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May / June 2010 - Nebraska Public Power District

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Current news about<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />

A Proud Moment<br />

<strong>May</strong> / <strong>June</strong> <strong>2010</strong><br />

Volume 3 Issue 3


2<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Energy Insight is published by<br />

the <strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />

Corporate Communications Department<br />

as a service for employees, customers<br />

and friends of NPPD. Its purpose<br />

is to communicate NPPD news<br />

and information and to recognize<br />

achievements of employees, retirees<br />

and their families.<br />

Board of Directors<br />

Larry Linstrom, Chairman<br />

Ronald Larsen, First Vice Chairman<br />

Gary Thompson, Second Vice Chairman<br />

Mary Harding, Secretary<br />

Wayne Boyd<br />

Jerry Chlopek<br />

Virgil Froehlich<br />

Ken Kunze<br />

Darrell Nelson<br />

Dennis Rasmussen<br />

Edward Schrock<br />

Senior manager, Government and<br />

<strong>Public</strong> Relations<br />

Beth Boesch<br />

Executive Editor<br />

Brenda Sanne<br />

managing Editor<br />

Jill Novicki, jrnovic@nppd.com<br />

Photography<br />

Gary Pelster<br />

Contributors<br />

Evelyn Chittenden<br />

Mark Miller<br />

Graphic Design<br />

Bill Haack<br />

Dan Zastera<br />

Reporters<br />

Marjorie Allen, Chadron<br />

Darla Wait, Chadron<br />

Kathy Fadschild, Columbus<br />

Glenn Troester, Cooper Nuclear Station<br />

Kathy Nelson, Doniphan Control Center<br />

Lynn Phagan, Gerald Gentleman Station<br />

Lisa Willson, Kearney<br />

Bobbie Morford, Lincoln<br />

Kathy Eaton, McCook<br />

Helen Hinz, McCook<br />

Barb Keating, Norfolk<br />

Mindy Leaverton, Norfolk<br />

Connie Knapp, Ogallala<br />

Eileen Osborne, O’Neill<br />

Lottie Kellison, Plattsmouth<br />

Colleen Mathewson, Scottsbluff<br />

Cindy Holsing, Sheldon Station<br />

Kris Cross, South Sioux City<br />

Cindy Klein, York<br />

3 It’s Tick Season<br />

Read how you can protect<br />

yourself and your family from<br />

tick-borne diseases.<br />

4 President’s Message<br />

President and CEO Ron Asche<br />

discusses how agriculture and<br />

industry are an important part of<br />

NPPD’s customer base.<br />

8 Moving Along<br />

Check out this update on the<br />

<strong>District</strong>’s Grid Essential projects.<br />

10 SPP—One Year Later<br />

NPPD’s first year in the<br />

Southwest <strong>Power</strong> Pool proves to<br />

be a learning experience.<br />

14 Program Reaches<br />

Critical Phase<br />

Read what customers are saying<br />

about NPPD’s EnergyWise SM<br />

Pricing Pilot Program.<br />

15 Meet the <strong>2010</strong><br />

Graduates<br />

20 <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong>’s<br />

Progress<br />

Learn more about NPPD’s<br />

recent activities.<br />

24 News From Around<br />

the State<br />

Read about activities and<br />

accomplishments of employees<br />

and their children.<br />

28 Retiree News<br />

Sonny McCormick and Steve<br />

Petersen retire from the <strong>District</strong><br />

after more than 57 years of<br />

combined service. Also, check<br />

out the schedule of retiree<br />

meetings.<br />

30 Sympathies<br />

Included in this issue’s<br />

condolences is CNS Staff<br />

Health Physicist Stephen<br />

Robinson who passed away<br />

<strong>May</strong> 18.<br />

About the Cover:<br />

NPPD was represented well<br />

at this year’s <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong><br />

Lineworkers Rodeo in Omaha.<br />

Plattsmouth apprentice<br />

Line Technician michael<br />

mcLaughlin took top honors<br />

in the apprentice events and<br />

NPPD’s journeyman Team<br />

had its best year ever. Read<br />

all about it on pages 6-7.


Protect yourself from tick-borne diseases<br />

Ticks are nasty. Not only can they give you the<br />

creeps, they can cause serious illnesses such as<br />

Lyme disease if their bites aren’t treated quickly.<br />

Since tick-borne illnesses can occur throughout<br />

the U.S., you should learn how to protect yourself<br />

and your family.<br />

Prevention<br />

Steering clear of ticks’ favorite haunts—wooded,<br />

grassy, and brushy sites, including those near beaches<br />

and sand dunes—can reduce your risk for tick bites<br />

and infection. When this isn’t possible, follow these<br />

precautions:<br />

•<br />

•<br />

•<br />

Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and<br />

long pants, which can make it easier to spot<br />

crawling ticks. Tuck the legs of your pants<br />

into your socks to keep ticks from crawling up<br />

your legs.<br />

Apply an insect repellent containing DEET to<br />

exposed skin.<br />

Check your skin and scalp at the end of the<br />

day. Remove clothing and use a mirror to<br />

check hard-to-see places, like the back of your<br />

knees and neck. If a tick has latched on to<br />

you, remove it as soon as you can.<br />

Tick Removal<br />

Contrary to popular belief, applying petroleum jelly<br />

or a hot match to a tick won’t make the critter detach<br />

itself. In fact, these tactics can increase your risk for<br />

infection by irritating the tick and stimulating it to<br />

release more germ-bearing saliva.<br />

To properly remove an attached tick:<br />

• Use fine-tipped tweezers and protect your<br />

fingers with a tissue or latex gloves.<br />

•<br />

•<br />

•<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 3<br />

Grasp the tick close to the surface of your skin<br />

and pull upward using even pressure. Try not<br />

to twist or jerk the tick, since this can cause<br />

parts of the mouth to break off and remain in<br />

your skin. If this happens, remove those parts<br />

with the tweezers.<br />

After removing the tick, disinfect the site with<br />

iodine, rubbing alcohol or water containing<br />

detergent. Wash your hands with soap and<br />

water.<br />

Put the tick in a sealable plastic bag marked<br />

with the date and store it in a freezer. If you<br />

come down with a tick-borne illness, your<br />

doctor can use the tick to make an accurate<br />

diagnosis.<br />

When to See a Doctor<br />

Whether a tick bite makes you ill depends on the type<br />

of tick and how long it was attached to your skin.<br />

Symptoms vary depending on the illness the tick<br />

transmits. Seek medical attention if you develop any<br />

of these symptoms after being bitten by a tick: fever,<br />

chills, muscle aches and pains, headache, nausea or a<br />

rash.<br />

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease<br />

Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov/ticks.<br />

Source: Vitality magazine


4<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Agriculture & INDUSTRY<br />

An important part of NPPD’s customer base<br />

from the<br />

PRESIDENT & CEO<br />

RON ASCHE<br />

NPPD’s customers<br />

include a variety<br />

of businesses that<br />

provide jobs essential<br />

to maintaining and<br />

growing the <strong>District</strong>’s<br />

service area population<br />

and customer base. A<br />

large number of these<br />

businesses provide<br />

goods or services to—or<br />

buy the output from—<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong>’s largest<br />

industry, production<br />

agriculture.<br />

While the number of farms in <strong>Nebraska</strong> has declined<br />

since 1935, agriculture remains important to the<br />

state’s overall economic vitality and the economic<br />

well-being of our customers. Irrigation load related to<br />

crop production is an obvious source of demand for<br />

NPPD’s electricity. Between 2000 and 2009, irrigation<br />

accounted for between 6.1 percent and 8.6 percent<br />

of NPPD’s energy sales to end-use customers served<br />

directly or indirectly in <strong>Nebraska</strong>. In 2008, <strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

farmers produced $8.2 billion of feed and oil crops,<br />

primarily corn and soybeans.<br />

Perhaps somewhat less obvious in terms of its<br />

contribution to NPPD’s electric load is <strong>Nebraska</strong>’s<br />

livestock industry, which includes cattle, dairy, swine<br />

and poultry production. In terms of farm revenue,<br />

livestock production is traditionally <strong>Nebraska</strong>’s top<br />

agriculture sector, with meat production the largest<br />

component of this sector. In 2008, <strong>Nebraska</strong>ns produced<br />

$7.8 billion of meat animals and in 2009, ranked first<br />

nationally in commercial red meat production and sixth<br />

in all hogs on farms.<br />

Electricity used directly by <strong>Nebraska</strong> livestock<br />

producers represents a small fraction of agriculture’s<br />

overall contribution to NPPD’s sales. Livestock<br />

generates indirect demand for electricity through<br />

its consumption of irrigated crops. More than half<br />

of the irrigated crops grown in <strong>Nebraska</strong> are fed to<br />

livestock. The livestock and crop production sectors<br />

both indirectly impact the demand for electricity<br />

through their sales to and purchases from the state’s<br />

manufacturing industries. Livestock and crop producers<br />

are major suppliers or customers of <strong>Nebraska</strong>’s three<br />

largest manufacturing sectors–food processing,<br />

fabricated metals and machinery manufacturing.<br />

Together, these three industries account for more than<br />

half of all <strong>Nebraska</strong> manufacturing employment.


Food, farm implement, and farm machinery plus<br />

firms in other manufacturing sectors such as Norfolk’s<br />

Nucor Steel plant are major pieces of NPPD’s<br />

industrial customer base. Between 2000 and 2009,<br />

annual industrial sales accounted for between 19.3<br />

percent and 22.4 percent of NPPD’s energy sales to its<br />

end-use <strong>Nebraska</strong> customers.<br />

The combination of a large inventory of livestock<br />

and a plentiful supply of feed corn has contributed<br />

to the recent rapid expansion of <strong>Nebraska</strong>’s biofuels<br />

sector and significantly contributed to NPPD’s sales.<br />

There are 21 ethanol plants in NPPD’s service area<br />

with 17 of those being constructed between 2000 and<br />

2009. The expansion of ethanol plants between 2000<br />

and 2009 accounted for 32 percent of NPPD’s energy<br />

sales growth. Last year, approximately 11 percent<br />

of the <strong>District</strong>’s energy sales were to ethanol plants.<br />

Irrigation, ethanol and other industrial load combined<br />

represent approximately 40 percent of our annual<br />

energy sales.<br />

NPPD’s service area mix of agriculture,<br />

agribusinesses, and other businesses has allowed our<br />

economy to weather the recent recession much better<br />

than most areas of the economy. While many NPPD<br />

service area businesses have been severely stressed<br />

and there have been major plant closings, <strong>Nebraska</strong>’s<br />

unemployment rate has remained either the second or<br />

third lowest in the nation and has been about half the<br />

national average since the recession began.<br />

Looking forward<br />

Agriculture and agribusiness will continue to be<br />

important drivers of NPPD’s load growth. Food<br />

processing is one of the manufacturing industries<br />

projected to experience employment growth during<br />

the next eight years as eating habits change, global<br />

population and income grow, and new plants are<br />

built. This industry is a target for our economic<br />

development department.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 5<br />

Firms manufacturing products for the wind<br />

industry constitute another import target for NPPD’s<br />

expansion and recruitment efforts. Several of the<br />

fabricated metal and machinery manufacturing firms<br />

in NPPD’s service area are currently supplying or<br />

bidding to supply parts to major wind manufacturers.<br />

This industry is an excellent fit for NPPD’s service<br />

area because of the wind resources in the Midwest<br />

and the ability of many of our manufacturing firms to<br />

add product lines or convert some of their production<br />

lines from making products for agriculture and<br />

agribusinesses to making parts for wind turbines.<br />

The data center industry has also been aggressively<br />

recruited by both NPPD and <strong>Nebraska</strong> for several<br />

years. The need to store, manage and transmit large<br />

volumes of data continues to expand at a rapid<br />

pace and growth in this industry is expected to<br />

continue for several years. Large data centers are<br />

now looking for sites with 25 to 100 megawatts<br />

of redundant power. The large amount of power<br />

required to operate a major data center means that<br />

low cost, reliable and redundant electric power is the<br />

number one factor when deciding where a facility<br />

will be located and NPPD’s service area has many<br />

sites that will be attractive to this industry. The<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> Department of Economic Development<br />

recently selected Aurora, Kearney and South Sioux<br />

City in NPPD’s service area as the initial test<br />

sites for the development of new “<strong>Power</strong> Parks”<br />

designed specifically to attract data centers and other<br />

technology-related businesses to <strong>Nebraska</strong>.<br />

The continued growth of businesses in NPPD’s<br />

service area is crucial to the future economic well<br />

being of our customers and NPPD. As always, there<br />

will be both challenges and opportunities, but we<br />

will meet both head-on and make the most of the<br />

opportunities before us.


