OPPD Business News

News and releases from metro area businesses

Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss

cdub
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1217
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 1:38 pm
Location: Tempe. AZ

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by cdub »

Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
Sure, there are fixed costs. However, those didn't just increase 3x, so neither should the fixed rate. What this was about is making collection and budgeting easier on them, not about their customers. As for the 'push' for clean power, this undermines it, so was there really a push?
Lastly, just because 'nobody died' doesn't mean that folks did not suffer due to the increase in a basic necessity. I appreciate your sympathetic tone, however.
User avatar
Linkin5
County Board
Posts: 4535
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2004 7:59 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Linkin5 »

Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
What a great agruement "people didn't die". Lol, you can't make this stuff up.
User avatar
Uffda
County Board
Posts: 4502
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 9:52 pm
Location: Land o Lakes, FL

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Uffda »

Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
So from reading about the plan you have problem with people who use smaller amounts of electricity or make an effort to conserve pay more while people who use more than average electricity get a 'break' and get to pay less. :shock:
Spork
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:02 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Spork »

Uffda wrote:
Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
So from reading about the plan you have problem with people who use smaller amounts of electricity or make an effort to conserve pay more while people who use more than average electricity get a 'break' and get to pay less. :shock:
Hey, I want everything as cheap as possible too, but since I'm a logical person and realize that not everything is a money grabbing conspiracy I am ok with it. Everyone is paying the same fee to get power to their house.
Spork
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:02 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Spork »

cdub wrote:
Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
Sure, there are fixed costs. However, those didn't just increase 3x, so neither should the fixed rate. What this was about is making collection and budgeting easier on them, not about their customers. As for the 'push' for clean power, this undermines it, so was there really a push?
Lastly, just because 'nobody died' doesn't mean that folks did not suffer due to the increase in a basic necessity. I appreciate your sympathetic tone, however.
At the end of the day its still a business, not a charity. Costs increase, you can only cut so much out of the budget. Clean power is not about your rates. Clean power is expensive. Clean power is about the environment. The EPA or environmental groups don't care if all utilities have to increase rates and fees to comply, you just have to do it.
TLGJames
Home Owners Association
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:38 am
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by TLGJames »

Spork wrote:
Uffda wrote:
Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
So from reading about the plan you have problem with people who use smaller amounts of electricity or make an effort to conserve pay more while people who use more than average electricity get a 'break' and get to pay less. :shock:
Hey, I want everything as cheap as possible too, but since I'm a logical person and realize that not everything is a money grabbing conspiracy I am ok with it. Everyone is paying the same fee to get power to their house.
Doesn't it make more sense to charge people who use more electricity more than people that use less?

They'll be paying less under this "plan"
Spork
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:02 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Spork »

TLGJames wrote:
Spork wrote:
Uffda wrote:
Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
So from reading about the plan you have problem with people who use smaller amounts of electricity or make an effort to conserve pay more while people who use more than average electricity get a 'break' and get to pay less. :shock:
Hey, I want everything as cheap as possible too, but since I'm a logical person and realize that not everything is a money grabbing conspiracy I am ok with it. Everyone is paying the same fee to get power to their house.
Doesn't it make more sense to charge people who use more electricity more than people that use less?

They'll be paying less under this "plan"
But they are still paying more than you. If everyone pays the same flat fee and then pays the same cost per usage, how can they possibly pay less than you if they use more? The reason it seems like it is because the rate structure wasn't ideal to being with. Your bill will still be lower than your neighbor who uses more electricity.
Dark Eyes
Home Owners Association
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dark Eyes »

cdub wrote:
Spork wrote:What most people don't seem to realize are ALL the costs that go in to delivering a utility to your house. With ever increasing environmental regulations and the push for "clean power", the cost to bring that to a home and keep it reliable goes up. Just because you use less power than me, doesn't mean you don't want that power to be there when you want it reliably. That inccurs a cost. MUD did it and I don't recall low income people dying of thirst because they can't pay their water bill.
Sure, there are fixed costs. However, those didn't just increase 3x, so neither should the fixed rate.
The monthly service charge has been unrealistically low for many years. It's not because fixed costs just went up.
Dark Eyes
Home Owners Association
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dark Eyes »

TLGJames wrote:
Omaha_corn_burner wrote:I haven't really heard how people who oppose the plan want this all to be resolved. There are basically 3 options:
1) lower the fee and raise rates
2) keep fee the same and raise rates
3) raise fee and raise rates

What do the majority of people want? I guess option 1 is the "most fair" to consumers.

