NPPD responds to 'incorrect' R-Line letter

Dear Editor,

Recently, Brent Steffen, M.D. has addressed Nebraska Public Power District’s R-Project transmission line in several letters to the editor in Nebraska newspapers. He made a variety of incorrect claims about the project that require correction.

Dr. Steffen states the project is being built for wind development in the region. However, he provides an incomplete quotation from the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) 2012 Integrated Transmission Plan 10-Year Assessment Report. In SPP’s discussion of the benefits resulting from the various transmission projects studied in the report the complete quotation is; “the Gentlemen – Cherry Co. – Holt Co. 345kV line in Nebraska has been proposed chiefly to provide access to wind development in Cherry Co., but this line also provided parallel paths for key contingencies in Nebraska for west to east flows, relieved congestion, increased transfer capability, and mitigated reliability concerns.”

Dr. Steffen neglects to mention that even in the early studies completed by SPP the R-Project was identified as being needed for improving the reliability of the transmission system and reducing congestion in the transmission system. NPPD has always discussed the need for the R-Project in three parts; 1) improve reliability, 2) reduce congestion, and 3) enable the development of renewable resources should the local area choose to do that. What Dr. Steffen and others appear to forget is that, even if no renewable resources are ever developed, this project is needed and will be constructed to improve the reliability of the transmission system in Nebraska.

Opponents of the R-Project like to suggest that the reason the R-Project transmission line is going to Thedford, NE is solely for wind development. This is simply not true. The R-Project transmission line will interconnect at the NPPD owned substation in Thedford to improve the reliability of the transmission system and address real issues seen in 2012. During the 2012 drought electrical loads in north-central Nebraska, primarily from irrigation, grew to the point where the transmission system was at full capacity and at risk of failure. NPPD operators were forced to take immediate action to interrupt electrical loads in the area and protect the transmission system.

The R-Project, along with a recently completed project in northeastern Nebraska, will correct these reliability issues. The Thedford substation location was chosen because it is centrally located on an important segment of the 115kV transmission system serving north central Nebraska, it is centrally located between the termination points of the R-Project 345kV transmission line, and NPPD can lower costs and impacts by using existing transmission facilities (i.e. the Thedford 115kV substation) to the fullest extent possible.

Finally, Dr. Steffen states, “NPPD easement contractors utilize tactics that are deceptive and dishonest with NPPD complicit in this process.” I disagree with this characterization. NPPD expects its employees and contractors to conduct themselves professionally and ethically. NPPD works very hard to provide a transparent and public routing process. In the case of the R-Project, NPPD hosted three rounds of public open houses and additional landowner meetings equating to 20 sessions lasting several hours each over a period of two years. Public hearings, the only statutorily required public meetings, for the R-project were held in eight locations in November 2014. NPPD continues meeting with landowners along the route; local, county, and state government officials; and representatives of the appropriate regulatory agencies as needed.

While NPPD is allowed to use eminent domain to obtain easements, we prefer to get easements voluntarily as we have done successfully on numerous past projects. In fact, for the 312 miles of new transmission lines that NPPD has constructed since 2002, NPPD acquired easements for 1,133 tracts of land with a 99% success rate for obtaining the easements voluntarily. Easements are for construction, operation, and maintenance of the power line. The land is still owned by the individual and can generally be used as it has been before with restrictions as to what can be built or stored under the line to ensure safety. For example, NPPD’s easements would restrict the landowner from planting tall-growing trees under the line. The landowners are fairly compensated for the easement rights and are also compensated for any damages NPPD may cause to their property from the construction, operation, and maintenance of the line.

As a public power entity NPPD is responsible to its customers through a popularly elected 11 - member Board of Directors. We are Nebraskans living and working in the communities we serve. We take our mission to safely generate and deliver reliable low-cost energy very seriously. The R-Project is needed in Nebraska to improve reliability of the transmission system. It is incumbent upon us at NPPD to address these reliability needs for the benefit of our customers and all Nebraskans. We would be remiss if we stood by and did nothing.

Sincerely,

Patrick L. Pope

President & CEO

Nebraska Public Power District