6 ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

ELECTRIC<br />

Established in 2001 by the American<br />

<strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> Association, the <strong>Public</strong><br />

<strong>Power</strong> Lineworkers Rodeo is<br />

the premier event where public<br />

power lineworkers from all over the<br />

nation come to showcase their skill and<br />

knowledge. At the Rodeo, journeyman<br />

linemen and apprentice line technicians<br />

compete against their peers for<br />

professional recognition, attend training<br />

courses and practice essential skills in a<br />

safe environment.<br />

This year, the 10th annual event hosted<br />

by Omaha <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong>, was<br />

held at Levi Carter Park in Omaha in<br />

March. The NPPD Journeyman team did<br />

their home state proud. Team members<br />

included: Bassett Local Manager Todd Keller,<br />

who brings 13 years of experience to the team; North<br />

Platte Journey Line Technicians Jake McGill, who<br />

was hired as an apprentice in 1998 and earned his<br />

journeyman status in 2003, and John Boyer, who<br />

joined NPPD in 2007 as a journey line technician,<br />

and York Journey Line Technician Ray Boston, a<br />

13-year veteran who began his career as a co-op line<br />

technician.<br />

The team earned a perfect score of 100 in each<br />

of the Hurtman Rescue, 600 Amp Switch, Lighting<br />

Arrestor, Oil Circuit Recloser and Downed Primary<br />

events. Their scores, when combined with their<br />

completion times, gave them a 6 th place finish in the<br />

overall competition.<br />

“<strong>2010</strong> was our most successful year ever,” said<br />

York Distribution Superintendent Mike Damon.<br />

“This year’s journeyman lineman team earned the first<br />

perfect score ever posted by an NPPD team and their<br />

overall finish was the highest ever. Two apprentice<br />

line technicians also entered the competition, with<br />

Mike McLaughlin of Plattsmouth taking the top prize<br />

and Adam Zarek of York scoring 490 points out of<br />

500.”<br />

Standing from left: Tom Kent, Mike Damon, John Boyer,<br />

Jake McGill and Mike McLaughlin. Kneeling from left: Trevor<br />

Roth, Todd Keller, Ray Boston and Adam Zarek.<br />

With more than 40 teams and 52 apprentices<br />

entered, the competition was tough. Damon attributes<br />

the success of the linemen to the solid training they<br />

receive. “Safety is our number one focus at NPPD and<br />

it shows. Our apprentices and journeyman teams were<br />

able to perform all of the tasks with no deductions.<br />

That says a lot about the safety culture and level of<br />

training at NPPD,” he said.<br />

Every two years, try-outs for the Rodeo team and<br />

apprentices are held at the York Operations Center.<br />

NPPD colleagues from across the state compete<br />

in events which are judged in the same way as the<br />

real competition. The top scorers earn a place on<br />

the NPPD journeyman lineman team or compete as<br />

individual apprentices in the Rodeo.<br />

Next year, the competition will be held on March<br />

19 in Nashville, Tenn. In a city known for country<br />

music, we might well be hearing a <strong>Nebraska</strong> (NPPD)<br />

victory song.


Michael McLaughlin<br />

takes top honors in<br />

apprentice events<br />

Plattsmouth Apprentice Line Technician<br />

Michael McLaughlin took first place in<br />

the overall apprentice competition. In fact,<br />

he’s been racking up a lot of firsts lately. He<br />

is the first apprentice line technician in the 10-year<br />

history of the event to attain a perfect score during a<br />

competition being held for the first time in his home<br />

state of <strong>Nebraska</strong>.<br />

Michael, who received his degree from Northeast<br />

Community College in Norfolk and joined NPPD<br />

in 2007 straight out of school, competed in five<br />

events; a written safety test, the Hurtman Rescue,<br />

Transformer Hook-up, Double Dead End Insulator<br />

Change-out and Service Install event. He achieved a<br />

perfect score of 100 in every one. All of the events<br />

are timed, and judges deduct from two to 10 points<br />

for safety violations. A combined total of scores<br />

and times determine the winner of the overall<br />

competition.<br />

Michael completed the written test in five minutes<br />

and 39 seconds, nearly half the time taken by the<br />

next person receiving a perfect score. According<br />

to Michael, the written test required the most<br />

preparation time, and he used the APPA Safety<br />

Manual as a study guide.<br />

He also completed the other four events with no<br />

deductions. “I may not have had the fastest time in<br />

the events, but I completed them all safely,” he said.<br />

“And, safety was the number one goal.”<br />

He was unaware of what he had accomplished<br />

until his name was announced at the banquet held<br />

after the competition. “I was nervous,” he said. “After<br />

you complete your events, you have no idea where<br />

you stand. I knew this year that I had 100 percent on<br />

all of my events so I thought that I did pretty well but<br />

I didn’t know for sure. It was a little nerve-wracking.<br />

To hear my name announced as the overall winner<br />

was awesome…just awesome.”<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 7<br />

He’s personable and well-spoken. He’s also<br />

skilled and professional. And when it comes to<br />

matching up to his peers, he’s the best in the<br />

nation.<br />

Although he is proud of taking home the trophy<br />

for winning the overall competition, as well as the<br />

first place trophy in the written test and second place<br />

trophy in the service install event, Michael modestly<br />

says the best thing about the competition is getting<br />

to meet people from all over the nation who have the<br />

same skills and getting to compete with them toe-totoe.<br />

Plattsmouth Apprentice Line Technician Michael McLaughlin<br />

shown here with the hardware he brought home from the<br />

<strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> Lineworkers Rodeo held in Omaha this year.<br />

As fair warning to other apprentice line<br />

technicians, Michael says he’ll be back next<br />

year to compete in the Lineman Rodeo in<br />

Nashville.


8<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Grid Essential projects move forward<br />

A<br />

robust transmission grid is vital to the<br />

efficient operation of NPPD’s electric<br />

system, including the ability to meet<br />

the ever-changing (and growing) electric power<br />

needs of our customers. In 2009, NPPD took<br />

steps to ensure the strength of the transmission<br />

grid by implementing a group of transmission<br />

projects under the Grid Essential umbrella.<br />

Grid Essential projects were identified<br />

as such because they:<br />

• Support economic development and increased system<br />

demand for electric energy<br />

• Produce a vital link between generation and load<br />

• Build access to regional or national wholesale energy<br />

markets<br />

• Strengthen reliability of service to NPPD customers<br />

through investments in new and existing infrastructure<br />

Now, almost midway through <strong>2010</strong>, these projects<br />

continue to move forward.<br />

The four Grid Essential transmission projects<br />

include the Axtell to Kansas 345,000-volt<br />

Transmission Line Project (Axtell to Kansas);<br />

the South Sioux City 115,000-volt Transmission<br />

System Expansion Project (South Sioux City);<br />

the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline 115,000<br />

volt Transmission Line Project (TransCanada<br />

Keystone XL); and the Broken Bow 115,000-volt<br />

Transmission Line Project (Broken Bow), which is<br />

in its preliminary stages.<br />

Here is a thumbnail sketch of each project and<br />

where each project stands.<br />

Axtell to Kansas<br />

NPPD’s Axtell to Kansas Project is part of a larger,<br />

multi-entity project that comprises about 225 miles of<br />

new, 345,000-volt high-voltage transmission line to<br />

be built in the states of <strong>Nebraska</strong> and Kansas. NPPD’s<br />

portion of the project (approximately 53 miles) will<br />

be constructed from NPPD’s Axtell Substation south<br />

to the <strong>Nebraska</strong>/Kansas border. There NPPD’s new<br />

transmission line will link with a similar transmission<br />

line project constructed by International Transmission<br />

Company Great Plains.<br />

The project is being done to alleviate congestion in<br />

the regional transmission grid and to enhance system<br />

reliability.<br />

Since the project began in <strong>June</strong> 2009, numerous<br />

public meetings have been held, including three<br />

rounds of open houses. The third round of open<br />

houses was completed March 10 and 11; possible line<br />

routes, including a preferred route and alternatives<br />

were presented to the public. On <strong>May</strong> 14, the<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Power</strong> Review Board approved the project.<br />

<strong>Public</strong> hearings are planned for <strong>June</strong> 23 and 24 in<br />

Franklin and Minden.<br />

South Sioux City<br />

The South Sioux City Project involves design<br />

and construction of two 115,000-volt transmission<br />

lines from the Twin Church substation (located four<br />

miles west of Dakota City) to a new substation to<br />

be constructed approximately one mile northeast of<br />

Dakota City.