Also if you really oppose the plan, are you able to pay OPPD to disconnect you from the grid, remove your account and then generate your own electricity? It would be extreme and hurt your house resale value, but OPPD would not get any more money from you.
Very few people are complaining bout the proposed 4% hike. But literally every person in an apartment is about to get bent over backwards on this. Most months, my electricity bill isn't even 35 dollars. But I've also switched almost every bulb to an LED and try to be as efficient as I can be. I really rather it go to a completely usage based system with higher rates.
If a bulb is not regularly turned on for long periods, chances are replacing it with LED will not make financial sense. It will likely fail before its cost is recovered thru energy savings. Lighting in my house is not a major fraction of overall electricity use anyway. I went to great pains to replace high-use bulbs with CFLs or LEDs, and it's made almost no difference in my total power consumption.
daveoma
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1211
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by daveoma »

It's my understanding that wind power is at cost parity with coal.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/
Spork
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2015 1:02 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Spork »

daveoma wrote:It's my understanding that wind power is at cost parity with coal.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/
I know people in the industry and those cost are wildly misleading. Wind generation cost is currently almost double what coal is in the midwest. You also need ALOT of wind turbines to produce the power that one modest coal unit will generate. If wind farms were not subsidized by the government you would see very few because they are not cheap.
bigredmed
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1897
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:45 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by bigredmed »

Spork wrote:
daveoma wrote:It's my understanding that wind power is at cost parity with coal.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/
I know people in the industry and those cost are wildly misleading. Wind generation cost is currently almost double what coal is in the midwest. You also need ALOT of wind turbines to produce the power that one modest coal unit will generate. If wind farms were not subsidized by the government you would see very few because they are not cheap.
If you didn't have the Government winking at the noise and the ecologic impact of wind turbines in terms of birds being killed by them, they wouldn't exist either.
User avatar
Dundeemaha
Human Relations
Posts: 555
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:41 am
Location: Country Club

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dundeemaha »

The government subsidizes coal and natural gas far more than solar and wind with out even taking in to account the additional healthcare costs that especially coal plants pass on to medicaid in the form of childhood developmental illnesses.
bigredmed
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1897
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 12:45 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by bigredmed »

Dundeemaha wrote:The government subsidizes coal and natural gas far more than solar and wind with out even taking in to account the additional healthcare costs that especially coal plants pass on to medicaid in the form of childhood developmental illnesses.
I am curious as to the data you are using to cite an association between coal power plants and developmental delay.
TLGJames
Home Owners Association
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:38 am
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by TLGJames »

bigredmed wrote:
Spork wrote:
daveoma wrote:It's my understanding that wind power is at cost parity with coal.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/
I know people in the industry and those cost are wildly misleading. Wind generation cost is currently almost double what coal is in the midwest. You also need ALOT of wind turbines to produce the power that one modest coal unit will generate. If wind farms were not subsidized by the government you would see very few because they are not cheap.
If you didn't have the Government winking at the noise and the ecologic impact of wind turbines in terms of birds being killed by them, they wouldn't exist either.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-m ... l-on-birds

Coal kills more birds than wind.
User avatar
Dundeemaha
Human Relations
Posts: 555
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:41 am
Location: Country Club

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dundeemaha »

bigredmed wrote:
Dundeemaha wrote:The government subsidizes coal and natural gas far more than solar and wind with out even taking in to account the additional healthcare costs that especially coal plants pass on to medicaid in the form of childhood developmental illnesses.
I am curious as to the data you are using to cite an association between coal power plants and developmental delay.
http://www3.epa.gov/mats/powerplants.html

Power plants are currently the dominant emitters of mercury (50 percent), acid gases (over 75 percent) and many toxic metals (20-60 percent) in the United States.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096006/

Acute or chronic mercury exposure can cause adverse effects during any period of development. Mercury is a highly toxic element; there is no known safe level of exposure.

...

