Public power has been a mainstay in Nebraska since 1949. Over the years, the low-cost, reliable energy provided under this model has allowed our towns and businesses to thrive. Families, too, have been blessed by the affordable electricity and abundant opportunities offered by public power. The Cittas are proof of that.
In July of the same banner year – 1949 – patriarch Joseph Louis Citta Sr. was hired as a pump operator at Kramer Station, a now-retired coal plant in Bellevue. Little did he know that this new role was the beginning of a 71-year (and counting) journey with the District, which would eventually grow to include two of his children and one of his grandchildren.
“My father was on the crew that built Kramer Station. When the doors officially opened, he began working there,” NPPD Director of Corporate Environmental & Water Resources Joseph L. Citta Jr. (Joe Jr.) said. “My siblings and I grew up at Kramer. I have so many wonderful memories of the people I met. Because of this, I have loved power plants all my life. Even today I get a thrill when I walk into one.”
Running the stairs with his football team, watching Offutt airshows from the plant’s roof, and consulting the HR representative for advice on resumes – these are the types of experiences Joe Jr. had in those formative years. It’s no surprise, then, that as a young college graduate, the possibility of employment with NPPD was never far from his mind. After working for the Boy Scouts and in law enforcement, Joe Jr.’s chance finally came in 1976.
“I had heard about an opening at Sheldon Station as an auxiliary operator. My father spoke so very, very highly about his career that this seemed like the right move for me and my young family,” Joe Jr. said. “It was especially attractive since there was word they would be starting an Environmental department. My degree was in biology, and I was excited to potentially get in on the ground floor.”
Joe Jr. wasn’t alone in pursuing a path at the District. His little brother, David Citta Sr., beat him to the punch a year before, coming on as a meter reader in Plattsmouth. Plant operations, however, were David’s ultimate calling, and he’d soon transfer to Sheldon Station, too.
“My time at Sheldon Station was very short lived. I was there only a few months before accepting an environmental position at the Columbus General Office, where I’ve been ever since,” Joe Jr. reminisced. “My brother, on the other hand, would spend eight years at Sheldon, 17 years at Gerald Gentleman Station (GGS) and 12 years at Doniphan. He was fortunate to work many of those years at GGS with our father, who had moved to Sutherland in the mid ‘70s when the plant was being constructed.”
David Citta Jr. (Dave Jr.) also remembers how special it was for David Sr. and Joseph Sr. to share the same home base. Dave Jr.’s upbringing paralleled that of his father’s and his uncle’s at Kramer.
“I grew up in Sutherland and was familiar with the GGS family. I spent a lot of time as a kid out at the plant with my grandfather and father. They were always showing me around and trying to teach me about how it worked,” Dave Jr. said. “It was pretty cool for me, when I was hired on, to hear the stories about my grandfather and dad. In fact, some of the individuals that trained me were trained by one of them.”
You read that right, Dave Jr. also works in public power. He is currently a systems operator at North Platte Hydro. To say he was influenced by the generations before him would be an understatement.
“My father would drop hints that the power plant was hiring. After 13 years with the railroad, I decided maybe it was time to get in with the NPPD family,” Dave Jr. said. “It’s one of the best decisions I have made. I do wish I would have listened to my dad and done it sooner, though.”
This sentiment is echoed by Joe Jr., who just celebrated his 44th work anniversary in August.
“I grew up with power in my blood. I am proud of that heritage and so happy I chose to embrace it. This career has served me and my family well,” Joe Jr. said. “People always ask me when I plan to retire. Why should I? I love what I do!”
The bond over public power has made the Citta men closer outside of work, too. Along with shared interests like camping, fishing and hunting, it has been a recurrent topic of discussion at family events.
“Other family members would tell us to quit talking shop,” Joe Jr. laughed. “It was hard not to when we were together.”
Joseph Sr. and David Sr. have sadly passed away. Still, those conversations of the past are remembered fondly.
“Before my grandfather passed, we would talk for hours about how GGS operated. He would break down different systems and explain them in depth. He even gave me some of his original training manuals to read,” Dave Jr. said. “I do wish my father was still alive so I could discuss GGS and NPPD with him, too.”
Don’t worry, Joe Jr. and Dave Jr. make sure to catch up about their respective areas of the business when they get together. The two are always supportive of other relatives joining them – in the dialog and at the District.
“I would and do encourage family and friends to explore a future in public power. For me, I get a sense of accomplishment knowing I am helping to provide electricity to our customers,” Dave Jr. said.
When asked if he felt the same way, Joe Jr. responded with an exuberant, “Oh heavens yes!” To him, there are positives all around – from the caliber of people NPPD attracts to the values present in daily operations.
“NPPD is such a force in the state of Nebraska. I am proud of the way we do business,” Joe Jr. said. “The District has always been passionate about doing right by Nebraskans and bettering communities. I am happy to be an ambassador of that.”
Of course, even if you can’t come to work with us, Joe Jr. reminds everyone that it doesn’t take an NPPD nametag to appreciate public power.
“We are all very lucky to benefit from not-for-profit power. Not only do we, as citizens, get to take advantage of low rates and high reliability, we also maintain local control and transparency. Not everyone realizes how special that is,” Joe Jr. said.