One transmission line, approximately five miles in<br />

length, will run from Twin Church substation on a<br />

southern route to the new substation. The second line,<br />

with an initial estimate of approximately 10 miles<br />

transmission lines to serve the TransCanada pumping<br />

stations. This information will be shared at a series<br />

of required public hearings at locations across central<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> in mid-July <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

A robust transmission grid is vital to the efficient operation of NPPD’s<br />

electric system, including the ability to meet the ever-changing (and<br />

growing) electric power needs of our customers.<br />

in length, will also run from Twin Church, but on a<br />

northern route to the new substation.<br />

This construction is necessary because the new line<br />

and associated substation work will support recent and<br />

projected electric load growth in the South Sioux City/<br />

Dakota City area. In addition, the project will enhance<br />

the area’s electric system reliability.<br />

As of mid-<strong>May</strong>, the South Sioux City Project<br />

was about to enter its routing phase. At the end of<br />

<strong>May</strong>, NPPD colleagues and routing consultants are<br />

scheduled to review comments and other information<br />

gathered from open houses, other public meetings<br />

and contacts with individual property owners and city<br />

and county officials. At a <strong>June</strong> 22 open house, the<br />

project team will then present alternative line routes,<br />

including a preferred route.<br />

TransCanada Keystone XL<br />

NPPD’s TransCanada Keystone XL Project will<br />

involve construction of three, new 115,000-volt<br />

transmission lines in central <strong>Nebraska</strong>. The new<br />

lines, 74 miles, total (for all three line segments),<br />

will provide electric energy to three NPPD wholesale<br />

customers: Niobrara Valley EMC, Loup Valleys<br />

RPPD and Southern <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong>. The transmission<br />

lines will serve the needs of new, crude oil pumping<br />

stations that will be owned by TransCanada.<br />

Currently, NPPD’s TransCanada Keystone XL<br />

Project is in the fourth phase of a four-step public<br />

involvement process. NPPD will be reviewing input<br />

gathered at open houses and other meetings, as<br />

well as consideration of an extensive variety of line<br />

routing criteria, to determine a proposed final route for<br />

Broken Bow<br />

NPPD has a goal of achieving 10 percent<br />

of its energy supply for NPPD’s native load<br />

from renewable resources by 2020. As part of<br />

that goal, the <strong>District</strong> is currently negotiating a<br />

<strong>Power</strong> Purchase Agreement with Midwest Wind<br />

Energy, LLC for an 80-megawatt wind farm in<br />

Custer County (the Broken Bow Project). After<br />

the execution of a <strong>Power</strong> Purchase Agreement is<br />

completed, NPPD will continue the project’s public<br />

involvement process to gather information from<br />

landowners and the general public to determine<br />

potential routes for the new transmission line<br />

(approximately 8 miles of 115,000-volt transmission<br />

line).<br />

In Summary<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 9<br />

As their name implies, the Grid Essential projects<br />

will play an important role in assisting NPPD to<br />

safely deliver low-cost reliable energy when and<br />

where it is needed. More information on NPPD’s<br />

Grid Essential projects can be found on the Web<br />

by visiting http://nppd.com or at http://nppd.com/<br />

grid_essential.


10 ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Diving In<br />

NPPD completes first year in Southwest <strong>Power</strong> Pool<br />

It took about a decade of review and analysis before NPPD determined<br />

when and what regional transmission organization to join, but when<br />

management and the Board decided the Southwest <strong>Power</strong> Pool was<br />

the most logical and economical choice for NPPD and its customers,<br />

it did not take long for those involved to dive right in. Thousands of<br />

activities were completed over a six-month timeframe to prepare for<br />

the transition to SPP on April 1, 2009. And, the subsequent 13 months<br />

have been just as fluid with NPPD adjusting to the new environment,<br />

forming relationships, learning processes and responding to volatile<br />

energy and market conditions.


To understand NPPD’s membership in<br />

SPP it is important to recognize that over<br />

the past two decades the electric utility<br />

industry has experienced fundamental<br />

change. The push for greater wholesale and retail<br />

competition in the mid-1990s led to a more formal<br />

energy marketing process, but also brought with it its<br />

own set of challenges. Organizations such as Enron<br />

and other non-utility generators found ways of gaming<br />

the system and oftentimes utilities got lost in the<br />

shuffle.<br />

By 2000, the Federal Energy Regulatory<br />

Commission stepped in to bring more standards to the<br />

marketplace by encouraging the voluntary formation<br />

of regional transmission organizations. While it<br />

took awhile for RTOs to develop and gain a strong<br />

foothold in the energy marketplace, today, they are a<br />

key part of utility operations. Southwest <strong>Power</strong> Pool,<br />

an entity that served for many years as a traditional<br />

utility power pool, filed as an RTO in 2004. Today,<br />

there are seven RTOs operating in the United States<br />

and interacting with these organizations is critical for<br />

utilities with excess generation to sell or purchase.<br />

Resource Pooling...<br />

Nothing New<br />

The Mid-Continent Area <strong>Power</strong> Pool, of which<br />

NPPD is a founding member, was SPP’s equivalent<br />

prior to SPP becoming an RTO; however it, too, was<br />

affected by the changing landscape.<br />

“MAPP provided NPPD and other regional<br />

entities with pooling services such as transmission<br />

planning and generation reserve sharing for more<br />

than 30 years, but the organization did not evolve<br />

with the competitive landscape and started seeing<br />

its membership decline this past decade,” said Vice<br />

President and Chief Operating Officer Pat Pope.<br />

“This was essentially the beginning of the end of<br />

MAPP as we had known it, and we knew it would not<br />

be long before NPPD’s business model would need to<br />

change as well.”<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 11<br />

As an RTO, SPP brings many of the same services<br />

as MAPP, but a key difference is its centralized<br />

functions related to a utility’s operations and<br />

performance in a market-driven environment, which<br />

includes “off-system sales,” or sales outside a utility’s<br />

normal service area.<br />

“In MAPP, most of NPPD’s off-system sales were<br />

bilateral, or basically direct exchanges between one<br />

utility and another,” said Pope. “While we could<br />

participate in energy markets of other regional<br />

transmission organizations such as the Midwest<br />

Independent System Operator, or in SPP, it eventually<br />

proved more valuable to become an actual member of<br />

an RTO, rather than accessing these markets or other<br />

services as a non-member.”<br />

Making Waves in a<br />

Volatile Market<br />

In SPP’s “Energy Imbalance Market,” NPPD has<br />

the option to participate in energy sales and purchase<br />

transactions and change the level of participation as<br />

frequently as every five minutes. The <strong>District</strong> also<br />

continues to make bilateral transactions outside of the<br />

SPP Region with help from The Energy Authority and<br />

sometimes chooses to sell power into another RTO,<br />

such as MISO. Being able to market extra capacity<br />

is important because it averages about 7 percent of<br />

NPPD’s total electric energy sales.<br />

“As a public power utility, sales to NPPD’s<br />

wholesale and retail customers is always our first<br />

priority; however, when their energy needs are met,<br />

we can sell excess energy to other utilities in the offsystem<br />

market,” said Pope. “Any margin we make<br />

from those sales is reinvested into our system to help<br />

keep rates for our in-state customers more affordable.”<br />

For Energy Manager Ron Thompson, participating<br />

in the energy market is “a classic game of risk and<br />

reward.” “A utility sets budgets based on what it<br />

believes it can sell or purchase from others, but the


12<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

energy market is extremely volatile,”<br />

said Thompson. “When prices are<br />

favorable that is a good thing, but<br />

when they are less than expected,<br />

a utility will make less money than<br />

budgeted.”<br />

Besides prices, another area that<br />

can affect success in the energy<br />

market is transmission access.<br />

“The ability to sell or purchase<br />

power without experiencing a<br />

bottleneck when distributing that<br />

power on the electric grid is also<br />

another big factor,” explained<br />

Thompson. “Both prices and<br />

transmission access have been<br />

setbacks for NPPD during our first<br />

year in SPP.”<br />

When NPPD first decided to join SPP, energy<br />

market prices averaged almost double what they are<br />

today. But in the past year, prices have decreased<br />

now averaging about $25 dollars a megawatt-hour.<br />

Two main reasons for the lower market prices include<br />

declining natural gas prices and the fact that demand<br />

for electricity is down overall due to the depressed<br />

economy.<br />

“It’s a volatile marketplace and SPP’s role is to find<br />

the next cheapest megawatt to sell into the region,”<br />

said Thompson. “NPPD’s diverse generating resources<br />

are cost competitive, but, at times, we are limited in<br />

how much power we can deliver, particularly in one<br />

area on the transmission grid in southwest <strong>Nebraska</strong>,<br />

which oftentimes exceeds capacity during times of<br />

heavy demand.”<br />

The Ripple Effect<br />

of Congestion, New<br />

Generation<br />

New wind-powered generation and more available<br />

hydropower in the region are two items contributing<br />

to the line congestion in this area. Most of the energy<br />

“We are on<br />

course to fix some<br />

major transmission<br />

bottlenecks that<br />

we’ve struggled with<br />

for years... .”<br />

Ron Thompson<br />

Energy Manager<br />

in the SPP region flows from north<br />

to south and, north of NPPD’s most<br />

constrained interface, wind power<br />

grew by 32 percent last year. Yet,<br />

transmission growth has not kept<br />

pace.<br />

“We would be facing this<br />

same scenario even if we were<br />

not an SPP member,” explained<br />

Thompson. “The bottom line is more<br />

investments in new transmission<br />

facilities are needed, and SPP<br />

provides NPPD with immediate<br />

benefits in that regard.”<br />

NPPD’s costs for a new 345,000volt<br />

transmission line between<br />

Columbus and Lincoln placed into<br />

service in December 2009, will be<br />

reimbursed approximately 40 percent by other SPP<br />

utilities. While the payment distribution over the next<br />

30 years is on a declining scale, in <strong>2010</strong>, payment by<br />

SPP utilities for this project will be approximately<br />

$6.3 million. Then, shortly upon joining SPP, the<br />

RTO approved a separate package of projects that<br />

included construction of a transmission line from<br />

Axtell, Neb., to Spearville, Kan. Construction of this<br />

new line will provide another transmission path to<br />

reduce congestion in southwest <strong>Nebraska</strong>, enhance<br />

reliability of the transmission grid, and allow NPPD to<br />

make additional electric sales—all of which provide<br />

significant financial benefits.<br />

“We are on course to fix some major transmission<br />

bottlenecks that we’ve struggled with for years,<br />

and could not justify addressing on our own,” said<br />

Thompson. “Estimates show that building the Axtell<br />

line will result in immediate savings to our customers<br />

of $1.5 to $2 million per year as a result of reduced<br />

congestion and will help us achieve more energy sales<br />

in the SPP region.”<br />

To date, cost sharing these major transmission<br />

projects with other SPP members provides NPPD<br />

with financial benefits that are more favorable than<br />

if we would construct the lines on its own. But it


does reflect a brand new philosophy—one that is a<br />

fundamental change from the traditional transmission<br />

planning model.<br />

“It’s a whole new way of thinking,” said<br />

Transmission Asset Planning Supervisor Randy<br />

Lindstrom. “In MAPP, decisions and policies<br />

were created from the bottom up through utility<br />

participation and feedback. In SPP, policies are<br />

created through a strategic committee structure which<br />

is more of a top down approach.”<br />

Transmission planning in SPP also requires a greater<br />

focus on economics as well as reliability. “This is<br />

also a new approach,” said Lindstrom. “NPPD will<br />

continue to work on regional planning, but we don’t<br />

have as much control over which lines are built and<br />

when, since SPP is now part of the decision-making<br />

and that has been a bit of a learning curve.”<br />

In SPP, NPPD continues to own, operate and<br />

maintain its transmission system; however, agreeing<br />

to “pool” its transmission facilities with other SPP<br />

members maximizes the benefits and market access to<br />

customers. In some ways, SPP membership is similar<br />

to a farmer’s cooperative where economies of scale<br />

and pooling of resources provide individual entities<br />

with benefits they could not achieve on their own.<br />

“Given the uncertainty with carbon legislation and<br />

future fuel sources, transmission access is critical,”<br />

said Pope. “We simply don’t know what the favored<br />

fuels will be, but we need to ensure that we have<br />

access to them and markets. It’s not just solely about<br />

reliability anymore, economics plays a big role as<br />

well, and that means looking at transmission planning<br />

differently.”<br />

Despite some areas of change, a few things have<br />

remained much the same. NPPD reserves the right to<br />

not pursue a transmission project if it is not in the best<br />

interest of customers, and the <strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Power</strong> Review<br />