Outcomes associated with prenatal mercury exposure included the loss of IQ points, and decreased performance of tests, including memory, attention, language, and spatial cognition.
Dark Eyes
Home Owners Association
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dark Eyes »

TLGJames wrote:
bigredmed wrote:
Spork wrote:
daveoma wrote:It's my understanding that wind power is at cost parity with coal.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/06/wind-cheap-coal-gas/
I know people in the industry and those cost are wildly misleading. Wind generation cost is currently almost double what coal is in the midwest. You also need ALOT of wind turbines to produce the power that one modest coal unit will generate. If wind farms were not subsidized by the government you would see very few because they are not cheap.
If you didn't have the Government winking at the noise and the ecologic impact of wind turbines in terms of birds being killed by them, they wouldn't exist either.
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-m ... l-on-birds

Coal kills more birds than wind.
Cats kill many times more birds than all energy sources put together. Looks like the EPA should ban cats!
User avatar
jessep28
Planning Board
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:10 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by jessep28 »

Fukushima unfortunately quashed most of the progress made in the realm of public opinion on including nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuel electricity generation. Nuclear does have a substantial upfront cost, but you get the emissions benefit in addition to nuclear being compatible with the existing power grid.

The current generation of reactors have way more passive safety features than Three Mile Island, Chernobyl or Fukushima. Reactor designs 15-30 years down the road will only get better and safer. Waste disposal is an issue, but I think that creative disposal solutions such as in salt mines or deep boreholes would remove the logistical challenges on transporting waste to central storage facilities like Yucca Mountain.
Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum
Dark Eyes
Home Owners Association
Posts: 90
Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Omaha, NE

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Dark Eyes »

jessep28 wrote:Fukushima unfortunately quashed most of the progress made in the realm of public opinion on including nuclear power as an alternative to fossil fuel electricity generation. Nuclear does have a substantial upfront cost, but you get the emissions benefit in addition to nuclear being compatible with the existing power grid.

The current generation of reactors have way more passive safety features than Three Mile Island, Chernobyl or Fukushima. Reactor designs 15-30 years down the road will only get better and safer. Waste disposal is an issue, but I think that creative disposal solutions such as in salt mines or deep boreholes would remove the logistical challenges on transporting waste to central storage facilities like Yucca Mountain.
The two new nukes in Georgia are costing more than expected (big surprise) and other utilities don't seem very interested in building new "better and safer" nuclear plants because they cost too much.
LSPFB
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:10 am

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by LSPFB »

I live in a small home, 1,000 Sq Ft. I don't use the washer and dryer a lot. Mostly for sheets, towels and jeans. I do a lot of hand washing and hang most of my clothes to dry. Nor have I used my microwave as the handle broke. The only other time I use electricity is for my AC/furnace (energy efficient), TV, computer about 2 hours per day, hair blowdryer, fridge, a couple of lights in the evening and occasionally the stove, as I eat mostly salads and sandwiches. I don't leave my porch light on. My OPPD is $150.00 per month! How can that be possible?!! I called them today and complained. Of course I got the usual excuses, "Unusually hot summer this year" etc. They always blame the weather.

I asked them to come out and check my meter. They would not. They told me to read the meter myself and check it against the bill. I live on a very low fixed income. I cannot afford to pay $150 a month for 4 weeks of electricity! This is outrageous.

I just went online to do some checking around and found an article indicating that effective as of January 2015, OPPD now offers what they are calling an "Economic Development Rate Rider - 490". According to the information, "This new tool enhances economic development through reductions in electric rates for large commercial and industrial customers. "OPPD’s new Rate Rider 490 provides a discount to qualifying businesses and creates new jobs and investment in the service area." This discount to businesses is available for 3 to 5 years, plus an additional 3 to 5 years at OPPD’s current rate schedule.

So there it is. OPPD now offers discounts for businesses, and homeowners are having to make up for the loss. This is unacceptable!
Omaha_corn_burner
Human Relations
Posts: 522
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2015 1:16 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Omaha_corn_burner »

A few questions for you:
What year was your house built?
What do you keep your thermostat set to in the summer?
Average age of home appliances? (washer, dryer, dishwasher, air conditioner, refrigerator)

On your OPPD bill, what is the average kWh usage per day?
User avatar
skinzfan23
City Council
Posts: 9138
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:26 am
Location: Omaha/Bellevue

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by skinzfan23 »

My house is only around 1,500 sq ft and are last bill was only $90. Granted we keep it at 76 when we are home and 79 when we are gone. We also try to open the windows as often as possible. We have neighbors whose AC is running constantly, even when it has been in the 50's some nights.
User avatar
jessep28
Planning Board
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:10 pm
Location: Omaha Metro Area

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by jessep28 »

An air conditioning system that either needs to be serviced or replaced can cause abnormal electricity usage. The energy hogging condenser unit outside is running more than it should. I would have that checked out before blaming the power company. In my opinion, $150 isn't completely absurd if the AC unit was running a lot.

