographers, defined as never accepting money for their photography. Entries are limited to four per person, and winning photos will be limited to one per contestant. All entries must be of outdoor themes of scenes within the state of Nebraska. Photographs must not contain people, and submittals with people as the primary subject will not be considered. Both landscape and close-up shots are acceptable. Only horizontal pictures will be considered. Images must be able to fit an 11” x 8 ½” calendar format. All entrants with selected photos will receive a calendar and the photos included will be attributed to the individual. The entry chosen for the front cover will receive a $25 GROW Nebraska gift card. A downloadable, print-ready calendar and a computer screensaver calendar will be available to the public after the contest ends. Complete rules and entry forms can be found at www.nppd.com/photocontest. NPPD employees, its wholesale partner utility employees, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter the contest.]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:48:53 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/amateur-photography-sought-for-2014-public-power-calendar/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-city-of-york-join-together-for-tree/ Arbor Day event at York Dog Park York, Neb. – Arbor Day will be celebrated in York on Thursday, April 25, when the city and Nebraska Public Power District join together for a special community event. Students from York elementary schools will help plant 10 trees at the York Dog Park, beginning at 1 p.m. Thursday. The event will feature a welcome by Mayor Chuck Harris, safety and educational activities with the participating students, plus the tree planting. The public is invited to attend. York was chosen for the NPPD-sponsored event because of the development of the new dog park, which will require removing a great deal of old brush and unhealthy tree growth. The new trees will help re-vegetate this area and demonstrate this by planting the right tree in the right place. “The Arbor Day event is the perfect opportunity to show NPPD’s support to the community of York,” said NPPD’s Account Manager Craig Vincent. “It is a great way to teach customers about NPPD’s vegetation management practices and promote electrical safety and education on the hazards of planting near overhead power lines and other electric facilities.” NPPD is a member in good standing of the Tree Line USA program, which recognizes electric utilities that demonstrate practices which protect and enhance America’s rural and urban trees. NPPD’s membership in the Tree Line USA program, sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation, provides an avenue to help promote the safety and reliability of power lines through public education programs about the proper planting of trees and vegetation. “The opportunity to plant new trees at the dog park and recognizing Arbor Day is a positive for the York community,” said City of York Director of Parks and Recreation, Paula Christensen, “We appreciate the support of the elementary students for helping to plant the trees and NPPD for supporting this effort. “It is important that NPPD maintains and operates a reliable electric system, but also continues to be a strong advocate and steward of the environment.” NPPD has been recognized over the years for its professional arboriculture practices along power lines. The utility maintains vegetation on more than 5,000 miles of transmission and sub-transmission lines across the state to ensure a reliable electric system. It protects the public safety for customers, remains compliant with federal regulations, and minimizes the cost of future maintenance. NPPD follows proper tree-trimming guidelines set by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Utility Arborists Association, International Society of Arboriculture, and the Tree Care Industry Association.]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:24:19 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-city-of-york-join-together-for-tree/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/drive-safe-challenge-power-drive-winners-announced/ Columbus, Neb. – The Drive Safe Challenge in Grand Island was the setting for the third competition in Nebraska’s five 2013 Power Drive rallies, as teams start heading towards the finals in two weeks. The Nebraska State Patrol Law Enforcement Training Facility in Grand Island hosted the most recent competition this past Saturday, with winners crowned in four divisions – Advanced, Exhibition, Novice and Standard. Competition continued between Raymond Central and Columbus Lakeview, which had finished one-two in the first two Power Drive rallies at Lincoln and Hastings. This time, Lakeview prevailed in the Standard division by completing 39 laps during the one-hour competition. Raymond Central was second this week with 36.5 laps, and Adams Central was third with 36.3 laps. Raymond Central won the Advanced division for a second time, completing 38.75 laps, having won at the Big Red Invitational earlier this month. Wayne High School was second with 37 laps completed, and Harvard was third with 36 laps. The Exhibition division was won by Pocahontas High School from Iowa, as that team completed 33 laps. Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, also from Iowa, was second with 29 laps completed. The Novice division was won by Syracuse High School, which completed 33 laps. Cedar Rapids Kennedy also claimed the Best Pit Crew award. The fourth event in this spring’s five race competition will be held Saturday when Power Drive teams will compete in the Cuming County Open at the Cuming County Fairgrounds in West Point, Neb. Check-in and inspections for teams are at 8 a.m. The first heat will be staged at 10 a.m., and the second heat begins at 12 noon followed by the awards presentation at 2 p.m. The final race, the Power Drive Championships, will be held May 4 at Werner Park in La Vista, Neb. Power Drive is sponsored by the Nebraska Public Power District and the Omaha Public Power District.]]> Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:21:01 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/drive-safe-challenge-power-drive-winners-announced/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/power-drive-thaws-out-wintery-conditions-drive-safe-challenge-next-in-grand-island/ Columbus, Neb. – Last week, it appeared that snow and ice would freeze out the second week of Power Drive competition. But warmer temperatures thawed the mile-plus road course at the Motorsport Park Hastings and the competing teams were in hot pursuit of a win. Power Drive is an educational program that challenges high school students to design and build one-person electric vehicles during the school year. In the spring, teams of students compete with one another at organized rallies in vehicle braking, maneuverability, and endurance. Saturday’s competition in Hastings included four classes of cars – advanced, exhibition, novice, and standard divisions. Wayne High School captured first place in the Advanced division, completing 28.75 laps during a 60-minute endurance race. Runner-up went to Elkhorn High School with 28 laps completed, and third place to Bancroft Rosalie High School with 27.5 laps. In the Exhibition division, Bancroft Rosalie was first with 27.83 laps finished and North Central Kansas Technical College finishing second with 26.9 laps completed. Third place went to Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School from Iowa, completing 22.25 laps. Deshler High School won the Novice division with 24.75 laps completed, followed closely by Syracuse High School with 24.5 laps. In the Standard division, Raymond Central won for the second week in a row, completing 26.75 laps to once again edge out Columbus Lakeview High School, which completed 26.5 laps. Third place went to Harvard High School with 26.25 laps. Syracuse High School also received the award for the Best Pit Crew among all divisions. Keeping in the spirit of safety which Power Drive promotes, this Saturday’s event will be recognized as the “Drive Safe Challenge.” As part of the day, the Nebraska State Patrol will perform a demonstration called the “Seat Belt Convincer” to reinforce the program’s emphasis on safety. The Grand Island event will be held at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island, located at 3600 Academy Road, west of the Grand Island Airport.  Check-in and inspections will begin at 9:30 a.m., with the first heat at 11:30 a.m. followed by the second heat at 12:50 p.m. Awards will be presented at 2 p.m. Power Drive is co-sponsored by the Nebraska Public Power District and the Omaha Public Power District.]]> Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:22:04 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/power-drive-thaws-out-wintery-conditions-drive-safe-challenge-next-in-grand-island/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-crews-complete-kearney-power-restoration/ Columbus, Neb. – Power was restored Saturday evening in Kearney after Nebraska Public Power District transmission and distribution crews completed their final storm restoration work. This effort returned service to the last 23 customers without power in the East Industrial Park. Strong thunderstorms with winds in excess of 75 miles per hour hit the Kearney area early Tuesday morning, April 9, leaving approximately 1,700 customers throughout the community without electricity. Most customers in Kearney were restored within 48 hours, but the hardest hit area, the East Industrial Park, suffered extensive damage that required replacing approximately 40 poles broken off when the high winds passed through area. “Our crews worked to get as many residential and commercial customers back in service as quickly and safely as possible,” said NPPD Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent. “We appreciate the cooperation of our all customers, who were patient as our crews worked to restore service. Our thanks also go to the City of Kearney for its support during the restoration work.” NPPD brought in more than 50 line technicians from other NPPD locations across the state to help local crews repair the damage. “The response of our line crews to storm damage like we saw in Kearney and other areas across the state goes beyond expectations,” Kent said. “Just hours after the storm and assessment of the damages and material needs, crews were loading up equipment and heading to Kearney.” The crews worked 16 hours a day until power was restored. Besides the crews located in Kearney, NPPD also received support from operations in South Sioux City, Norfolk, Hartington, Creighton, Bloomfield, York, Milford, McCook, Oshkosh, and Lexington. A planned outage along Avenue M was required on Sunday to complete the restoration effort. NPPD will have crews in the area most of this week removing the remaining debris. Those traveling through the affected areas should use caution around the work crews.]]> Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:15:13 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-crews-complete-kearney-power-restoration/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/spring-storm-restoration-continues-kearney-a-main-focus/ Public should practice caution, avoid work crews, stay away from downed power lines Columbus, Neb. – Thunderstorms, along with ice, wind and cold temperatures make for rough working conditions, yet Nebraska Public Power District’s line crews are restoring power to those without as quickly and safely as possible. High winds, ice, hail, and galloping lines were some of the causes for a variety of outages, as a storm moved across the state. NPPD retail communities affected by the storm included Kearney, Bassett, Long Pine, Bristow, Lynch, Butte, Oakdale, Atkinson, Aurora, Inman, and York, and more than 4,000 customers were impacted at the storm’s peak. As of this morning, the number of NPPD customers without power stood at less than 300 in a handful of communities. “The Kearney area was impacted most by the storm,” said NPPD Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent. “We tried to get as many residential and commercial customers as we could back on last night, and greatly appreciate the cooperation of those living in or operating businesses in areas where the damage to our power lines requires full replacement of poles and conductor. “Another area we are focused on today is the community of Butte, where the storm in that area caused damage to our system. We are moving a mobile generator into Butte to serve the community, until we can complete storm damage repairs. That installation will happen later today,” he said. NPPD has assigned more than 50 line technicians to the Kearney area and NPPD crews from western towns not as impacted are being sent to help out fellow communities in the northeastern part of the state. The crews are addressing a variety of isolated outages in communities where trees, ice, and wind have interrupted service to customers. Outages may continue as the winter weather conditions are expected to remain in the area throughout the next couple of days. NPPD’s transmission crews have also been sent to assess potential damage to NPPD’s high-voltage transmission lines in the Holdrege and York areas. The public is asked stay away from areas where the crews are working, as downed power lines should always be treated as if they could be ‘live’ or electrically charged. Trained crews will handle the removal and clean-up of any broken poles and conductor on the ground. “Complete restoration and clean-up from the damage this storm caused will continue through the weekend until we get our system restored to normal operating conditions,” said Kent. “The good thing is we know weather plays a key role in our business and we are prepared for it. Our equipment and materials were available to assist us in our response. Our customers can be assured we are working as safely and as expediently as possible to return things to normal.”]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:09:15 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/spring-storm-restoration-continues-kearney-a-main-focus/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-crews-working-to-restore-power-in-kearney/ Following early morning storm Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s line crews are restoring power to customers after early morning thunderstorms and high winds Tuesday morning damaged approximately 40 sub-transmission line structures and some distribution structures in the Kearney area. As of 1 p.m. approximately 100 customers remain without service, after reaching a peak of nearly 1,700 out of service during the height of the storm. As always, NPPD follows an Emergency Response Plan to deal with the return of service to its customers. Besides Kearney-based crews, additional transmission and distribution colleagues from other NPPD operations are enroute to assess the damage to the electric system, begin repairs, and accelerate restoration. “NPPD crews are working quickly and safely to restore power to our customers,” said NPPD Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent. “We ask the public to stay out of areas where there are downed power lines and allow our trained crews to handle the removal. The public needs to understand that there is a possibility that these lines are still ‘live’ or electrically charged.” NPPD also reminds the public of these safety tips while outage restoration continues:

• Turn off or disconnect any appliances, equipment or electronics you were using when the power went out. When power comes back on, it may come back with momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can damage equipment such as computers and motors in appliances like the air conditioner, refrigerator, washer, or furnace.
• Leave one light turned on so you’ll know when your power is restored.
• Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep your food as fresh as possible.