Board must still approve transmission line projects in<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong>. Also—from an operation’s standpoint—<br />

aside from software changes and updates, being<br />

part of SPP is not that much different. According<br />

to Transmission System Control Supervisor Ron<br />

Gunderson, the biggest change from MAPP to SPP is<br />

which entity is in charge of reliability coordination.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 13<br />

“When we were part of MAPP, the Midwest<br />

Independent System Operator served as our reliability<br />

coordinator, and now that function has transferred<br />

to SPP,” he said. “A lot of our time is spent getting<br />

to know the new operators, tools, processes and<br />

respective SPP staff.”<br />

Smooth Waters ...<br />

Over the Long-Term<br />

As SPP evolves and takes on new membership,<br />

it is also looking at new transmission planning and<br />

cost recovery processes. And, while NPPD does not<br />

agree with all of the details of some of these process<br />

changes, working alongside SPP through member<br />

committees helps address issues head on. SPP’s<br />

proposed highway/byway cost allocation methodology<br />

is one process change in which NPPD is expressing<br />

concern.<br />

“It is not the entire cost recovery process, but rather<br />

one piece of it that we do not find acceptable, so<br />

NPPD, along with a few other SPP members, have<br />

contested the approach with FERC,” said Pope. “We<br />

would like to see the methodology match more closely<br />

with the other cost recovery methods that were in<br />

effect when we joined.”<br />

While NPPD’s membership in SPP this past year<br />

has been a whirlwind of activity, some up and some<br />

down, it has helped the utility get a seat at the table<br />

and some transmission projects off the ground.<br />

“NPPD is well represented on the SPP committees<br />

and will continue to approach any issues in the best<br />

interests of NPPD and our customers,” said Pope.<br />

“Helping drive some of these fundamental policy<br />

issues is significantly more valuable than doing<br />

nothing from the outside looking in. It’s unrealistic<br />

to think that we would not face some challenges<br />

when making such a fundamental shift in how we<br />

do business, but we are committed to working with<br />

SPP and being part of the bigger solution. We are<br />

committed to being an active participant for the longterm.”


14<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

PROGRAM REACHES<br />

CRITICAL PHASE<br />

Customers in NPPD’s EnergyWiseSM Pricing Pilot<br />

Program were offered an additional opportunity this<br />

spring to learn more about how and when they use<br />

energy. The 11-month pilot program, which began<br />

Nov. 1, 2009, provides an opportunity to evaluate a<br />

customer’s ability and/or willingness to shift energy<br />

usage out of higher-priced “on-peak” or “critical<br />

peak” hours and into lower-priced “off-peak” hours.<br />

About 70 of the 200 customers who were already<br />

participating in the pilot on the time-of-use (TOU)<br />

rate chose to voluntarily switch to the Critical Peak<br />

Pricing (CPP) Rate, which started in <strong>May</strong>. Another<br />

16 customers volunteered for the second phase of the<br />

pilot from the pilot’s original waiting list. Both the<br />

TOU and CPP Phases of the program conclude at the<br />

end of October <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

TOU vs. CPP – What’s the Difference?<br />

Critical peak pricing is essentially the same as TOU<br />

pricing in that customers are charged different rates<br />

depending on when they use energy, both on-peak<br />

and off-peak. The difference is that, under CPP, the<br />

on-peak energy rate is replaced with a higher “critical<br />

peak” rate during days and hours when the cost of<br />

providing energy is most expensive.<br />

“The CPP phase of the pilot is a more advanced<br />

pricing option, but offers additional opportunities to<br />

save money,” explained Pricing, Rates & Wholesale<br />

Billing Manager Todd Swartz. “If customers are able<br />

to shift their energy usage from higher priced ‘critical<br />

peak’ hours to lower priced off-peak hours, they could<br />

see cost savings.”<br />

For example, on-peak hours on the TOU rate<br />

during the summer months range from 2 p.m. to 7<br />

p.m. (CDT) each weekday. On-peak hours on the<br />

CPP rate are also from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., but on certain<br />

days, NPPD will charge a substantially higher “critical<br />

peak” rate between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.<br />

To make up for the higher rate charged during this<br />

CPP time period, all off-peak and on-peak CPP rates<br />

are lower than on the TOU rate providing participants<br />

the opportunity for additional cost savings if they are<br />

willing to further shift energy usage outside of the onpeak<br />

and critical peak hours.<br />

“Temperature is the biggest factor in a decision<br />

to declare a critical peak day,” said Swartz. “For<br />

the pilot, critical peak days will be limited<br />

to weekdays in July and August, and<br />

a cap of no more than 15 critical peak days will be<br />

declared.”<br />

The CPP phase of the program began in <strong>May</strong> and<br />

will go through October. Critical peak hours will be 3<br />

p.m. to 6 p.m. on declared critical peak days. NPPD<br />

will declare a CPP event a day in advance, and will<br />

provide notice to customers on the CPP pilot rate<br />

through a message on www.nppd.com/timeofuse, and<br />

via an automated phone call and email.<br />

“NPPD’s overall goal of the pilot is to gain<br />

valuable input about customers’ pricing preferences<br />

and response to time-varying price signals and realtime<br />

information on electric usage,” explained Swartz.<br />

“Program results will be used to determine whether to<br />

permanently offer the same or similar rate options in<br />

the future.”<br />

What Participants Are Saying<br />

Results of a mid-pilot survey indicate most pilot<br />

participants are finding the new rates beneficial:<br />

“I like the feedback that helps me understand how<br />

much power I use during the day/week and when I use<br />

it. I also like the clear guidelines NPPD has set to help<br />

avoid using or reduce using power during the peak<br />

times.” (Plattsmouth)<br />

“It is easy to participate in and you get helpful<br />

information for ways to save energy.” (milford)<br />

“My children love to check the <strong>Power</strong> Cost<br />

MonitorTM and see what they can turn off to make it<br />

go down.” (Chadron)<br />

“I love that a little extra planning on my part can<br />

result in such huge benefits. I love the monitor, and<br />

the daily graphs. I can help NPPD save and the reward<br />

trickles down to us. I recommend it (the program) to<br />

all my friends.” (Plattsmouth)<br />

The areas of Plattsmouth, Chadron and Milford<br />

were selected for the pilot because they were among<br />

the first of NPPD’s retail towns in which smart meters<br />

were installed. NPPD is continuing to install these<br />

meters across its service area.<br />

.


Brian Ackman<br />

Scotus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus HR<br />

Team Leader<br />

Kathryn Ackman<br />

Alex Boyce<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> City<br />

H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS Project Mgr.<br />

Mike Boyce<br />

Rebecca Derickson<br />

North Platte H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

North Platte Proj.<br />

& Tech. Leader<br />

Chris Derickson<br />

Katie Foust<br />

Wahoo H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Planner<br />

Joe Foust<br />

Clint Albracht<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus P.T.<br />

Systems Spec.<br />

Barb & Eng. Tech.<br />

Joe Albracht<br />

Nichole Boyle<br />

Creighton H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Creighton Sr.<br />

Line Tech.<br />

Ed Boyle<br />

Stephanie Derickson<br />

North Platte H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

North Platte Proj.<br />

& Tech. Leader<br />

Chris Derickson<br />

Kailey Frenzel<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Information<br />

Tech. Conslt.<br />

Craig Frenzel<br />

Alyse Andreasen<br />

Twin River H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Eng. Spec.<br />

Scotty Andreasen<br />

Emily Brandt<br />

Fossil Ridge H.S.<br />

Fort Collins, Colo.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Retired Columbus<br />

Billing Supp. Spec.<br />

Mark Brandt<br />

Jerrod Dixon<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Temp. ITT Intern &<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Cost Mgmt.<br />

Process Lead<br />

Mike Dixon<br />

Noelle Gerken<br />

York H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

YOC Fleet Parts<br />

Spec.<br />

Michael Gerken<br />

McKenzie Anderson<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Sr. Systems<br />

Analyst<br />

Darin Anderson<br />

Ross Bricker<br />

Paxton Consol.<br />

H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS Material<br />

Controller<br />

Scott Bricker<br />

Seth Eggerling<br />

Pierce H.S.<br />

Son of Norfolk<br />

Customer<br />

Contact Spec.<br />

Angie Eggerling<br />

Morgan Hahn<br />

Pierce H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Norfolk Customer<br />

Contact Spec.<br />

Becky Hahn<br />

Nathan Arlt<br />

Adams Central<br />

H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Doniphan Sys.<br />

Control Mgr.<br />

Tim Arlt<br />

Chelsea Bulmer<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS I&C Tech.<br />

Jerry Bulmer<br />

Anastasia Esch<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Step-Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Eng. Tech.<br />

Kraig Esch<br />

Derek Hawkins<br />

Tarkio H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS I&C Supt.<br />

H.A. Hawkins<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Bria Backer<br />

Beatrice H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Beatrice Plant<br />

Operator<br />

Chris Backer<br />

Devin Campbell<br />

Shenandoah H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS<br />

Nuclear Support<br />

Jacque Campbell<br />

Marcus Estrada<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS<br />

Design Mgr.<br />

Roman Estrada<br />

Amanda Heywood<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Sr. Eng.<br />

Scheduler<br />

Ruth Heywood<br />

Anthony Benda<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Security System<br />

Analyst<br />

Heather Benda<br />

William Carroll<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> City<br />

H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS Engineer<br />

Christine Parkyn<br />

Jake Fink<br />

Humboldt Table<br />

Rock Steinauer<br />

H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS<br />

PT Chem. Tech.<br />

Jana Fink<br />

Jason Hoff<br />

York H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

YOC Fleet<br />

Operations Asst.<br />

Julie Hoff<br />

Jason Bouc<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Planner/<br />

Scheduler<br />

Kevin Bouc<br />

Erin DuBois<br />

Lourdes Central<br />

Catholic H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Safety &<br />

HU Supv.<br />

Laurence DuBois<br />

Greg Florence<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS Simulator<br />

Supv.<br />

Jim Florence<br />

Jay Hongsermeier<br />

Sutherland H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS Water<br />

Quality Tech.<br />

Randy Hongsermeier<br />

15


16<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Jake Hopwood<br />

Shelby H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Records Analyst<br />

Kathy Hopwood<br />

Emily Koch<br />

G.I. Northwest H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Doniphan Reliability<br />

Stand. Compl.<br />

Consultant<br />

Rick Koch<br />

Sara Mason<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Lead<br />

Planner<br />

Rory Mason<br />

Allison O’Connor<br />

Lincoln SW H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Lincoln Proj.<br />

Manager<br />

John O’Connor<br />

Willow Hunt<br />

Sterling H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Sterling EE &<br />

Bus. Partners<br />

Consult.<br />

Roger Hunt<br />

Mitchel Kracman<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Cash & Billing<br />

Analyst<br />

Gina Torczon<br />

Jordan McMann<br />

Johnson-Brock H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS<br />

Mechanic<br />

Steven McMann<br />

Tori Olberding<br />

Falls City Sacred<br />

Heart H.S.<br />

Dau. of CNS<br />

Licensing Spec. Jodie<br />

and Security Officer<br />

Tom Olberding<br />

Zack Jenner<br />

Sutherland H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS<br />

HVAC Tech.<br />

Jerry Jenner<br />

Kloe Kratz<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS<br />

Security Officer<br />

David Kratz<br />

Daniel Montgomery<br />

Mound City H.S.<br />

Son of CNS<br />

Emerg. Prep. Mgr.<br />

David Montgomery<br />

Tate Olsen<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

ITT Appl. Supv.<br />

Mark Olsen<br />

Adrian Jochum<br />

Sutherland H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Mechanical Tech.<br />

