Generator — Fall 2021

GENERA OR
a publication of Loup Power District FALL 2021
INSIDE:
Loup installs electric
vehicle charging station
Monroe Powerhouse
Tainter Gate project
Genoa system upgrade
The growing cost of disasters
Lineworkers Rodeo

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ross Knott
Chairman
Alan Drozd
First Vice Chairman
Steve Heesacker
Second Vice Chairman
Robert Cerv
Secretary
Dick Tooley
Treasurer
Rich Aerni
Jim Donoghue
Mike Fleming
Chris Langemeier
Larry Zach
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Neal Suess
President/CEO
Walt Williams
Vice President,
Accounting & Finance/CFO
Todd Duren
Vice President,
Corporate Services
Korey Hobza
Vice President, Engineering
Dan Hellbusch
Vice President, Operations
The Loup Generator is
published quarterly
as a service for Loup
employees, families,
friends, and associates.
For feedback, story ideas
and submissions, contact:
Stacy Wemhoff
Communications Coordinator
402-562-5711
swemhoff@loup.com
2 | GENERATOR
PUBLIC POWER MONTH
DID YOU
? KNOW
Nebraska is the only state in the nation
served entirely by public power electric utilities.
Community-owned utilities mean that
Nebraskans are working for Nebraskans.
Public power electric utilities
are not-for-profit, meaning
there’s no profit motive and
no shareholder pockets to
pad — simply affordable,
cost-of-service electric rates
for consumers.
Nebraska’s electric utilities are governed
by locally elected or appointed boards and
councils. This means you have a voice
in the decisions made by your local utility.
Nebraska’s electric utilities use a diverse
mix of fuel resources to generate electricity,
such as wind, water, coal, nuclear, natural
gas, solar and methane.
Nebraska’s electric utilities pay more than
$100 million
to communities they serve
each year in lieu of taxes.
Those dollars stay local,
helping to empower our
hometowns.
Each dollar of a public
power employee’s
paycheck circulates
through the local
economy an estimated
four to five times.
KEEPING
LOCAL
DOLLARS
LOCAL.
Cover: Lineman Sage Penny competes at the Lineworkers Rodeo on July 30. See more on page 12.

preSIdent’S MessAGe
Public Power focuses on
the customer, not the dollar
October is Public Power Month, and we here at
Loup Power District are extremely proud of our
background in public power. As the first public
power district in the State of Nebraska, Loup has
been a leader in the public power movement. That
is quite the accomplishment in the only state that
is 100 percent public power.
From Loup's beginning and development of the
American Public Power Association (APPA), as
well as the District’s close association with APPA,
public power is all about the public. The system
belongs to the people that we serve, and we strive
to do our best to meet your needs.
One of the newest ventures the District has delved
into is electric vehicles and electric charging
stations. As you have probably noticed, the District
recently added an electric charging station at our
General Office. This is for use by the public (for a
fee), and there are two ports for use. Additional
detail on this is included in this issue.
The District also offers incentives to those wishing
to purchase electric vehicles. These incentives are
provided through NPPD’s EnergyWise program.
More detail on these incentives can be found on
our website, loup.com.
Another way that we assist customers is through
discussions involving the installation of solar
panels on residences. Many customers have
inquired about installing solar panels and selling
excess power back to the District. There is a lot of
detail and economics regarding solar panels and
their installation.
If you are interested, we would ask that you talk
to us first — we can help you understand the
economics as well as the pros and cons.
The District prides itself on helping our customers
in many different ways, which is what public
power is all about. Celebrating Public Power
Month is just another way for us to toot our own
horn. We don’t often get a chance to do this, but
you will hear a lot from us in October regarding our
association with public power and APPA.
These are just a few of the ways the District’s Board
of Directors and employees have developed to
assist our retail customers. If you have questions
about these or any other benefit or incentive we
provide, feel free to contact us and we will be
happy to assist you. Being there for the customer is
what makes the “public” in Public Power.
NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
PUBLIC POWER = Local Decisions + Local Solutions + Local Jobs
FALL 2021 | 3