For people on fixed incomes, OPPD offers flat rate billing: http://www.oppd.com/residential/payment ... ment-plan/
Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum
daveoma
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1211
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by daveoma »

I feel you on the discounts given to big businesses who can already afford their power bills. I think OPPD has made a lot of missteps during the last 5 years and unfortunately residents are paying the price. Hopefully the rates will become more manageable when Fort Calhoun is decommissioned.

I really would like to see home wind turbines become as popular as home solar panels. It seems to me this would be a great way to lower your energy bill while being less dependent on the power plant.
Trips
Library Board
Posts: 261
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 1:50 pm

Re: OPPD Rate Increases

Post by Trips »

They raised the hookup fee from $10.25 to $15 on June 1st. ($20 starting Jan 1st 2017, $25 Jan 1st 2018 and $30 Jan 1st 2019) The rates also went up except for the higher users.

My newer 3,200sqft ranch house that I keep at 70-74 degrees costs me $110 a month this summer.

Summer (June 1 – Sept. 30)
11.42 cents/kWh for all kWh
For kWh consumption more than 100 kWh and less than 401 kWh, a credit of $2.07 per month will be applied

Winter (Oct. 1 – May 31)
10.51 cents/kWh for the first 100 kWh
9.08 cents/kWh for the next 900 kWh
6.42 cents/kWh for all additional kWh
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »

OPPD may push back retirement of some coal burning units at North Omaha station




KMTV 3 News Now

OPPD may push back retirement of some coal burning units at North Omaha station
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


OPPD proposes burning coal at North Omaha plant for three more years


A setback for environmentalists and air quality. Under a new proposal, the Omaha Public Power District would continue to burn coal at its North Omaha power plant for three more years. Environmentalists and health experts are concerned. Dr. David Corbin, chairperson of the Nebraska Sierra Club’s energy committee said, “This coal is one of the biggest polluters of course in our area.” Corbin said, “North Omaha has high incidents of asthma and this is one of the high contributors to that and we have one of the highest death rates of asthma in the United States.” Over the past several years, OPPD has converted three of the five units at the North Omaha plant to natural gas. The utility originally planned to convert the remaining two units by 2023 but changed the date to 2026.

Corbin said, “This was just shocking. We thought everything was moving in the right direction and then they announce this.” OPPD spokesperson Jodi Baker says the delay is mainly due to backlogs involving the nation’s electrical grid, supply chain issues, and decisions at the federal level. Baker said, “The issue is kind of revolving. We’ve seen a lot of renewables being added, a lot of changes in the marketplace, and really this wasn’t something that could have been foreseen when we initially announced our plans to sort of transition our North Omaha station away from coal.” Corbin says the proposed delay could have been avoided.
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »

Why OPPD's coal plant closure has been delayed


KETV NewsWatch 7

OPPD is constructing two new power plants, which will rely on natural gas to charge the city.
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »

Sierra Club: OPPD delay ripe with health problems
User avatar
bigredmed1
Parks & Recreation
Posts: 1698
Joined: Mon May 29, 2017 10:16 pm

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by bigredmed1 »

Honest question: why is a PR press release from the Sierra Club that is predictable as a 3rd copy off a printer newsworthy?
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


In a twist, an Omaha utility could keep burning coal
as renewable projects undergo study
KAVAHN MANSOURI, NEBRASKS EXAMINER wrote:The North Omaha Station, a coal burning power plant, was supposed to stop burning coal next year.
But its owner wants an extension to keep burning coal for three more years


Plans to stop burning coal next year at the North Omaha Station, a chief supplier of electricity to the region, likely won’t happen on schedule. Instead, the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) wants North Omaha Station, one of the country’s top emitters of nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide, to keep operating until 2026. The OPPD Board of Directors is to vote Thursday on the proposed delay.

Frustrating scenario

OPPD has said said the delayed closure was unavoidable but disappointed those who expected the utility to make good on a pledge to stop burning coal at North Omaha Station by the end of 2023. North Omaha Station joins several power plants across the country whose owners had pledged to stop burning coal but now recently required extensions due to factors ranging from the consequences of overseas wars to a backlog of necessary studies by regional grid operators before closing power generators. Brad Underwood, OPPD’s vice president of system transformations, said the utility that serves 855,000 people in Omaha and 13 surrounding counties plans to stick to its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. “It’s just going to take us more time to get these things done,” Underwood said.