Randy Jochum<br />

Todd Kunze<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Deputy Asst.<br />

Treasurer<br />

Christine Pillen<br />

Kelsey Mundhenke<br />

O’Neill H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

O’Neill<br />

Sr. Line Tech.<br />

Kevin Mundehnke<br />

Rhiannon Peak<br />

Paxton Consol.<br />

H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Plant Operator<br />

Vance Peak<br />

Trey Johnson<br />

Hershey H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS<br />

I&C Tech.<br />

Tom Johnson<br />

Alex Kuta<br />

Scotus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Admin. Asst.<br />

Elaine Kuta<br />

Heidi Nelson<br />

Diller/Odell H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Sheldon Station<br />

Elec. I&C Lead<br />

Marvin Nelson<br />

Kayla Petska<br />

Hershey H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Material Handler<br />

Gary Petska<br />

Matthew Jones<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Business Tech.<br />

Lead<br />

Teena Jones<br />

Tausha Lee<br />

Doniphan Trumbull<br />

H.S.<br />

Dau. of Doniphan<br />

Contracts &<br />

Analysis Supv.<br />

Joel Lee<br />

Kylie Newcomb<br />

EBeka Academy,<br />

Pensacola, Fla.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS<br />

Fire Marshal<br />

Kent Newcomb<br />

Amy Pettit<br />

Hastings H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Doniphan<br />

Sr. Systems<br />

Analyst<br />

Tracy Pettit<br />

Kody Killion<br />

York H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

YOC Contract &<br />

Analysis Spec.<br />

Lori Richter<br />

Rachel Lentfer<br />

Kearney H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Admin. Asst.<br />

Marlene Lentfer<br />

Andrew Norris<br />

Kearney H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Kearney Cust.<br />

Service Spec.<br />

Brenda Norris<br />

Dove Phillips<br />

Hershey H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Material Handler<br />

Bill Phillips<br />

Megan Kirkland<br />

Kearney H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Kearney<br />

Lineman<br />

Russell Kirkland<br />

Courtney Lloyd<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

A/P Spec.<br />

Paula Lloyd<br />

Ben Nosal<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus Office<br />

Services Supv.<br />

Juliann Nosal<br />

Grady Phillips<br />

Hershey H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS<br />

Material Handler<br />

Bill Phillips


Taylor Phipps<br />

Crete H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Sheldon Station<br />

Shift Leader<br />

James Phipps<br />

Anna Steiner<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus VP<br />

Human Resources<br />

& Corp. Support<br />

Roy Steiner<br />

Samantha Welch<br />

Lakeview H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Compensation<br />

Spec.<br />

Donna Welch<br />

Miranda Pinkerton<br />

Mountain View<br />

H.S.<br />

Dau. of GGS<br />

Lab. Tech.<br />

Michal Pinkerton<br />

Jeffrey Stewart<br />

Sutherland H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

GGS HVAC Tech.<br />

Mike Stewart<br />

Michael Wellman<br />

Auburn H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS Nuclear<br />

Instructor<br />

Tami Wellman<br />

Arielle Raymond<br />

Home School<br />

Dau. of YOC<br />

Envir. Coord.<br />

Jeff Raymond<br />

Samuel Swartz<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus Pricing,<br />

Rates & Wholesale<br />

Billing Mgr.<br />

Todd Swartz<br />

Annika Wickizer<br />

Wallace H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Computer Tech.<br />

Cynthia Wickizer<br />

Jenny Andrew<br />

Hastings College<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Retired Engineer<br />

Dan Andrew<br />

Roger Rhodes<br />

Doniphan-<br />

Trumbull H.S.<br />

Son of Doniphan<br />

Lead HVAC<br />

Elec. Tech.<br />

Bruce Rhodes<br />

Meghan Tinkham<br />

Kearney H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Kearney Eng.<br />

Spec.<br />

Mike Tinkham<br />

Amanda Wusk<br />

Freeman H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Sheldon Station<br />

Operations<br />

Leader<br />

Rodney Wusk<br />

Abby Baumert<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus Retired<br />

Records Analyst<br />

Bernadine Baumert<br />

Laura Ruskamp<br />

Johnson Brock<br />

H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Electrician<br />

Jerry Ruskamp<br />

Koni Valencia<br />

Scotus H.S.<br />

Foreign Exchange<br />

Student of<br />

Columbus Energy<br />

Efficiency Conslt.<br />

Steve Zach<br />

Blair Youngs<br />

Paxton Consl.<br />

H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Paxton Civil<br />

Maint. Tech.<br />

Keith Youngs<br />

Audra Blatchford<br />

UN-Omaha<br />

Dau. of Columbus<br />

Proj. Suppt. Spec.<br />

Brenda & Property<br />

Insur. Admin.<br />

Doug Blatchford<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 17<br />

Tim Shannon<br />

Columbus H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus Sr.<br />

Systems Analyst<br />

Mark Shannon<br />

Dalton Wademan<br />

Gering H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Scottsbluff Distr.<br />

Supt.<br />

Dennis Wademan<br />

Laura Zach<br />

Scotus H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus Energy<br />

Efficiency Conslt.<br />

Steve Zach<br />

Zachary Brueningsen<br />

Nebr. Christian<br />

College<br />

Son of<br />

Doniphan Entry<br />

Control Spec.<br />

Bec Brueningsen<br />

Katie Skaff<br />

Norfolk H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Norfolk<br />

Engineer<br />

Tom Skaff<br />

Zachary Walgren<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> City H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

CNS<br />

Supply Chain Mgr.<br />

Chuck Walgren<br />

Megan Comstock<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

Wesleyan<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS HU/IS Coord.<br />

Chuck Comstock<br />

Elizabeth Spellman<br />

York H.S.<br />

Dau. of<br />

York/Kearney<br />

ITT Support<br />

Supv.<br />

Todd Spellman<br />

Kyle Wegner<br />

Norfolk H.S.<br />

Son of<br />

Lead Telec. Tech.<br />

Corey Wegner<br />

Richard Costello<br />

Northwest<br />

Arkansas CC<br />

Son of<br />

CNS Outage<br />

Scheduler<br />

Barb Stramel


18<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Rob Eshleman<br />

Peru State<br />

College<br />

GGS<br />

I&C Eng. Spec.<br />

Megan Lamb<br />

Iowa State U.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus Sr.<br />

Systems Analyst<br />

Charles Lamb<br />

Sarah Plettner<br />

Chadron State<br />

College Dau. of<br />

Norfolk Economic<br />

Dev. Consult. Mary<br />

and Columbus<br />

Env. Spec.<br />

Rocky Plettner<br />

Jessica Wendt<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Sr. Systems<br />

Analyst<br />

Jean Wendt<br />

Tony Evasco<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus Sr.<br />

Proj. Mgr.<br />

Guy Evasco<br />

Chelsea Lewis<br />

Bryan LGH College<br />

of Nursing<br />

Dau. of<br />

Norfolk<br />

Journey Line Tech.<br />

Jerry Lewis<br />

Amber Sammons<br />

Bellevue U.<br />

CNS<br />

Temp.<br />

Security Officer<br />

Lindsey Wendt<br />

UN-Kearney<br />

Dau. of<br />

Scottsbluff<br />

Safety Spec.<br />

Doug Wendt<br />

Jeremy Florke<br />

UN-Kearney<br />

Son of North<br />

Platte<br />

Account Mgr.<br />

Jim Florke<br />

Keenan Lewis<br />

SECC-Lincoln<br />

Son of<br />

Norfolk<br />

Journey Line Tech.<br />

Jerry Lewis<br />

Jenna Schmit<br />

Wayne State<br />

College<br />

Dau. of Doniphan<br />

Elec. Reliability<br />

Compliance<br />

Spec.<br />

Don Schmit<br />

Caleb Westmore<br />

U. of<br />

Northern Colo.<br />

Son of<br />

Ogallala Lead<br />

Telec. Tech.<br />

Charlie Westmore<br />

Katie Goedeken<br />

SD State U.<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Envir. Process<br />

Asst.<br />

Denise Goedeken<br />

Cade Lueck<br />

SECC-Milford<br />

Son of<br />

Doniphan<br />

Contracts &<br />

Analysis Spec.<br />

Laurie Lueck<br />

Nicole Schultz<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS<br />

Quality Assurance<br />

Eng.<br />

Rocky Schultz<br />

Courtney Wever<br />

Chadron State<br />

College<br />

Dau. of<br />

GGS<br />

Material Handler<br />

Brent Wever<br />

Ryan Grieb<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Son of<br />

YOC<br />

Acct. Mgmt.<br />

Coord.<br />

Sheila Grieb<br />

Roxanne Maine<br />

Wayne State<br />

College<br />

Dau. of<br />

CNS Work Week<br />

Director<br />

Richard Maine<br />

Nicole Sobotka<br />

U. of South Dakota<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Finance & Cost<br />

Mgr.<br />

Tom Sobotka<br />

Rochelle Wright<br />

UNMC College of<br />

Dentistry<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Computer Tech.<br />

Mary Wright<br />

Kelli Gruber<br />

UN-Lincoln<br />

Dau. of<br />

YOC<br />

Operations Asst.<br />

Jnel Gruber<br />

Meagan Mohrman<br />

UN-Kearney<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Contract Admin.<br />

Spec.<br />

Deb Mohrman<br />

Cameron Vincent<br />

SECC-Milford<br />

Son of<br />

Doniphan Tech.<br />

Training Clerk<br />

Brook and Sys.<br />

Operator Craig<br />

Vincent<br />

Austin Zach<br />

UN-Omaha<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Energy Efficiency<br />