LOUP INSTALLS EV CHARGING STATION
Loup Power District is proud
to announce the installation of
an electric vehicle (EV) charging
station at the District’s General
Office in Columbus.
There are two dedicated
parking spots for EV owners who
want to “fuel up” while shopping,
running errands, or eating out.
Todd Duren, Vice President
of Corporate Services, said the
charging station was partially
funded with a grant from the
Nebraska Environmental Trust
(NET).
“The EV charging station
has an excellent location due
to its proximity to downtown
Columbus,” he said. “It’s been
exciting to see EV owners from
around the area using the
station.”
The ChargePoint charging
station is networked and can be
accessed through the Charge-
Point app. The app helps EV
owners locate nearby stations
and sends notifications when the
vehicles are done charging.
EV owners also pay for the
electricity through the app.
Loup added a plug-in hybrid
vehicle (PHEV), the Mitsubishi
Outlander, to its fleet last year.
The vehicle can go about 25
miles on a full charge before
switching to its internal combustion
engine.
The District will be purchasing
an all-electric vehicle next year.
This purchase is also partially
funded through a grant from
NET.
The only regular maintenance
needed for all-electric vehicles
is checking the windshield wiper
fluid and rotating the tires.
If you do purchase an EV,
be sure to let Loup or your
local utility know. The service
to your home is sized to meet
the demands of your house
as they existed when service
was connected. Adding the EV
charger creates a risk of overloading
the wires and transformers
powering your home.
Want to learn more about
EVs? Visit bit.ly/EV-Loup or call
Greg Badstieber at 402-562-5718.
EV INCENTIVES
$4,500 | EV & CHARGER
$4,000 incentive for the purchase
or lease of a new battery electric
vehicle + $500 incentive for
the installation of a residential
ChargePoint charging station
$500 | CHARGING STATION
Installation of a residential charging
station
PRE-WIRING
In-home pre-wiring for future
installation of a new EV charging
station. $200 for new construction
and up to $400 for existing
structures
4 | GENERATOR
Commercial charger conduit and
charger incentives are also available.

ALL ABOUT EVS
HOW DO I CHARGE IT?
Your electric vehicle comes with everything you
need to plug it in and fuel up. The majority of
electric vehicle owners charge their cars
at home overnight, when electricity
prices are lower. EVs can be charged
on a standard 120V wall
outlet, also called Level 1
charging. Faster charging (about
4–5 hours) can be achieved at
home or the workplace with Level 2 charging.
Level 3 chargers take about an hour and are
typically located at public charging stations.
CAN I GET WHERE
I NEED TO GO?
The average American’s daily commute is less
than 30 miles and most electric vehicles
have a range of more than 70 miles.
It’s a reliable way to get from point A
to point B. With growing
electric vehicle charging
infrastructure, you can
also charge along the way. Plugin
hybrids, like the Toyota Prius,
can also run on battery power or
gasoline.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy, PlugShare, Electrification
Coalition, and Plug In America, AAA, and publicpowered.com.
Graphic by American Public Power Association.
e
e
e
WHY GO ELECTRIC?
Driving an EV can
cost 70 percent less
than a gas-powered
vehicle. If you pay
11¢ per kilowatt hour (kWh) for electricity
and have an EV rated at 34 kWh per 100
miles, the cost is about 4¢ per mile. If gas
is $3 per gallon and a gas-powered
vehicle gets 25 mpg, the cost
is about 12¢ per mile. Electric
vehicle owners are also eligible
for federal and state tax credits.
Electric cars are also more efficient — up
to 80 percent of the charge is transferred
directly to powering the car, compared to
14-26 percent with gas-powered vehicles.
WILL THIS CHANGE MY
ELECTRIC BILL?
The average electric vehicle needs 30
kilowatt-hours for a 100-mile charge. At an
average electricity rate of 12¢ per kWh,
it can cost about $540 per year
to charge your car, compared
to an average of $2,000
to fuel a gas-powered car.
Charging during peak times
could hike your electricity bill, so ask your
utility what the best time is to charge.
WHERE CAN I CHARGE
ON THE GO?
There are more than 30,000 EV
“fueling” stations in the United
States. Need to find a plug? Visit
publicpowered.com or PlugShare.
com for interactive maps.
FALL 2021 | 5