Customers are also encouraged to follow NPPD on Twitter and Facebook and receive notifications regarding power outage updates. Visit nppd.com to check out our Storm Center.]]> Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:44:58 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-crews-working-to-restore-power-in-kearney/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/raymond-central-dominates-big-red-invitational/ Opening Power Drive competition Columbus, Neb. – Race number one of the five, Power Drive competitions is now in the books with Raymond Central High School carting off a bulk of the competition honors. Saturday’s opening event, the Big Red Invitational, was staged on the East Campus of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, with winners in four different categories. Raymond Central High School from Raymond, Neb., took the top honors in the Advanced Class, completing 67 laps, with Bancroft-Rosalie second with 66 laps completed, and Wayne High School taking third place with just under 66 laps. In the Standard Class, Raymond Central was also the winner, again completing 67 laps. Lakeview High School from Columbus was second with 66 laps completed and Johnson County Central was third with 64 laps. Raymond Central took a third win in the Exhibition Class, covering 61 laps with Bancroft-Rosalie taking second, completing 58 laps. Harvard High School took top honors in the Novice Class with 51 laps completed. Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School from Iowa won the award for Best Pit Crew. This Saturday’s event (April 13) will take place in Hastings at the Motorsport Park Hastings. Check-in and vehicle inspections begin at 8 a.m., followed by the first heat of competition starting at 10 a.m. and the second heat at 11:30 a.m. The awards presentation will begin at 1 p.m. Power Drive is co-sponsored by the Nebraska Public Power District and the Omaha Public Power District.]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:20:39 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/raymond-central-dominates-big-red-invitational/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/high-school-teams-kickoff-power-drive-saturday-with-the-big-red-invitational/ Columbus, Neb. – High school teams in Nebraska and neighboring states will be putting the pedal to the metal beginning this Saturday for five straight weekends, eventually culminating in the Power Drive Championships the first weekend of May. This annual competition is sponsored by the Omaha Public Power District and the Nebraska Public Power District. The kickoff competition begins this Saturday with the Big Red Invitational to be held on the East Campus at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Competition begins at 11:30 a.m. and will conclude at 2 p.m. with the awards presentation. Similar competitions will be held in Hastings April 13; in Grand Island April 20 with the Drive Safe Challenge; and April 27 in West Point with the Cumming County Open. Werner Park in LaVista will host the Power Drive Championships on Saturday, May 4. The Power Drive program gives high school students hands-on experience building a safe, energy-efficient electric vehicle. More than 50 teams have designed and built electric-powered vehicles during the school year. After building their vehicles, student drivers test their creations against other teams in several categories: braking ability, endurance, maneuverability and overall design/construction. Through Power Drive, student participants learn:

• practical application of math and science skills;
• automotive design, engineering and construction;
• industrial, electrical and mechanical skills;
• electric vehicle history and current technology; and
• teamwork, problem solving and fun.

Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) began offering the Power Drive program to high schools in its service territory in 1998. Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) became a partner in 1999 and began encouraging schools in the central and western parts of the state to participate. In addition to high schools, several Nebraska colleges have developed Power Drive teams who compete in the Exhibition Class. Programs similar to Power Drive are currently operating in 28 states. The complete 2013 Power Drive Schedule is as follows: Saturday, April 6 – Big Red Invitational, East Campus - University of Nebraska, Lincoln – Competition begins at 11:30 a.m. with awards at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 13 – Hastings, Motorsports Park, Hastings – Competition begins at 10:30 a.m. with awards at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20 – Drive Safe Challenge, Law Enforcement Training Center, Grand Island. Competition starts at 11:30 a.m. with the awards presentation at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27 – Cuming County Open, Cuming County Fairgrounds, West Point. Competition begins at 10 a.m. and awards at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4 - Power Drive Championships, Werner Park, LaVista. Three heats of competition begin at 10 a.m. with the awards presentation at 2 p.m. A list of Power Drive participating schools can be found at http://www.oppd.com/AboutUs/PowerDrive/Teams/index.htm.]]> Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:41:15 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/high-school-teams-kickoff-power-drive-saturday-with-the-big-red-invitational/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-investing-in-mobile-generators-upgrades-in-transmission-to-meet-projected-summer-conditions/ Columbus, Neb. – Summer may be in the distant future, but Nebraska Public Power District is preparing to meet customer demand and address mitigation to avoid a possible repeat of last summer’s hot and dry weather conditions, while also maintaining a reliable transmission system. During the summer of 2012, NPPD set numerous electric generation records from early July through August, as temperatures soared and little rain, if any, reached the numerous Nebraska fields of corn and soybeans across the state’s mid-section. The demand for electricity was high due to increased use of air conditioning, the irrigation of crops, a lack of rainfall, and overall drought conditions. “We were able to generate enough electricity from our various power plants to meet the needs of our customers last summer,“ said NPPD Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent, “but our transmission system in the area of what we call Zone 5, was challenged. In limited cases some curtailment was needed to avoid overloading the transmission lines and maintain the reliability of the system.” NPPD requested energy conservation by all customers in order to avoid the overloading and the voluntary efforts of the District’s customers and irrigators assisted in reducing the overloading. Zone 5, which was impacted the most, covers the north central portion of the state. Friday, NPPD’s Board authorized the rental of mobile diesel generators to be installed at key locations in Zone 5 and available for use between June 1 and September 30. The generators can inject up to eight megawatts of energy into the system at each of five locations in the Zone 5 area. Rental and installation costs of the generating units and fuel are estimated to be between $4.7 and $7.9 million. Siting the mobile generators is just one of the additional steps that NPPD has taken since last summer in anticipation of another period of continued hot and dry weather. “We immediately began looking last summer at the transmission system in Zone 5 and how we could avoid the same situation in 2013,” Kent explained. Since then, NPPD has been working on various equipment upgrades that also included replacing the conductor on a critical transmission line between its Battle Creek and North Norfolk sub-stations. Completion of that project is expected by the end of March. All other planned upgrades are expected to be completed before mid-June. “We anticipate weather conditions similar to a year ago, and we have indications of additional irrigation growth in this area,” he added. “We continue to work with our wholesale public power to coordinate and communicate the work being done to provide the reliable transmission of electricity that our customers expect.” Kent also pointed out that the new 345,000 volt transmission line proposed for construction between its Hoskins’ substation and Neligh will also be a significant improvement to the transmission system and provide long-term support for Zone 5. That line is expected to be in operation by June of 2016. During the summer heat wave and drought conditions of 2012, NPPD set a record for generation with 3,030 megawatts on July 25. In addition, NPPD exceeded its previous record for generation of 2,671 megawatts set on July 30, 2006, more than 30 times last summer.]]> Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:58:20 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-investing-in-mobile-generators-upgrades-in-transmission-to-meet-projected-summer-conditions/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-to-begin-patrolling-power-lines-for-vegetation/ Columbus, Neb.-  One tree limb. That’s all it took to create the 2003 “northeast blackout” that cut power to 55 million people in eight states and Canada. After that blackout, new federal requirements and financial penalties for non-compliance were created to ensure the reliability of the electric grid. Nebraska Public Power District wants to make every effort to ensure a similar event will not happen across its electric transmission system in the state. While tree trimming and removal have always been part of NPPD’s operations, patrols of over 4,300 miles of high-voltage transmission lines (115,000 to 345,000 volts) are conducted annually across the state to identify and eliminate potential hazards. The patrols, done by helicopter or on foot, include trimming and removal of trees within the power line right-of-way in the Norfolk and Lincoln areas beginning on Monday, March 18, and is expected to take three months to complete. This effort will ensure a reliable electric system while protecting the public. “We manage trees for two very important reasons – to ensure our customers have dependable electric service and to prevent safety hazards,” said NPPD Transmission and Distribution Manager John Humphrey. “By maintaining an appropriate clearance in the power line right-of-way, we can reduce tree-related power outages.” NPPD’s vegetation management program is a year-round effort, whereby crews make identifying and addressing vegetation issues and line maintenance their focus. Trees and limbs falling on power lines cause power outages and disruptions on NPPD’s electric system. Trees too close to power lines can provide a path for electricity to reach the ground, which can result in property damage or serious injury to anyone touching the tree. NPPD’s policy is to remove trees and other woody-stemmed vegetation within the transmission line right of-way, as well as tall-growing trees located outside the right of way that could interfere with the continuous safe operation of the electric system. In many cases, this has meant removing trees in areas where they may have been trimmed in the past. NPPD will dispose of brush and wood resulting from non-emergency tree pruning. The District follows proper guidelines set by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Utility Arborists Association, International Society of Arboriculture, and the Tree Care Industry Association. NPPD is a member in good standing with the Tree Line USA Program and has been recognized for its efforts in this area over the years. ”We work to address issues and resolve concerns customers and property owners have when it comes to trimming and removal of trees within the right-of-way,” he explained. “We keep them informed about our activities near or on their property.” He also pointed out that landowners can play an important role in vegetation management by planting the right trees in the right place, and NPPD provides information to help landowners understand this process. Information on NPPD’s vegetation management program and tree planting can be found at http://www.nppd.com/tree-program/vegetation-management-program.]