Consult.<br />

Steve Zach<br />

Jessica Johnson<br />

Bryan LGH<br />

College of Nursing<br />

Dau. of<br />

Chadron<br />

Planner/Scheduler<br />

Terry Johnson<br />

Michelle Moore<br />

Mt. Marty College<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus<br />

Adm. Asst.<br />

Lori Moore<br />

Erik Weinmeister<br />

Peru State<br />

College<br />

Columbus<br />

Sr. Systems<br />

Analyst<br />

Nicholas Zarek<br />

NECC-Norfolk<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

Adm. Asst.<br />

Margie Zarek<br />

Brynn Kunhart<br />

Wayne State<br />

College<br />

Dau. of<br />

Columbus Office<br />

Services Supv.<br />

Mark Kunhart<br />

Jerod Persson<br />

CCC-Hastings<br />

Son of<br />

Kearney<br />

Planner/Scheduler<br />

Daniel Persson<br />

Jacquelyn Wellman<br />

Midland Lutheran<br />

College<br />

Dau. of CNS<br />

Nuclear Instructor<br />

Tami Wellman


Shawn Beaudette<br />

UN-Lincoln Law<br />

School<br />

Son of<br />

Norfolk Customer<br />

Service Leader<br />

Cate Janssen<br />

Jason Rinne<br />

UN-Omaha<br />

MA-Physical Ed/<br />

Exerc. Science<br />

Son of Columbus<br />

Planning Analyst<br />

Sue & Contracts<br />

Mgr. Rod Rinne<br />

Meshelle Boruch<br />

Bellevue U.<br />

MA-Leadership<br />

CNS<br />

Site HR Manager<br />

Jacob Steiner<br />

UN-Lincoln School<br />

of Law<br />

Son of<br />

Columbus<br />

VP Human<br />

Resources & Corp.<br />

Support<br />

Roy Steiner<br />

Brian Gruber<br />

National<br />

Graduate School<br />

MS-Quality<br />

Systems Mgmt.<br />

Son of YOC<br />

Operations Asst.<br />

Jnel Gruber<br />

Jen Swenson<br />

U. of NY<br />

MA-Sculpture<br />

Dau. of<br />

Doniphan Lead<br />

Real Time Appl.<br />

Analyst<br />

Victor Bockerman<br />

Casey Holsing<br />

Baker U.<br />

MA-Conflict Mgmt.<br />

& Dispute Resol.<br />

Dau. of Sheldon<br />

Station<br />

Admin. Asst.<br />

Cindy Holsing<br />

Heather Tillotson<br />

Doane College<br />

M-Education<br />

Dau. of<br />

Norfolk Sr.<br />

Planning Analyst<br />

Chris Adamson<br />

Daniel Hoover<br />

Southern College<br />

of Optometry-<br />

Memphis, Tenn.<br />

Son of Paxton Civil<br />

Maint. Tech.<br />

Calvin Hoover<br />

Britney Wever<br />

Rocky Mountain<br />

College<br />

M-Physician Asst.<br />

Dau. of GGS<br />

Material Handler<br />

Brent Wever<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 19<br />

Sarah Luther<br />

Hastings College<br />

MA Teaching<br />

Dau. of<br />

Doniphan Lead<br />

Real Time Appl.<br />

Analyst<br />

Victor Bockerman<br />

Andrew Molthan<br />

Dr. of Philosophy<br />

U. of Alabama-<br />

Huntsville<br />

Son of Lincoln<br />

Substation Support<br />

Spec.<br />

Debra Molthan<br />

Amanda Nelson<br />

Forest Institute of<br />

Psychology<br />

M-Clinical<br />

Psychology<br />

Dau. of Doniphan<br />

Contracts &<br />

Analysis Spec.<br />

Kathy Nelson


20<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

NPPD Recognized for Safety Record<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />

earned an American <strong>Public</strong><br />

<strong>Power</strong> Association’s (APPA) Electric<br />

Utility Safety Award for safe operating<br />

practices in 2009. The utility received a<br />

second place award in the category for<br />

utilities with four million worker-hours<br />

of annual worker exposure.<br />

The award was presented to NPPD<br />

by Marc Gerken, chair of the APPA<br />

Board of Directors and President/CEO<br />

of American Municipal <strong>Power</strong>, Inc.,<br />

during APPA’s annual Engineering and<br />

Operations Technical Conference held in<br />

Omaha.<br />

“NPPD values safety as an<br />

important aspect of our work, whether<br />

it be working on a power line or<br />

driving company vehicles,” said<br />

Chris Overman, safety and human<br />

performance manager for NPPD. “The<br />

safety of our employees and the public<br />

is an NPPD value and our first priority.<br />

NPPD actively works to develop and reinforce the<br />

desire, knowledge, and skills that allow our employees<br />

to live and work safely both on and off the job.<br />

“We strive to continuously improve our safety<br />

performance and practices while at the same time<br />

continuing to provide low cost, reliable electricity to<br />

our customers throughout <strong>Nebraska</strong>,” said Overman.<br />

More than 230 public power utilities across the<br />

country entered the APPA contest. Entrants were<br />

placed in categories according to their number of<br />

worker hours and judged for the most incident-free<br />

records during 2009. The incidence rate used to<br />

APPA Vice President of Engineering Services Mike Hyland, York<br />

Construction Services Manager Paul Brune, and APPA Board Chair and<br />

President/CEO of American Municipal <strong>Power</strong>, Inc. Marc Gerken pose for this<br />

photo during the association’s annual Engineering and Operations Technical<br />

Conference held in Omaha March 29.<br />

judge entries is based on the number of work-related<br />

reportable injuries or illnesses and the number<br />

of worker-hours during 2009, as defined by the<br />

Occupational Safety and Health Administration.<br />

“Safety is the top concern when it comes to<br />

working with electricity,” said Gerken. “These utilities<br />

should be proud of the efforts they’ve put forth to<br />

guarantee that safety is always top of mind.”<br />

APPA’s Electric Utility Safety Award has been<br />

presented annually for the past 50 years. APPA is the<br />

national organization representing more than 2,000<br />

not-for-profit community- and state-owned electric<br />

utilities.


Brian O’Grady Promoted to Vice President and<br />

Chief Nuclear Officer at Cooper Nuclear Station<br />

Brian O’Grady<br />

was promoted to<br />

Vice President and Chief<br />

Nuclear Officer at Cooper<br />

Nuclear Station effective<br />

April 12. O’Grady is an<br />

employee of Entergy<br />

Nuclear <strong>Nebraska</strong>, which<br />

provides management<br />

support services to NPPD<br />

at the nuclear plant. He<br />

previously served as<br />

Cooper Nuclear Station<br />

Brian O’Grady<br />

Site Vice President. He<br />

replaced Stu Minahan, who spent the past six-andone-half<br />

years at Cooper Station in key management<br />

positions. Minahan accepted an assignment with the<br />

Nuclear Energy Institute, and remains an Entergy<br />

employee.<br />

O’Grady has more than 25 years experience in<br />

the commercial nuclear power industry. He holds a<br />

Bachelor of Science degree from Lehigh University<br />

in Bethlehem, Pa., with a major in metallurgical and<br />

material engineering and a minor in economics. He<br />

joined the Cooper Nuclear Station management team<br />

in September, 2008.<br />

Prior to joining Entergy, he served as Site Vice<br />

President at Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns<br />

Ferry Nuclear Plant, where he was responsible for<br />

restarting Unit 1 following 22 years of shutdown, and<br />

for the day-to-day operation of Units 2 & 3. O’Grady<br />

has also served as Vice President of Operations<br />

Support for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, following<br />

two years as General Manager, Plant Operations, at<br />

James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear <strong>Power</strong> Plant. He is also<br />

a former Operations Manager of Point Beach Nuclear<br />

Plant for the Nuclear Management Company.<br />

Storm Damages Harbine to Steele City Line<br />

storm that moved through southeast <strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

A April 29 was responsible for damage along the<br />

Harbine to Steele City 115,000-volt transmission line.<br />

Thirty-six structures were damaged, bringing down<br />

This pole was one of 36 damaged in an April 29 storm.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 21<br />

approximately three-and-a-half miles of transmission<br />

line. The line was built to serve a pumping station<br />

to be used by TransCanada and no customers were<br />

affected. The line was back in service <strong>May</strong> 5.<br />

Crews work to repair the Harbine to Steele City<br />

transmission line.


22<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

NPPD to save money by changing refueling outage schedule<br />

Over the next year, NPPD will transition into a<br />

24-month refueling cycle for Cooper Nuclear<br />

Station. Normally, NPPD refuels the power station<br />

every 18 months. The majority of nuclear stations<br />

designed like Cooper conduct their refueling outages<br />

every 24 months.<br />

“Cooper generates approximately 21 percent of<br />

our customers’ electricity,” said President and CEO<br />

Ron Asche, “so its refueling outages are critical to<br />

our operations. If we can save costs associated with<br />

an outage and make a change that benefits us as a<br />

utility, it only makes sense to move forward with this<br />

change.”<br />

During a refueling outage, the plant is removed<br />

from service and employees conduct large- and smallscale<br />

equipment maintenance, repair, and replacement<br />

activities. One of those large-scale activities is<br />

to replace approximately 160 used fuel bundles<br />

(approximately one-third of the fuel used to generate<br />

electricity) with the same number of new fuel bundles.<br />

Transitioning to a 24-month refueling cycle<br />

will include a one-time cost of approximately $6.5<br />

million for an NRC license amendment and will add<br />

approximately $6 million in fuel costs over the next<br />

three years; however, NPPD expects to save $50<br />

The Only State sells for...<br />

29<br />

$ 99<br />

plus tax<br />

and shipping on nppd.com<br />

www.nppd.com/theonlystate/.<br />

You can also contact Columbus administrative assistant<br />

Kathy Fadschild at 402.563.5690 to order a copy.<br />

million every six years after the transition is complete.<br />

The 24-month refueling cycle reduces the number<br />

of refueling outages from four outages over a 6-year<br />

period to three outages every six years. This results<br />

in reduced labor costs, material expenses and the<br />

costs associated with purchasing replacement energy<br />

when Cooper is in outage. Cooper will also benefit<br />

by having a schedule that reduces the competition<br />

for specialized contract labor, which currently occurs<br />

when Cooper is in outage at the same time as other<br />

nuclear power plants in the region.<br />

NPPD will conduct studies to ensure that Cooper’s<br />

instrument calibration and preventative maintenance<br />

requirements, the type and amount of fuel, as well<br />

as plant procedures and calculations are set up to<br />

support 24-month cycles. It will take approximately<br />

one year to perform the necessary engineering and<br />

licensing work. NPPD will then seek approval of this<br />

change from the Nuclear<br />

Regulatory Commission.<br />

NPPD hopes to receive<br />

NRC approval by August of<br />

2012 and begin operating<br />

under a 24-month fuel cycle<br />

in the fall of that year.


NPPD RESPONDS...<br />

to hazardous material threat<br />

On the afternoon of April<br />

15, an unidentified white<br />

substance was found on a<br />

piece of correspondence opened by a<br />

General Office employee. Members<br />

of NPPD’s environmental department<br />

and corporate security were called,<br />

and they put NPPD’s hazardous<br />

material response plan into action<br />

by calling the Columbus Police<br />

Department and the East Central<br />

<strong>District</strong> Health. Other emergency<br />

response organizations including<br />

the Columbus Fire Department<br />

Hazardous Materials Team, <strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

State Patrol, and the Platte Valley Emergency<br />

Management Agency also responded.<br />

Approximately 20 individuals were in the building<br />

at the time the response plans were put into action.<br />

Those people were quarantined until shortly after<br />

10 p.m. when hazardous materials response teams<br />

gave the individuals the “all clear” and sent them on<br />

their way.<br />

On-site test results indicated that the substance was<br />

not hazardous. Conclusive tests were then conducted<br />

in Omaha and showed the same result.<br />

“The makeup of the substance could not be<br />

determined,” stated Physical Security Specialist Don<br />

Thorson. “The tests just proved it was not hazardous<br />

to anyone’s health.”<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 23<br />