MPH TAINTER
GATE UPDATE
TAINTER GATE: a radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water;
named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter.
Illustration of a
Tainter Gate. The
original design
helped send sawed
lumber down river
to market. Loup’s
Tainter gate was
constructed in the
mid-1930s.
The Tainter Gate at the Monroe
Powerhouse serves a critical
purpose as an emergency bypass
that allows water to flow down the
canal if the generator turbines are
not available.
And because the powerhouse
and the gate are more than 80
years old, it’s also critical to keep
them in good condition.
The gate was refurbished this
spring and summer in a multistep
process that hadn’t been
completed since the mid-1990s.
The gate is named for Wisconsin
engineer Jeremiah Burnham
Tainter.
Tainter was 26 in 1862 when he
began working at Knapp, Stout &
Co. — the largest lumber manufacturer
in the United States at
the time. He was following in the
footsteps of his older brother, who
was a principal in the company.
Tainter worked as a surveyor,
and machinist. He was also a
talented engineer and draftsman,
and soon began maintaining dams
located at the sawmill.
Around 1886, the company
needed a better system of dams
that would allow for a rush of
water to send heavy rafts of sawed
lumber down the Red Cedar River
to market.
Tainter’s radial gate resembled
a slice of pie, with the curved
part facing the source of water
and the top pointing toward the
destination.
When the gate is closed, water
bears on the upstream side. When
the gate is rotated, the rush of
water passing under the gate helps
it open and close. The rounded
face, long radial arms and bearings
allow it to close with less effort
than a flat gate.
Today, the Tainter Gate design
remains largely unchanged and
is used in water control dams and
locks worldwide. The upper
Mississippi River basin alone
has 321 Tainter Gates.
Source: Wikipedia, dunnhistory.org,
and The Chippewa Herald.
1. CATWALK CONSTRUCTION
Machinist/Welder Jeremy Reis designed a catwalk
for easier access to the Tainter Gate from a door
on the north side of the powerhouse.
L e ft : Equipment Operator Dan Hellbusch raises
Reis and Equipment Operator Troy Dreifurst
to the construction area.
Below: The finished catwalk.
6 | GENERATOR

2. STOP LOG INSTALLATION
Loup employees remove the Tainter Gate from service by installing four metal stop
logs on top of each other. These “logs” dewater the Tainter Gate and spillway so
employees and contractors can perform maintenance.
FALL 2021 | 7

3. SANDBLASTING TAINTER GATE
Above: Lindner Painting employees sandblast the gate.
Left: the top section of the radial Tainter Gate after sandblasting
to bare metal.
4. EPOXY PAINT
Lindner Painting completed the project by applying
a new coat of epoxy paint to protect the gate.
Right: An engineer from Olsson, Inc., inspects the
gate integrity and coating.
MONROE POWERHOUSE TAINTER GATE DETAILS
The MPH radial gate is 154 wide and
is fully enclosed on the northwest end
of the powerhouse. It is operated by an
electrically powered hoist equipped with a
solenoid brake.
The gravity of a 9-ton counterweight
facilitates lifting of the gate.
If the canal flow is greater than the
powerhouse capacity, the gate automatically
redirects the canal flow around the
turbine units through the Tainter Gate
spillway.
The Columbus Powerhouse does not
have a bypass gate. Instead Lake Babcock
and Lake North provide storage for excess
flow. This gives Loup employees time to
reduce flow into the canal at the Genoa
Headworks if necessary.
8 | GENERATOR

5. NEW SEALS
The rubber seals on the sides of the
Tainter Gate were replaced after
painting.
Top left: Columbus Plant Operator Justin
Kohl lines up a new seal and retainer
strap for installation.
Left: Powerhouse Maintenance Tech Joe
Noyd and Hydro Electrical/Mechanical
Tech Matt Kathol install seals on the
lower portion of the gate. They are
working across from each other on both
sides of the gate.
Bottom: Noyd working behind the radial
Tainter Gate.
FALL 2021 | 9