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:13:38 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-to-begin-patrolling-power-lines-for-vegetation/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-hosting-public-open-house-sessions-in-norfolk-neligh-for-transmission-line-project/ Columbus, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Power District will host open house sessions in Norfolk and Neligh to receive public input on its Hoskins to Neligh 345,000-volt transmission line project. The first open house informational meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 25, at Northeast Community College’s Lifelong Learning Center, 801 E. Benjamin Avenue, in Norfolk. The second session will be held in Neligh at the American Legion, 115 W. 3rd Street. NPPD representatives will be available from 2 to 8 p.m. to explain the project – from needs and benefits to right-of-way to engineering aspects of the project. Attendees should allow for at least 30 minutes to walk through the open house and provide additional information to NPPD. The Hoskins to Neligh transmission line is being built to enhance transmission system reliability and provide opportunities for additional renewable energy generation. In addition to developing a route for the new line, the project also involves rerouting four existing 115,000-volt transmission lines into a new substation. The project begins at NPPD’s Hoskins substation, located northeast of Norfolk, and will run west to a new substation site, at a location yet to be determined, in the Neligh area. This is the second of four rounds of open houses to be held on this project to discuss with landowners the Hoskins to Neligh Project. The first round of open houses, held last October, provided a project overview and identified the project’s study area. From those sessions, NPPD gathered information from landowners about their property and has since reduced the initial study area to a more narrow “corridor” boundary. Identified landowners within the corridor have been contacted with invitation letters, but the public is welcome to attend as well. The open houses allow landowners, business owners and other individuals within the corridor to give NPPD and its engineering consultants information that will develop final transmission line routes. At this time, NPPD has not developed any final line routes for the project. All information NPPD receives in its public involvement process is placed into a database that will be used to narrow down the corridor into the development of potential routes and alternative routes. For more information or questions regarding the project or open houses, contact project communications coordinator Jill Novicki at 1-888-677-3412 or send an e-mail to powerline@nppd.com. Additional information on the project can be found at www.nppd.com/hoskins-neligh.]]> Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:23:10 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-hosting-public-open-house-sessions-in-norfolk-neligh-for-transmission-line-project/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-board-approves-ceo-executive-salaries/ Board benchmarks compensation with similar public power utilities; staff facing complex and unprecedented regulatory requirements Columbus, Neb. – Nebraska Public Power District’s Board of Directors approved salary increases for 2013 for President and CEO Pat Pope and members of the executive staff during its monthly meeting Friday. The Board made its decision based upon overall executive performance, projected value to the District, and salaries at comparable public power utilities. “We benchmark salaries with similar public power organizations throughout the country. Our goal is to be somewhere in the middle when it comes to compensation,” Board Chairman Ron Larsen stated. NPPD is a member of the Large Public Power Council, which is made up of 26 public power organizations across the country. NPPD uses data supplied by those member organizations in determining salaries. “NPPD’s executives develop the operational strategies and implement the action plans necessary to operate a $1 billion enterprise for more than 600,000 Nebraskans,” explained President and CEO Pat Pope, who recommended the merit adjustments. “They have reduced staff and taken on more responsibilities, while at the same time addressing increasingly complex and, in some cases, unprecedented, regulatory requirements.” As officers of the utility, NPPD’s executives are accountable for meeting requirements from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and financial institutions, to name a few. “We have a critical responsibility to our customers – provide reliable, low-cost sustainable electricity throughout the year, and I believe NPPD’s executives and staff accomplished this while also reducing budgets by $15 million, managing adverse weather impacts on our system, building necessary infrastructure, expanding renewable generation, and implementing decisions important to our ratepayers,” Pope added. “There will be challenges as we work towards adding more renewable energy resources in the future and increasing our carbon free resources with an extended power uprate at Cooper Nuclear Station, while still addressing NPPD’s bottom line,” said Pope. The Board of Directors also approved a salary increase for Pope. “Pat has provided NPPD with the leadership the Board has expected, while at the same time navigating the organization through very challenging times,” said Larsen. Pope became President and CEO in the spring of 2011 with an initial salary of $395,000 annually. In May of 2012, the Board did not increase his salary, citing the economic conditions at the time. “Economic conditions have improved and more challenges are on the horizon,” added Larsen.]