As part of their procedure in dealing with a hazardous<br />

material situation, members of the <strong>Nebraska</strong> Hazardous<br />

Incident Team are sprayed after touching the suspect<br />

document to remove any potential contamination.<br />

Fortunately, on-site tests indicated no hazardous substance<br />

on the document.<br />

“This real-life event was a good test<br />

of our emergency response plans.” We<br />

learned some things that will help us in<br />

future emergency situations.”<br />

Don Thorson<br />

Physical Security Specialist


24<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

from around the state<br />

Norfolk / Barb Keating, Customer Contact Specialist /<br />

bjkeati@nppd.com<br />

The first annual Earth Day Expo was held at the<br />

Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community<br />

College. NPPD was represented in the event with<br />

a Hybrid Bucket Truck furnished by Journey Line<br />

Technician Gale Bender and a booth where Customer<br />

Services Leader Cate Janssen, Customer Contact<br />

Specialists Georgia Wyatt, Judy Cavanaugh and<br />

Barb Keating offered information to the public on<br />

energy efficiency for their homes.<br />

Gale Bender is shown here with the NPPD Hybrid Bucket Truck<br />

at the Earth Day Expo at Northeast Community College.<br />

Cooper Nuclear Station / Glenn Troester,<br />

Nuclear Communications Coordinator / grtroes@nppd.com<br />

Martha Dykstra, daughter<br />

of Electrical Programs<br />

Supervisor James Dykstra,<br />

took 2nd place at the Iowa<br />

state regional Math Bee<br />

competition, which qualified<br />

her for the State Math Bee.<br />

At the state competition, she<br />

medaled in the top 25 with a<br />

15th place finish. Martha will<br />

be in the 7th grade in the fall.<br />

Martha Dykstra<br />

O’Neill / Eileen Osborne, Customer Services Support Specialist /<br />

erosbor@nppd.com<br />

United States Air Force<br />

Airman First Class<br />

Amber Mundhenke<br />

graduated from Air<br />

Force Basic Military<br />

Training at Lackland<br />

Air Force Base in San<br />

Antonio, Texas. She<br />

completed an intensive<br />

eight-week program<br />

that included training<br />

in military discipline<br />

and studies, Air Force<br />

Amber Mundhenke<br />

core values, physical<br />

fitness and basic warfare principles and skills. Amber<br />

was chosen to be a tactical leader for deployment<br />

simulation training and her flight earned the honor of<br />

being the flag mass for the graduation ceremony. She<br />

is studying Aerospace Medical Services at Sheppard<br />

Air Force Base in Texas. Upon completion of her<br />

studies, Amber will be stationed at Nellis Air Force<br />

Base in Las Vegas, Nev. She is the daughter of Senior<br />

Line Technician Kevin and Darla Mundhenke.<br />

North Platte / Kay Nichols, Administrative Assistant /<br />

kenicho@nppd.com<br />

Paxton Civil<br />

Maintenance Technician<br />

Roy Reutzel was<br />

awarded the American<br />

Legion <strong>District</strong> Five<br />

Horse Collar Award at<br />

its convention in Paxton<br />

for his willingness<br />

to help work and<br />

serve others in both<br />

the organization and<br />

community. Roy has<br />

been a member of<br />

the Paxton American<br />

Legion Post 303 for the<br />

past 28 years.<br />

Roy Reutzel


Columbus / Kathy Fadschild, Administrative Assistant /<br />

klfadsc@nppd.com<br />

Brittany Hopwood<br />

Amy Price<br />

The University of <strong>Nebraska</strong>–<br />

Lincoln recognized Brittany<br />

Hopwood and Amy Price<br />

at the <strong>2010</strong> Big Red Stars<br />

ceremony. Big Red Stars<br />

honors outstanding eighthgrade<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> students.<br />

The students are nominated<br />

by school principals for<br />

strong leadership skills and<br />

academic promise. Brittany<br />

attends Shelby <strong>Public</strong><br />

School and is the daughter<br />

of Procurement Coordinator<br />

Sarah and Rodney<br />

Hopwood. Amy attends<br />

Scotus Central Catholic and<br />

is the daughter of Part-Time<br />

Sr. Accounting Analyst Joan<br />

and Sr. Systems Analyst John<br />

Price.<br />

Procurement Specialist<br />

Tami Weber placed 6th<br />

in the Mrs. <strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

America Pageant held in<br />

Omaha. Tami, who holds<br />

the title of Mrs. Greater<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong>, competed<br />

against 14 other women<br />

and took home awards<br />

for the Best in Interview<br />

for Non-Finalists and<br />

the Entourage Award<br />

Tami Weber<br />

for generating the most<br />

advertising through sponsorships. Tami launched<br />

a youth literacy campaign at the Shelby <strong>Public</strong><br />

School, Bright Beginnings Preschool and the Shelby<br />

<strong>Public</strong> Library to raise awareness on the importance<br />

of reading at a young age. She also participated in<br />

several events including the Susan G. Komen “Puttin<br />

on the Pink” event in Omaha to support breast cancer<br />

research, and the American Heart Association “Go<br />

Red for Women” event in Lincoln to raise awareness<br />

on heart disease. Tami lives in Shelby with her<br />

husband, Travis, and three children, Tyler, Faith and<br />

Aniston.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 25<br />

Energy Efficiency Consultant Steve Zach and his<br />

family were named the <strong>Nebraska</strong> State Family of<br />

the Year at the 105th Annual Knights of Columbus<br />

Convention in Kearney. The Zach’s are members of<br />

St. Isidore Church.<br />

Standing: Laura, Austin, Marie, Steve, Koni (foreign<br />

exchange student); Kneeling: Danny, Wes<br />

Alex Kurtenbach, son of<br />

Staff Auditor Todd and Beth<br />

Kurtenbach, received his<br />

Eagle Scout Award. His Eagle<br />

Scout project consisted of<br />

designing and constructing<br />

a cabinet for the Columbus<br />

Rescue Mission, which is<br />

used to serve meals and store<br />

recycling containers. Alex, an<br />

upcoming junior at Columbus<br />

High School, is active in<br />

Alex Kurtenbach<br />

football, basketball and is on the honor roll.<br />

Temporary ITT Intern Jerrod<br />

Dixon competed at the<br />

Greater <strong>Nebraska</strong> Science<br />

Engineering Fair in <strong>Nebraska</strong><br />

City. He won first in the<br />

computer science category,<br />

won the Intel Excellence in<br />

Computer Science Award,<br />

and the U.S. Army Award. A<br />

<strong>2010</strong> graduate of Lakeview<br />

High School, Jerrod is the son<br />

of Cost Management Process<br />

Lead Mike and Karla Dixon.<br />

Jerrod Dixon


26<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

York / Cindy Klein, Customer Services & Delivery Representative /<br />

ceklein@nppd.com<br />

Apprentice Substation Technician Monty Rahder<br />

gave presentations at various groundwater festivals<br />

across the state. He spoke to school children in<br />

Norfolk, Sydney and Grand Island about water<br />

conservation. Monty is the Chairman of the <strong>Public</strong><br />

Education Committee of the <strong>Nebraska</strong> Water<br />

Environment Association.<br />

Monty Rahder (front center) prepares to give a water<br />

conservation presentation to school-aged children in Norfolk.<br />

Kearney / Lisa Willson, Administrative Assistant /<br />

lmwills@nppd.com<br />

The Kearney on the Bricks Rotary Club completed<br />

the Agriculture Zone at the Kearney Area Children’s<br />

Museum. The Ag Zone features a barn, interactive<br />

touch screen monitors, silo, chicken coop, John<br />

Deere tractor and a flower box. The Club received a<br />

$20,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to complete<br />

the project. Subtransmission & Distribution Training<br />

Specialist Gary Nunns is the club president.<br />

The new agriculture Zone at the Kearney Area Children’s Museum.<br />

Journey Line Technician Russ Kirkland holds the flag as the<br />

motorcade passes by on 2nd Avenue in Kearney.<br />

On April 16, thousands of people lined the streets of<br />

Kearney to welcome home soldiers from the city’s<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> Army National Guard 1195th Transportation<br />

Company. The unit was stationed at Camp Victory in<br />

Baghdad, Iraq for 11 months.<br />

Ogallala / Connie Knapp, Customer Services Support Specialist /<br />

csknapp@nppd.com<br />

Lexington Line Technician<br />

Nick Nichols received<br />

the Daughters of the<br />

American Revolution<br />

Community Service<br />

Award. Nick is active in<br />

the Lexington community,<br />

serving as Commander for<br />

the Veterans of Foreign<br />

Wars post and Assistant<br />

Scoutmaster of the Boy<br />

Nick Nichols<br />

Scout Troop 144, and Cub<br />

Packs 143 and 146. He served a combined 36 years<br />

in the Marine Corps and the National Guard. He also<br />

plays “St. Nick” during the Christmas season.


Darrell and Cleo Nelson...<br />

Darrell and Cleo Nelson were married on<br />

Aug. 27, 1950. Here, they are shown cutting<br />

their wedding cake.<br />

on the<br />

Kris Anderson, dispatch specialist, Norfolk, to<br />

customer contact specialist.<br />

Mike Bird, instrument and control technician, Cooper<br />

Nuclear Station, to planner.<br />

Nick Bockerman, coordinator, Kearney, to system<br />

operator, Doniphan.<br />

Diane Bryant, plant technical services assistant,<br />

Gerald Gentleman Station, to water quality technician.<br />

Laurence Dubois, human performance and safety<br />

supervisor (temporary assignment), CNS, to human<br />

performance and safety supervisor.<br />

Louann Fischer, business analyst, Columbus, to<br />

automatic metering information administrator.<br />

Joel Lee, energy supply operator, Doniphan, to<br />

contract and analysis supervisor.<br />

Barb Ludden, administrative assistant, Columbus, to<br />

human resources assistant.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 27<br />

to celebrate 60 years of wedded bliss<br />

An open house in honor of the 60th wedding anniversary of<br />

NPPD Board Director Darrell Nelson and his wife, Cleo, will be<br />

held at the Oconto Community Center on July 17 from 2-4 p.m.<br />

The couple married on Aug. 27, 1950 at the Evangelical United<br />

Brethren Church in Oconto. Cards will reach them at 851 Pawnee<br />

Lane, Broken Bow, NE 68822. Congratulations!<br />

Kim Maddox, foreign material exclusion coordinator<br />

(temporary assignment), CNS, to foreign material<br />

exclusion coordinator.<br />

Jennifer Ogan, customer contact specialist, Norfolk,<br />

to administrative assistant, Columbus.<br />

Dave Oshlo, radiation protection manager, CNS, to<br />

information technology manager.<br />

Jeremy Poulsen, journey line technician, South Sioux<br />

City, to local manager, Tilden.<br />

Steve Sheldon, electrician, CNS, to planner.<br />

April Tichenor, dispatch specialist, Norfolk, to<br />

customer contact specialist.<br />

Dirk Triplett, operator, Kearney, to subtransmission<br />

and distribution system control coordinator.<br />

Brian Wolken, engineer, GGS, to civil engineering<br />

supervisor, CNS.<br />

Kody Youngquist, mechanic, CNS, to mechanical<br />

maintenance supervisor.