It amounts to a frustrating no-win scenario for Eric Williams, director of the OPPD board. Williams leads the board and represents the district where the North Omaha Station is located – a predominantly black neighborhood. He recently held meetings with the community seeking their feedback on the plan. “They expressed they were concerned that this would mean continued emissions in North Omaha,” Williams said. “The coal operations there have higher levels of emissions in one part of town than other parts of Omaha and people expressed concerns about how we’re balancing our mission.”

Backlog of studies

The chief cause for extending North Omaha Station’s coal-burning life is because the Southwest Power Pool — the regional operator of the Midwest’s power grid — has a backlog of studies meant to ensure that a utility’s decision to close coal plants and transitioning to renewable energy sources won’t sacrifice the reliable supply of electricity to customers. Federal rules require such studies — called interconnection studies — before renewable energy projects like wind and solar generators can connect to the electric grid. SPP is currently studying 510 renewable energy projects that represent a combined 100 gigawatts of power. That means initiatives like retiring North Omaha Station have to wait while the grid operator catches up. “The timing at which we want to make this transition is being significantly challenged by the circumstances we’re in,” Underwood said. “The primary struggle is the speed of the interconnection study.” David Kelley, who oversees interconnection studies for SPP, said the study backlog won’t clear until 2024.

Supply chain problems

“The notion that there is a delay in getting the answers that some of these customers need in order to make decisions when building new generation or retiring existing generation — that is a fact that’s not just within the SSP but throughout the country,” Kelley said. In June, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to ease its interconnection study rules due to a growing backlog of requests across the country. “We are witnessing unprecedent[ed] demand for new resources seeking to interconnect to the transmission grid, and queue delays are hindering customers’ access to new, low-cost generation,” said FERC Chairman Richard Glick in a statement on the proposed changes.

Supply chain issues have also complicated the closure of coal plants, according to Ashok Gupta, senior energy economist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. He said energy providers seeking to switch to renewable energy options are running into issues procuring project materials. “As you retire coal plants you have to replace some with wind, solar, battery storage and other things and the build out has been slowed out because of the pandemic, because of the war in Ukraine, because of a combination of things,” Gupta said. Supply chain disruptions caused power providers to delay closing at least five other coal-burning plants – three in Wisconsin and one each in Indiana and New Mexico.

Wind, gas and solar power trend

In Missouri, Ameren recently announced the Sioux Energy Center in West Alton would continue burning coal for at least two years, but for a different reason. Ajay Arora, Ameren’s chief renewable development officer, said the utility had to move up Rush Island Energy Center’s closure because of a lawsuit filed by the federal government in 2011 that claimed the plant emits pollutants at levels that break the law. Arora said that without Rush Island’s power production, the Sioux plant needs to continue to burn coal until 2030, instead of 2028. Even so, the nationwide trend still shows energy providers are moving away from coal and toward wind, gas and solar power. “If you look at the last 10 years and the next 10 years, coal is going to keep declining and wind and solar is going to keep increasing,” Gupta said. “The longer term trendline is what we should be paying attention to.”

This story comes from the Midwest Newsroom, an investigative journalism collaboration including IPR, KCUR 89.3, Nebraska Public Media News, St. Louis Public Radio and NPR.
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »

OPPD board votes to postpone transition of north Omaha coal plants
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »

Despite health concerns OPPD delays coal plant's shutdown
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


North Omaha OPPD plant’s continued use of coal concerning neighbors
Two of the five units at the plant in question still operate on coal.


Concern over OPPD’s continued use of coal to produce electricity prompted North Omaha neighborhoods and other metro-area organizations to form a committee to ask questions. The committee is asking the public for reports so they can monitor the utility’s progress in shutting down the coal-fired units. Committee members say there are five units at OPPD’s North Omaha power station. Three work with natural gas, and the other two are still coal-fired. The latter units were scheduled to be shut down this year. That has now been delayed until 2026. “ We would like for them to report back to us regarding what their communication is with the federal government to make all of those technical things go away so that in 2026, they can go to gas and eliminate coal,” said T. Michael Williams, president of Omaha’s NAACP chapter. “We’re waiting to hear back, we asked for quarterly reports.”Committee members say those coal-burning units are putting toxins in the air, and they believe monitoring the air quality would help people who live around the power plant.