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:32:30 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-board-approves-ceo-executive-salaries/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-hosts-energy-resource-meetings-in-norfolk-york/ Columbus, Neb. – Representatives from Nebraska Public Power District will be in Norfolk and York, Feb. 18 and 19, respectively, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to review preliminary results of the District’s Integrated Resource Plan. The Norfolk meeting will be held at Divots Conference Center, 4200 W Norfolk Ave., Norfolk. The session in York will be held at the Holiday Inn, Highway 81/4169 S. Lincoln Ave., York. The plan is a 20-year look ahead at what types of energy resources may be used to economically and reliably meet the electrical needs of the approximately 600,000 Nebraskans served by NPPD. The public meetings in Norfolk and York are the third and fourth meetings in a series of four public IRP-related meetings that NPPD is holding across the state. Other meetings were in Gering on Feb. 5 and North Platte on Feb. 7. Completed in five-year intervals, the IRP is an economic planning tool, helping NPPD to protect customers from cost volatility while maintaining reliable electric service. The IRP identifies, under present and foreseeable conditions, the preferred mix of power generation resources (including renewable energy like wind power) and energy efficiency programs to meet forecasted energy needs of NPPD’s customers. “The plan is a road map, not a destination,” said NPPD Resource Planning and Risk Manager Jim Fehr. “It is a guideline, a planning tool that will assist NPPD management and the Board of Directors in making decisions on the make-up of NPPD’s future energy resource mix.” The public is asked to attend, at their convenience, at any time throughout the meeting. It should take about 15 minutes to go through the information NPPD is presenting; however, more time can be taken, if needed. Public comment is a welcome and important part of the IRP process. For more information about NPPD, its energy efficiency programs, and to read the draft Integrated Resource Plan in its entirety, go to www.nppd.com/irp.]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:54:35 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/nppd-hosts-energy-resource-meetings-in-norfolk-york/ http://www.nppd.com/2013/investigate-nppds-greenschools-program/ Columbus, Neb. – GreenSchools has nothing to do with painting the school building. Instead, it is a national program designed to make a school “greener” by using critical thinking and problem solving to reduce environmental impacts. GreenSchools, an environmental-focused program for students from kindergarten through the 12^th grade, encourages students to take personal responsibility for improving the quality of their school, home and community environment. Nebraska Public Power District supports the program by providing educational resources, teacher professional development, and classroom programs. “NPPD offers teachers in energy and sustainability education hands-on, project-based instruction and tools needed to conduct GreenSchools’ investigations,” explained NPPD Energy Educator Jennifer Swerczek. Students complete the investigations and develop action plans for improvement. One of the key components of the program is an investigative toolkit. These toolkits, which NPPD will loan out to schools, contain light and watt meters, an infrared temperature gauge, a CO2 meter, a conservation flow meter bag, and other associated equipment used to conduct the investigations. The GreenSchools program consists of five, student-led investigations designed to be carried out in the school setting, but also include elements where students can apply what they are learning in their home environment. At the completion of each investigation, students develop and implement an action plan. Investigation examples include: Energy- investigate how much energy a school uses, the main sources of that energy, and propose ways to implement energy-saving strategies; Water- research the source, cost, and quality of a school's water supply, and implement ways to enhance current water conservation practices; School Site- investigate natural habitats, wildlife, trees, grounds maintenance practices, and ways to make improvements to a school site; Environmental Quality- explore the facility and make improvements to indoor air quality, transportation, chemical use, and more; Waste and Recycling- investigate how much waste a school generates and where it goes, as well as identify existing recycling and composting efforts and identify ways to improve. “Students are trained to use diagnostic tools to assess the energy usage in their school, thus the school building becomes a learning lab for students,” added Swerczek. “This program helps improve students’ academic performance in science, technology, engineering, and math develops critical thinking skills, and grows student leaders.” School investigations may be done by one class or a team consisting of multiple classes and grade levels. Teachers will be encouraged to have each of their students participate in the home energy audits. Based on the results from the energy investigations, schools will develop an action plan, focused on reducing the energy usage at the school, increasing the school’s energy efficiency and improving environmental quality. Swerczek noted that action plans for the energy investigation could include: installing vending machine misers or CFL light bulbs throughout a school, using renewable energy sources, or utilizing power strips to eliminate phantom load on appliances. Funding may be available for implementing school action plans, and implementing a GreenSchools program could aid schools in applying for the new Green Ribbon School Award given by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information on NPPD’s GreenSchools program, contact Jennifer Swerczek at 402-336-2701 or visit www.nppd.com/energy-education/greenschools.]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:47:19 +0000 http://www.nppd.com/2013/investigate-nppds-greenschools-program/