28<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

Sonny McCormick received all the right stuff<br />

to retire from <strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong><br />

in style. A dinner in his honor was held <strong>May</strong> 1 at<br />

Valentino’s in Ogallala. Special guests included<br />

his wife, Beth; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and<br />

Mindy McCormick and grandchildren Drake<br />

and Kalyssa of Lincoln; daughter and son-in-law,<br />

Donelle and Cody Kimberling and grandchildren<br />

Chase, Jenna and Kinsey of North Platte; mother,<br />

Della McCormick of Longmont, Colo.; sisters,<br />

Carol Seiler of Ogallala and Venita Kimble and<br />

JoDeen McCormick, both of Longmont, Colo.;<br />

brothers, Gary Kelso of Arvada, Colo., Fritz<br />

McCormick of Grant and Calvin McCormick of<br />

North Platte and their spouses.<br />

McCook Distribution Superintendent and Master<br />

of Ceremonies Brian Buhr presented Sonny with<br />

his official retirement document and gift from<br />

NPPD, an Olympus digital camera which Sonny<br />

will use on the trips he and Beth are planning to<br />

take.<br />

To make sure Sonny’s retirement got off to a<br />

good start; Brian presented a money tree from coworkers.<br />

As a remembrance, employees from the<br />

Ogallala district also gave Sonny a metal, laser cut<br />

sign depicting a lineman on a pole.<br />

Chase Kimberling and Drake McCormick<br />

presented their grandfather with gifts from the<br />

family, a GPS navigation unit for smooth travel on<br />

the highways and byways and a band saw for use in<br />

his woodworking shop.<br />

R E T I R E E N E W S<br />

Sonny mcCormick has the right tools for retirement<br />

Sonny McCormick holds the metal sign Ogallala district<br />

employees gave him as a retirement gift.<br />

For Sonny, the occasion marked more than 33<br />

years of employment with NPPD. He began his<br />

career Jan. 3, 1977 as an apprentice lineman in<br />

Ogallala. He advanced to lineman July 1, 1980<br />

and earned his status as a journeyman lineman<br />

in December of 1984. He was awarded several<br />

promotions to work as a distribution serviceman,<br />

line foreman and lead line technician. In February<br />

of 2004, he accepted a position as senior line<br />

technician on the Ogallala Maintenance and<br />

Construction Crew. In 2005, he transferred to the<br />

Distribution Crew as a journey line technician, a<br />

position he held at the time of his retirement on<br />

March 5, <strong>2010</strong>.<br />

Sonny plans to put his gifts to good use when<br />

traveling and woodworking. He also hopes to catch<br />

a few fish.


Family and friends<br />

gathered at Dusters<br />

Restaurant in Columbus on<br />

March 5 for an open house<br />

reception honoring Steve<br />

Petersen of Columbus on his<br />

retirement from NPPD. Special<br />

guests were his wife, Carol;<br />

sister, Jeri Ann Petersen,<br />

and brother and sister-in-law,<br />

Greg and Lisa Petersen, all<br />

of Omaha; Carol’s sister, Joan<br />

Speicher-Simpson, and niece,<br />

Kerri Simpson, both of Lincoln.<br />

Steve joined NPPD on<br />

<strong>May</strong> 16, 1986 as a systems analyst<br />

in the Data Information Services Department. Later<br />

that year, he accepted a promotion to work as a<br />

senior systems analyst. He devoted his career to<br />

Columbus Energizers<br />

will meet July 15 and Aug. 19 at<br />

8:30 a.m. at Stack ‘N Steak.<br />

Paul Badje, (402) 564-8863,<br />

tailor@neb.rr.com<br />

Klassy Kilowatts will meet<br />

July 19 and Aug. 16 at the North<br />

Platte Airport. Meetings scheduled<br />

to begin at 12:30 p.m. CST.<br />

Tom Pendelton, (308) 532-5040<br />

tmpen@hamilton.net<br />

R E T I R E E N E W S<br />

Steve Petersen at his retirement<br />

open house in Columbus.<br />

RETIREES<br />

Low Voltage Panhandlers<br />

will not meet in July.<br />

Don Koralewski, (308) 783-1851<br />

donaldkoralewski340@gmail.com<br />

Northern Lights will meet<br />

at noon on Aug. 9 for a Missouri<br />

River Tour and picnic at Jim<br />

Decker’s cabin. Please RSVP to<br />

Jim. Address: 57493 892 Rd.,<br />

Wynot, NE 68792. Rain date is<br />

Aug. 16. No meetings scheduled<br />

for the remainder of the year.<br />

Jim Decker, (402) 357-3788<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong> 29<br />

Steve Petersen enjoys retirement festivities with family, friends<br />

working with computers and software<br />

systems and transferred to the Office<br />

System Services department in January<br />

of 1990 where he held positions as a<br />

systems analyst and senior network<br />

support specialist. In 2002, he accepted<br />

duties in the Enterprise Information<br />

Technology Department where he<br />

worked as an operating systems analyst<br />

and senior systems analyst until his<br />

retirement on Nov. 30, 2009.<br />

Steve chose a watch as his retirement<br />

gift from NPPD and also received a<br />

cash gift from co-workers.<br />

Retirement plans include travel,<br />

enjoying various hobbies and continuing<br />

his Lion’s Club involvement along with other<br />

volunteer activities.<br />

NPPD antiques will meet<br />

July 6, Aug. 2 and Sept. 7 at<br />

8:30 a.m. at Country Cooking<br />

in Beatrice. All meetings are<br />

scheduled for the first Monday<br />

of the month unless that date is a<br />

holiday.<br />

Dot Cornelius, (402) 228-0494<br />

Retired & Rewired will not<br />

meet in July or August.<br />

Lois McCoy, (308) 665-1625,<br />

lmccoy919@gmail.com<br />

Make plans to attend your local retiree meeting.


30<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

We will<br />

remember<br />

Bill Phillips, GGS material handler, on the death of<br />

his mother, Frances<br />

Jeffrey Copley, CNS nuclear instructor, on the death<br />

of his father-in-law, Edson Cornick<br />

Gordon Wemhoff Sr., York senior substation<br />

construction technician, on the death of his son,<br />

Gordon Wemhoff Jr.<br />

Marlene Heiting, Chadron customer service support<br />

specialist, on the death of her father-in-law, Don<br />

Columbus ITT Process Assistant Narka Braun and<br />

Columbus Safety Analyst Sue Graham on the death<br />

of Narka’s father and Sue’s father-in-law, Rex Graham<br />

D’Ete Haldiman-Kluck, retired Columbus process<br />

improvement secretary, on the death of her husband,<br />

Fred<br />

Jamie Becker, Chadron Distribution Supervisor, on<br />

the death of his grandfather, Kenneth Kisner<br />

Steven Rezab, CNS staff health physicist, on the<br />

death of his mother, Joan Hudgens<br />

Jerry Evans, Chadron lead line technician, on the<br />

death of his brother, Jim<br />

Jim Roup, CNS senior quality assurance auditor, on<br />

the death of his brother, Randy<br />

Laurie Schilling, Columbus human resources<br />

manager, on the death of her father, Oren<br />

Phil Awtry, Columbus ITT business analyst, on the<br />

death of his father-in-law, Lester “Bud” Schmidt<br />

Doug Kallesen, Columbus energy market planning<br />

team leader, on the death of his mother, Alice<br />

Dewey Aksamit, Sheldon Station mechanical<br />

engineer, on the death of his daughter, Daysha<br />

Mitch Beal, Columbus billing and payment<br />

processing analyst, on the death of his mother, Karen<br />

our sympathies go out to the following families<br />

Brian Brownlow, Columbus transmission asset<br />

planning engineer, on the death of his grandmother,<br />

Frankie<br />

Retired GGS Engineer Bill McBride on the death of<br />

his mother, Adeline<br />

Retired York Regional Superintendent Secretary<br />

Dorothy Anderson on the death of her son, Alan<br />

Columbus Land Management Appraiser Ron and<br />

Columbus Controller and Financial Planning Manager<br />

Donna Starzec on the death of his mother and her<br />

mother-in-law, Bernice<br />

Lisa Mohr, Columbus web development specialist,<br />

on the death of her grandfather, Harley Hiemer<br />

Randy Schnell, Columbus aviation manager, on the<br />

death of his father, Floyd<br />

Retired CNS Utility Service Technician Jimmy<br />

Reimers on the death of his wife, Penny<br />

Retired GGS Engineer Jay Favinger on the death of<br />

his mother, Frances<br />

Dave Groteluschen, Columbus transmission and<br />

distribution engineering specialist, on the death of his<br />

mother-in-law, Irene Malasek<br />

Jay Windreich, CNS maintenance training<br />

supervisor, on the death of his father, Stanley<br />

Columbus Transmission and Distribution Construction<br />

& Operations Administrative Assistant Donna Jaixen<br />

and retired Columbus Records Analyst Marilyn<br />

Lusche on the death of Donna’s father and Marilyn’s<br />

husband, Gayle<br />

Dan Lorenz, Sheldon Station unit operator, on the<br />

death of his mother, Idella<br />

Alan Bysfield, CNS system engineer, on the death of<br />

his son, Mark


j u L Y<br />

of events<br />

5 NPPD Holiday<br />

9-10 NPPD Board Meeting<br />

Columbus<br />

15 Rate Review Committee /<br />

Customer Meeting<br />

Kearney Holiday Inn<br />

Cooper Nuclear Station<br />

Staff Health Physicist<br />

Stephen Robinson, 47, of<br />

Auburn, who passed away<br />

<strong>May</strong> 18. Stephen was born<br />

March 2, 1963, in Reading,<br />

Pa., to Richard and Gloria<br />

Robinson. He was a 1981<br />

graduate of Oley Valley<br />

Stephen Robinson<br />

Area High School and a<br />

1985 graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor<br />

of Science degree in health physics. He joined NPPD<br />

in 1981. Survivors include his parents; brothers,<br />

Michael, Bradd and Todd; four nephews and three<br />

nieces.<br />

ENERGY INSIGHT • maY / juNE <strong>2010</strong><br />

a u G u S T<br />

12-13 NPPD Board Meeting<br />

Columbus<br />

24 Rate Review Committee /<br />

Customer Meeting<br />

Columbus Holiday Inn Express<br />

Retired Sheldon Station Shift Supervisor Jack Fisher,<br />

78, who passed away April 10 in Des Moines, Iowa.<br />

Jack began his NPPD career in 1961 and retired in<br />

1993. Survivors include his sons and daughters-inlaw,<br />

Patrick and Michelle Fisher, and James and<br />

Maureen Fisher; daughters, Christine Fisher and<br />

Eva Marie Fisher; and eight grandchildren.<br />

Retired CNS Senior Electric/Instrument and Control<br />

Engineer Richard Bailey, 79, of Ogallala, who passed<br />

away April 29. Richard joined the <strong>District</strong> in 1989 and<br />

retired in 1993. Richard’s surviving family includes<br />

his wife, Joan; daughter, Susan; sons, Gregory and<br />

Timothy; six grandchildren; two sisters, Ramona<br />

Benjamin and Delores Rodine; and special friends,<br />

Dick and Lillian Easley.<br />

31


P.O. Box 499<br />

Columbus, NE 68602-0499<br />

Address Service Requested<br />

Bryce<br />

Apprentice<br />

Line Technician<br />

PRSRT STD<br />

US POSTAGE<br />

PAID<br />

COLUMBUS NE<br />

PERMIT NO. 3<br />

<strong>Nebraska</strong> <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Power</strong> <strong>District</strong> employs<br />

a diverse workforce, from engineers to<br />

line technicians to customer service<br />

representatives, at a variety of power<br />

plant and facility locations throughout the<br />

state. NPPD - It’s where you want to be.<br />

For employment opportunities,visit<br />

www.nppd.com<br />

I am where I want to be!<br />

WHERE DOES YOUR CAREER TAKE YOU?

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