The growing cost of disasters
Disasters such as hurricanes, floods, fires, and tornadoes
are becoming more catastrophic — and costly.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tracks climate and weather disasters
that have caused an excess of $1 billion in loss and damages in the United States.
Such disasters have cost
$
1.9 trillion
Average costs per year
since 1980
$
616.5 billion
of this cost has been
in the past five years
at an average of
$
123.3
billion/year
The average cost,
adjusted for inflation,
has ballooned
each decade
Cost (in billions of dollars)
100
80
60
40
20
$
18B/year
$
27.7B/year
$
52.78B/year
$
82.5B/year
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
The number of billion-dollar events has also increased.
Average events per year
2020 had a record 22 billion-dollar events –
with a total estimated cost of $95 billion.
20
16.2
2014 was the only year in the past decade that
didn’t have 10 or more billion-dollar events.
Billion-dollar Events
15
10
5
2.3
6.3
With an average of $ 19.4B per event,
hurricanes have the highest cost.
All 50 states have experienced at least
one billion-dollar disaster since 1980.
1980-1989
2000-2009
2016-2020
Sources:
https://www.fema.gov/data-visualization/public-assistance-program-summary-obligations
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/
Texas has experienced the most – with 124
events representing 43% of all such disasters in
the U.S.
10 | GENERATOR

Utility restoration costs have increased over time, too.
Factors increasing costs can include more customers (leading to more assets that can be damaged),
higher cost of labor, and price increases in materials and equipment.
Since 2003, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
has obligated more than
$
25.8 billion
FEMA funding to public utilities since 2003, by disaster type
Area within dotted line represents share of funding allotted since 2011
to public utilities through its
Public Assistance program for
more than 36,000 events.
About 80% of these funds —
$20.4 billion — has been
obligated since 2011 toward
13,851 projects at an average
cost per project of $1.47 million.
Hurricane/coastal storm
$
21 billion
Hurricane/coastal storm
Severe storm
Snow/Ice storm
$
18.5 billion since 2011
Flood
Fire
Typhoon
Tornado
$974 million
Severe storm
$
3.2 billion
$169 m
$
492
million
$463 m
$
474
million*
$105 m $129 m
$
144
million
$
117
million
Other $ 106 million
$
44 million
MARCH 2019 STORM
A combination of river ice jams and rain on top of frozen
ground caused multiple breaches of the Loup canal.
The total damage is estimated at more than $ 15M
FEMA reimbursement is $ 3.2M to date
Repair and remediation are ONGOING
2,000 cfs
Amount of water Loup was diverting
from the Loup River in March 2019
per its federal license
3,500 cfs
The Loup canal was designed
for this amount of water in the 1930s
5,000 cfs
Last reading at the Genoa Headworks
before the gauge washed away
100,000+ cfs
Estimated Loup River flow on March 14, 2019
cfs: cubic feet per second
FALL 2021 | 11

Lineworkers
2021
2021Rodeo
1
2
The 2021 Nebraska Lineworkers Rodeo was held July 30
at the Custer County Fairgrounds in Broken Bow.
Local Superintendent Dominic Zoucha and Journeyman
Lineman Adam Babl competed in the Journeyman Lineman
Division. Apprentice Linemen Sage Penny and Andy Yrkoski
competed in the Apprentice Division.
Loup employees from across the District volunteered
to help run the rodeo and serve as event judges.
Both journeymen and apprentices competed in pole top
rescue events. The rest of the events remained a mystery
until competitors arrived at the rodeo.
This year, the journeymen mystery events were crossarm
change out and cutout change out. Mystery events for
apprentices were the egg climb and obstacle course.
In the egg climb, competitors climb the pole with an egg in
their bag. They put the egg in their mouth at the top of the
pole, circle the pole, and attempt to climb down without
breaking the egg.
The Lineworkers Rodeo has been an annual event since
2012. Competitors are judged on their ability to perform
tasks safely and quickly. The event was organized by
Nebraska utilities and partners.
1 & 8: Adam Babl
2: Supervisor of Safety and Training Rick Prater
(left) prepares to hand an egg off to a competitor in the
egg climb event
3: Dominic Zoucha and Adam Babl
4 & 9: Andy Yrkoski
5 & 6: Sage Penny
7: Dominic Zoucha
3
4
12 | GENERATOR

