English (United States)
Every so often, we reach a moment in time that helps shape the future of our state. Occasionally, these moments echo major milestones of our past. For NPPD, the groundbreaking of Princeton Road Station, located just north of Hallam and adjacent to Sheldon Station, was one such moment. It represents the kind of bold, forward‑looking investment we haven’t made since the construction of Gerald Gentleman Station in the 1970s. That landmark project helped power Nebraska’s growth for decades, and today, we find ourselves at a similar turning point that will define the next chapter of reliability, opportunity and progress for our state.
Across the nation, utilities are experiencing historic demand for electricity. Nebraska is no exception. Businesses are expanding, new ag‑related and technology‑driven companies are choosing to invest here, and communities are preparing for the opportunities this growth brings. Electricity is vital to economic prosperity, and Nebraska’s strong, reliable public power system has helped make this momentum possible. As part of our emPOWERING Nebraska’s Tomorrow initiative, the buildout of Princeton Road Station allows NPPD to meet new capacity requirements within the Southwest Power Pool – the regional energy market we participate in – as we proactively prepare for unprecedented load growth in the next decade. Last month’s groundbreaking celebrated what will become the largest generation facility in our fleet. A combination of combustion turbines (CTs) and reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) placed at Princeton Road Station will provide fast-start capabilities, adding flexible, efficient resources that strengthen our diverse generation mix and support the reliability and resiliency that customers count on, especially during periods of high energy use.
Now, we have reached yet another major milestone. At our August board meeting, we announced an important update. Pending approval by the Nebraska Power Review Board on Sept. 18, three, new Siemens combustion turbines originally designed for Beatrice Power Station will instead be installed at the Princeton site. This update is due to updated delivery schedules which will allow us to save costs, streamline training and maintenance, and ensure consistent operating practices across the station. Once complete, Princeton Road Station will provide 1,411 megawatts of new generation, enough to serve just over 646,500 average residential homes. This is a legacy moment for Nebraska’s energy future, and one I am truly excited to experience firsthand.
With emPOWERING Nebraska’s Tomorrow, we are investing not only in generation, but also in transmission and distribution infrastructure so our farms, ranches, communities and businesses have the continued reliable energy they need to thrive. And importantly, we are doing this while keeping affordability at the forefront. Our planning and funding approach is designed to minimize rate impacts as we support Nebraska’s growth.
As we move forward, this historic milestone marking the start of construction signifies the beginning of a new era for public power in Nebraska.