North Omaha group meets with OPPD leadership

An "ad hoc" committee supporting the interests of North Omaha's environmental health met with Omaha Public Power District leadership this week. They met with the media to discuss the meeting on Thursday morning. The topic: The North Omaha Power Plant's use of coal, which causes negative health impacts, according to health officials.
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


Omaha homeowner working to stop tree cutting in easement area
OPPD says it needs to cut 20 trees in his front yard alone.


OPPD told 6 News two weeks ago that clearing its easement will make it easier to replace the power line and towers, plus provide future maintenance. “Having a clear corridor makes it a lot safer for the operations, makes it safe for our crews as we go out. And if something does happen, there’s less likelihood a tree would hit a power line,” said Jake Farrell with OPPD.

User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


OPPD continues conversations with North Omaha residents about power station


OPPD is continuing conversations with the North Omaha community as the date for changing two coal-powered units at the North Omaha Station to natural gas shifts to 2026 instead of the end of this year. North Omaha residents, elected officials and OPPD team members came together at Florence City Hall for a group discussion on Tuesday. This included what matters most to the community and what they expect from their utility company.

User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


OPPD host public meeting to discuss future of the coal burning North Omaha power plant




The North Omaha power plant has been burning coal as a power source for more than sixty years. There was a plan to rid the plant of coal burning by 2023 but that date has changed. A public meeting held on Tuesday discussed concerns over the future of the coal burning plant in North Omaha. The meeting at Florence City Hall was filled with community members, elected officials and employees from Omaha Public Power District.

All came together to have a conversation about the North O power plant. Some of the community members biggest concerns were breathing clean air and monitoring toxins in the air on a regular basis. OPPD employees' tasks were to take note of those concerns and answer questions. "Specifically, what's happening and why how we operate the units at north Omaha the types of fuel they run on, the amount of time that they operate in the year, when we expect to refuel and retire the units," said Brad Underwood, Vice President, OPPD Systems Transformation.
User avatar
Coyote
City Council
Posts: 32940
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 11:18 am
Location: Aksarben Village
Contact:

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Coyote »


OPPD’s ‘Prairie in Progress’ initiative hopes to bring back Monarch butterflies




Take a drive on 204th street north toward Elkhorn and you see development everywhere. Drivers on Q street can see construction equipment, signs about future projects and mounds of dirt on both sides of the street. But there is also something out of the ordinary. A big parcel of land near Pacific Street with a sign that reads “Prairie in Progress.” It’s a sanctuary for Monarch butterflies. While it might seem out of place, OPPD has set aside certain plots of land around Omaha and other parts of Nebraska to grow milkweed. That’s where Monarchs lay their eggs. Experts say that’s the only food their caterpillars will eat. Scientists believe a vast decline in milkweed is leading to a similar drop in the number of Monarch butterflies in the country. So, the power company is now in the midst of a multi-year plan with the foundation Save Our Monarchs to try to bring them back.

“On large tracts of land that we spent a lot of time maintaining and mowing, just this turf grass, we were looking at ways to reduce costs,” said Chris Vrtiska, OPPD’s Wildlife and Resource Specialist. “As we looked into that we realized we could do more planning of larger tracts to naturalized wildflowers, prairies, grasses, those type of things.” There is also a “Prairie in Progress” site at 142nd and State in Northwest Omaha, as well as plants and pollination gardens at the vast OPPD Arboretum at 108th and Blondo. “The Monarch butterfly has been in decline for many years and it still is because of reduced habitat around the Midwest and around the country. Anywhere we can enhance that type of habitat and help them out is great and it’s not just Monarch butterflies, it’s pollinators in general, bees and other insects that pollinate are also in decline.”

Other habitat locations include Fort Calhoun and Nebraska City.
Heidehibbard
New to the Neighborhood
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2023 4:53 pm

Re: OPPD Business News

Post by Heidehibbard »

How can i contact the people who are in charge of vegetation at arboretum? I would like to donate deciduous fruit and nut trees for planting. We live across the freeway and get dozens of hungry raccoons coming up from the sewer lines that run under freeway and new neighbor has chickens and taken to shooting them. I would like for there to be more food sourcs down on the arboretum side so they wont be harmed coming into our neighborhood. We are willing to donate several hundred dollars or trees and shrubs we order online for this endeavor.
Post Reply