6
5
7 8 9
10
LOUP COMPETITORS, VOLUNTEERS,
AND JUDGES (L to R) — Walt Williams, Rhonda
Rogers, Rick Prater, Sage Penny, Dominic
Zoucha, Adam Babl, Andy Yrkoski, Lynette June,
Stacy Wemhoff, Roy Babb.
FALL 2021 | 13

14 | GENERATOR

DOES YOUR ATTIC INSULATION MEASURE UP?
On a sunny summer day, with the hot sun
blasting directly on the roof, attics can get up to
140°F when the inside of the house is 75°F.
In the winter, cooler air enters the house in
the lower areas and attempts to exit the house
in the higher — and warmer — areas.
A house with a poor and leaky envelope will
show significant heat loss through the attic and
eaves.
Properly insulating your home not only
reduces heating and cooling costs, but also
improves comfort. It really pays to have the
right amount of insulation.
HOW INSULATION WORKS
To understand how insulation works it
helps to understand heat flow, which involves
three basic mechanisms — conduction,
convection, and radiation.
Conduction is the way heat moves through
materials, such as when a spoon placed in a
hot cup of coffee conducts heat through its
handle to your hand. Convection is the way
heat circulates through liquids and gases. It is
the reason lighter, warmer air rises, and cooler,
denser air sinks in your home. Radiant heat
travels in a straight line and heats anything
solid in its path that absorbs energy.
Most common insulation materials work by
slowing conductive heat flow and — to a lesser
extent —convective heat flow. Radiant barriers
and reflective insulation systems work by
reducing radiant heat gain. To be effective, the
reflective surface must face an air space.
Regardless of the mechanism, heat flows
from warmer to cooler until
there is no longer a
temperature difference.
In your home, this means
that in winter, heat flows
directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent
unheated attics, garages, basements, and
even to the outdoors.
Heat flow can also move indirectly through
interior ceilings, walls, and floors — wherever
there is a difference in temperature. During the
cooling season, heat flows from the outdoors to
the interior of a house.
To maintain comfort, the heat lost in the
winter must be replaced by your heating
system and the heat gained in the summer
must be removed by your cooling system. Properly
insulating your home will decrease this
heat flow by providing an effective resistance to
the flow of heat.
R-VALUES
An insulating material’s resistance to
conductive heat flow is measured or rated in
terms of its thermal resistance or R-value — the
higher the R-value, the greater the insulating
effectiveness.
The R-value depends on the type of insulation,
its thickness, and its density. The R-value
of some insulations also depends on temperature,
aging, and moisture accumulation.
When calculating the R-value of a multilayered
installation, add the R-values of the individual
layers.
Installing more insulation in your home
increases the R-value and the resistance to heat
flow. In general, increased insulation thickness
will proportionally increase the R-value.
On average, you can save up to 20 percent
on your home’s heating and cooling costs or up
to 10 percent on its total energy costs by adding
insulation to attics, floors, and crawl spaces,
and by reducing unwanted air leaks all around
your house.
Source: energy.gov
ENERGY PROPERTY TAX CREDIT
• Tax credit amount: 10%
of the cost, up to $500
(not including installation).
• Eligible products: bulk
insulation products (batts, rolls,
blow-in fibers, expanding spray,
and rigid boards);and air sealing
products with a Manufacturers
Certification Statement.
• Learn more at
bit.ly/ES-TaxCredits
ENERGYWISE SM INCENTIVE
• Incentive: 15¢ per square foot
with a maximum of $300 per
dwelling.
• Installation of attic insulation
only.
• Eligibility: Residential
customers with existing
dwellings (no new construction)
that use electricity as the
primary fuel source for heating.
• Existing attic insulation levels
must average 6" or less.
Customers must install 6" or
more or an R-19.
• Learn more at bit.ly/EW-Loup
or call Greg Badstieber at
402-562-5718.
FALL 2021 | 15

