OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Life for hundreds of thousands of us intersects with Omaha Public Power District. So, its decisions and direction are important.
3 News Now's Mary Nelson wanted to speak in-depth with President and CEO Javier Fernandez on the heels of such an extraordinary storm season, and, at a time of never-before-seen growth for the Omaha area.
This story is the final in our series - focused on delays at the North Omaha Station, the utility's net-zero carbon production goal and ensuring affordability.
Continue reading for the expanded story.
OPPD had initially planed to retire three of its units at the North Omaha Station, and convert two others from coal to natural gas, by the end of last year.
What's the hold-up?
"It had nothing to do with the North Omaha Station itself. It had to do with Turtle Creek Station and Standing Bear Lake Station," Javier Fernandez, OPPD President and CEO, explained.
Those sites - in Sarpy County and Douglas County respectively - are under construction today, and both are expected to be ready by the end of this year.
Once related studies are done, Fernandez says the retirements and conversions can happen in North Omaha, with everything finalized in 2027.
That's a key part of a net-zero carbon production goal set by OPPD's Board of Directors.
"It's not just mitigation of climate change, but our board is actively working with me right now on adaptation to climate change. Climate change is not something that will happen many decades from now. It's already happening to us. Evidenced by the freezing of the Missouri River we had in January, by the tornadoes that we've experienced this year, by the straightline winds," Fernandez expounded.
Attaining net-zero status by 2050 is challenging on its own. Fernandez says what further complicates the process is ensuring reliability and affordability aren't sacrificed.
With costs up in many areas of life, 3 News Now's Mary Nelson asked Fernandez to what extent affordability is on his mind.
"Our rates, generally speaking, are about 30% lower than the national average rates," he shared. Adding, "But make no mistake, we have to continue to build... It's not an easy solution, but it's something that's incredibly top of mind for us to continue to deliver affordable rates for our customers."
If you're an OPPD customer, and need short- or long-term help with your electricity bill, click here to learn about assistance programs available.
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