PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS

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NPPD will conduct a comprehensive public involvement process within the involved area/communities. The importance of gathering comments from the public on any proposed route is a vital component in the route siting/decision-making process. The public will have numerous opportunities to provide input and information to the project team for consideration.

Public Open Houses

• 1st Round (Study Area Stage)
• Public Outreach Meetings

Project Maps

Q&As

Contractors

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Broken Bow Home

For additional information,
please contact:

Mark Becker
Media Relations Specialist
Email: gridessential@nppd.com
Toll Free: 1-888-677-3416

Project Details:

• Approximate Length - 8 miles
• Schedule - Construction: early 2012. In-service: fall-2012.
• Budgeted Cost - $5.4 million

Project Status:

NPPD completed the first phase of its public involvement process in March 2010. This first phase consisted of a public open house meeting in which property owners within a defined study area were asked to provide information about their property and/or comments about the proposed transmission line. The second step of NPPD’s public involvement process will be to hold another public open house that will show a preferred route and alternative route(s) for additional public comment. To view information about the various public involvement phases, please see the information listed under “Public Open Houses” at left.

Project Overview:
Nebraska Public Power District plans to construct a 115,000 volt (115 kilovolt) transmission line in Custer County, east of Broken Bow to:

• Provide a connection to NPPD’s transmission system for an 80 megawatt wind-powered electric generation facility (wind farm) that is expected to be operational in 2012;
• Continue NPPD’s Board of Directors strategic goal of having 10 percent of its energy generated from renewable energy sources by the year 2020.

The line will be constructed from a new substation, owned by the wind farm developer (Midwest Wind Energy, LLC/Edison Mission Group), that will collect the electrical energy generated from the wind farm to an existing NPPD substation located south of Nebraska Highway 2 near Broken Bow. Electricity will then flow into NPPD’s electrical grid sending power throughout the state.

Public Involvement:
NPPD initially developed a Study Area for the project and presented it to the public in March 2010. This is the entire area that was being studied for routing the transmission line. Once NPPD reviewed the study area and the public comments, specific areas were defined where lines can be routed and established. NPPD will narrow the options down to alternative route(s) and a preferred line route, and will conduct another public meeting November 2, 2010, to gather additional public input.

A public hearing (required by Nebraska statute) is then held to present a proposed route, and NPPD invites landowners along the proposed route to attend. After a 30-day public comment period, NPPD finalizes a route and begins meeting with affected landowners. Surveys of proposed easement areas are then conducted as well as property valuation appraisals. NPPD strives for fair and respectful treatment of affected landowners.