around the district
ALBION LINE WORK
Summer Lineman Kyle Kemper and Lineman Connor Neal perform maintenance on a 34.5kV line east of Albion.
Photos by Line Foreman Dave Meyer.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors resumed
in-person meetings at the General
Office this spring.
The Board held several virtual
meetings at the beginning of the
Covid-19 pandemic in the spring
of 2020. Then, the Directors met
at the Columbus Service Center for
almost a year because it had more
room to ensure social distancing.
Front row (L to R): Steve Heesacker,
Ross Knott, Alan Drozd, and Dick
Tooley.
Back Row (L to R): Rich Aerni, Chris
Langemeier, Mike Fleming,
Jim Donoghue, Robert Cerv,
and Larry Zach.
16 | GENERATOR

Genoa getting system upgrade
Genoa's new distribution substation is the first
stage of an electrical system upgrade that will
benefit the entire community.
The upgrade from 4.16 kV to 12.47 kV will
improve performance and reliability, reduce line
loss, and accommodate load growth.
Loup has upgraded all of its service area except
Albion and Leigh. Those communities are next in
line.
Fullerton Division Superintendent Guy Imus
said the new substation has three circuits and is
centrally located. These features will allow Loup
to better serve the town.
The next step in the conversion process
is replacing every distribution transformer
throughout the community. This will result in brief
outages for a few customers at a time over the next
few months.
"This will be a continuing project through next
spring," Imus said. "Right now we're having trouble
getting the transformers we need."
The pandemic is affecting supply in the electric
industry just as it is for other industries.
Once the town is fully converted, the old
substation north of the high school will be retired.
Loup installed a 69'6" laminated pole in early August for the 34kV tap going to
the new distribution substation. The pole weighed about 5,300 pounds.
The new substation transformer arrived in Genoa on Sept. 8.
Above: Meter Relay & Equipment Tech Justin Shanle and Lineman
Sage Penny prepare to hook the transformer to the crane.
Left: the crane lowers the transformer to the pad.
Below: Employees position the transformer as it is lowered.
FALL 2021 | 17

employee notes
DAVE SHANNO
Journeyman Lineman/Serviceman
Dave Shanno joined
Loup in 1996 as a
Lineman/Serviceman
at the Albion
Retail Operation.
He was promoted
to Journeyman
Lineman in 1997
while retaining his
serviceman title.
His duties include
handling the Albion
stores work, street
light maintenance, and installing and
maintaining new customer services.
Shanno is a graduate of Creighton High
School. He earned an Associate of
Applied Science Degree in Utility Line
from Northeast Community College in
Norfolk in 1991.
He and his wife, Heidi, are the parents
of two children, Cody and Darien. They
have one grandson, Wyatt.
NIKKI BRUNKEN
Customer Service Representative
Nikki Brunken joined Loup Power
District as a Customer Service Representative
at the Columbus General
Office in 2016.
As Customer Service
Representative
Brunken’s responsibilities
include
greeting customers;
processing payments
made by mail,
dropbox, or drive-up
window; setting up,
transferring, or closing
service; taking
service calls; and
preparing reports.
25 YEARS
5 YEARS
Brunken is a graduate of Silver Creek
High School. She attended Central
Community College - Columbus and
earned a Certificate in IT.
Brunken and her husband, Rob, are
the parents of two children, Taylor and
Grant. They have four grandchildren:
Ryan, Ramsey, Bailey and Kenzie.
KOREY HOBZA
Vice President of Engineering
Korey Hobza joined
Loup Power District
as Vice President
of Engineering in
2020.
In this role, he provides
leadership for
the planning, design,
maintenance and
construction of the
electric, transmission,
distribution, 1 YEAR
and generation
systems at Loup Power. He also has
supervisory responsibility for Engineering
and Meter/Maintenance personnel
as well as building and structures
maintenance.
Hobza is a graduate of Leigh Public
Schools and earned a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Industrial Engineering
from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
He and his wife, Peggy, have two
children: Hayden, 7, and Karleigh, 4.
MATT ROSNO
Headworks Mechanic
Loup Power District
promoted Matt
Rosno to Headworks
Mechanic in August.
In his new role,
Rosno is responsible
for maintaining
District vehicles and
equipment at the
Genoa Headworks.
He also troubleshoots
the mechanical
components of
the District’s dredge, the Pawnee II.
PROMOTION
Rosno is a graduate of Twin River High
School. He joined Loup as a Maintenance
Technician in April 2021.
JEREMY REIS
Machinist/Welder
Jeremy Reis joined
Loup Power District
as Machinist/Welder
in 2020.
His duties include
fabricating parts and
equipment, repairing
equipment and
vehicles, welding,
and maintenance
work.
Reis is a graduate
of Albion High School and studied
machine tool and welding at Central
Community College-Columbus. He
and his wife, Bridget, live in Genoa. He
has two children, Reghan and Carrah,
and four stepchildren, Aspen, Allison,
Tyler, and Owen.
ANDY WALLIN
Journeyman Lineman
Andy Wallin joined
Loup Power District
as a Lineman for the
Operations-Retail
Department at the
Columbus Service
Center in 2011. He
was promoted to
Journeyman Lineman
in 2014.
1 Year
Wallin is a member
10 Years
of the line crew
that is responsible
for the construction, operation, and
maintenance of Loup’s electrical
transmission and distribution system in
the Columbus Division.
He graduated from Newman Grove
High School and earned an Associate
of Applied Science Degree in Utility
Line from Northeast Community
College in Norfolk.
ENERGY TIP: Fall is the perfect time to prep your home for the upcoming
winter chill. One of the best ways you can save energy and stay comfortable is to caulk
and weatherstrip areas that typically need sealing. Start by sealing around windows
and doors. Seal plumbing, ducting, and areas where electrical wiring comes through
walls, floors and ceilings for additional energy savings.
18 | GENERATOR

strategies for slaying your
ENERGY
VAMPIRES
Halloween is just around the corner. There could be a hidden terror
lurking in your home. We’re talking about energy vampires —
evil ghouls that suck electrical power from your appliances when
you aren’t using them, taking a big bite out of your wallet
Unplug!
Unplug!
Unplug!
Unplug devices or appliances
you don’t use often and those that
are easy to reach as you’re heading
out the door.
Coffee makers only use 1–3 watts
when off, but add that to your
microwave, small kitchen television,
toaster oven, and other unused
appliances and you could save
$10-20 per year just in the kitchen!
Don’t forget cell phone and tablet
chargers, hair dryers,
and space heaters.
Use Power Strips
Power strips let you toggle the power flow on and off.
This means you can control the power usage of clusters
of devices so that they’re not consuming electricity when
you’re not at home. Using a light switch that turns power
outlets on and off, if you have one, accomplishes the same end
with even less effort.
An advanced power strip makes it even easier by turning off
idle electronics without any additional steps from you.
One of the easiest places to use a power
strip is your entertainment center. Older
set-top cable boxes and DVRs in your living
room are some of the most frightening
energy vampires, as they’re less efficient
than newer models. Some of these devices
are constantly draining 25-45 watts of
energy when off.
Curb Idle Time
Set your computer to sleep mode or power it down
when you’re not using it. Do the same with your
video game console instead of leaving it paused for
a prolonged period of time.
Energy vampires throughout
your home could add an extra
10 percent to your monthly
electricity bill.
Take a few minutes to
find them and banish
them for good!
Visit EnergySaver.gov
for more tricks to save
energy and money.
Make Smart Upgrades
When it comes time to send your old electronics and
appliances to the graveyard, consider replacing them
with ENERGY STAR devices.
They have a lower standby consumption than your
average devices and use less energy all around.
FALL 2021 | 19

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Columbus, NE 68602-0988
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Nebraska
Average
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