OPPD provides resource planning update & details new wind energy agreement to complement OPPD’s diverse energy portfolio
September 19, 2024
Amid unprecedented energy demand, a massive effort is underway to double Omaha Public Power District’s generation capacity by the end of this decade. This week, utility leaders shared a report on generation and transmission planning efforts to ensure the district meets its goals and the energy needs of our customers.
OPPD leadership presented the monitoring report for Strategic Directive (SD) 9: Integrated System Planning during Tuesday’s board committee meetings. The directive covers OPPD’s planning efforts to efficiently integrate the transmission system, supply and demand side resources, and the increasingly complex distribution system. OPPD continually works to meet the needs of customers, adapting to industry changes to maintain reliable and resilient electric service.
The utility uses resource adequacy modeling to simulate the capability of its resources to meet electric demands under a large range of weather conditions, renewable production scenarios and more. OPPD must provide enough power to meet customers’ peak demand, plus an additional 15% reserve margin required by the utility’s regional transmission organization, the Southwest Power Pool. That margin will be increasing as grid operators here and across the nation work to harden their systems against severe weather.
OPPD is continually working to identify opportunities to harden its existing generation and transmission and strengthen overall system resiliency. This work includes transmission line rebuilds between 108th and Blondo St. to 123rd & Pacific St., and South 180th St. OPPD is also strategizing with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Western Area Power Administration, SPP and other utilities to mitigate frozen Missouri River conditions that affect regional generation, like OPPD experienced with Winter Storm Gerri in January.
The board accepted SD-9, finding the utility to be sufficiently in compliance with the directive.
New wind power purchase agreement
During board committee meetings Tuesday, utility leaders discussed a power purchase agreement with EDF Renewables for the 300-megawatt (MW) Milligan I Wind Project in Saline County, Neb. OPPD began purchasing the wind project’s full capacity – enough to power up to 115,000 homes – September 1. EDF Renewables will maintain its ownership of the facility.
OPPD President and CEO Javier Fernandez said that Milligan I will help the district continue to augment and diversify its energy portfolio. Between 2024 and the end of the decade, OPPD plans to add more than 3,000 MW of generation, which will continue to contribute to the overall diversity of OPPD’s energy portfolio.
“Having that flexibility in our generation fleet is extremely critical to reliability. I cannot emphasize that enough,” he said. “If one source is not available for any reason, we can pull from others to ensure our customers have the electricity they need when they need it.”
Read more about this latest addition to OPPD’s generation portfolio on OPPD’s news website, The Wire.
SD-7: Environmental Stewardship
The board also discussed proposed revisions to SD-7: Environmental Stewardship during committee meetings this week. Directors continued conversations about potential interim metrics as the utility works toward net zero carbon by 2050 and what kinds of metrics would best serve our communities. A draft of proposed changes is now posted to OPPDCommunityConnect.com for a month-long period of public review and input. They could vote on a revised directive during their October meeting.
Customer payment and affordability trends
The board received a report this week on customer payment and affordability trends. OPPD continues to monitor customer payment and affordability trends. Trends are showing our customers are better off than customers of our peer utilities in the region. However, inflation and other economic factors are affecting our low-income customers. The utility is forecasting a 23% decrease in available community resources this year versus last year. At the same time, OPPD is seeing a rise in the number of low-income and other customers who are delinquent on their bills. Residential arrears are 20% higher from last year at this time.
OPPD continues work to increase customer engagement and provide assistance across a number of platforms, including our Energy Assistance Program, assistance pop-ups, community resource fairs and more. The utility has held two such events already – one in South Omaha in May and one in North Omaha in June. These one-stop fairs have served hundreds of customers, connecting them with energy assistance and opportunities to speak with 15 on-site non-profit agencies and government partners for help in other areas. OPPD is holding another fair Oct. 15, 5 to 7 p.m., at the Salvation Army’s Kroc Center, 2825 Y St.
Other action
In other action, directors:
- Approved the July 2024 financial report, August 2024 meeting minutes, August board governance workshop minutes, September 19, 2024 agenda and the 2025 board meeting schedule.
- Accepted the monitoring report for SD-10: Ethics, finding the utility to be sufficiently in compliance.
- Approved the acquisition of land rights for a utility operations infrastructure project in conjunction with a road improvement project in Douglas County, Neb. to widen Q St. between 192nd St. to 204th St.
- Approved a formula change to the Federal Electric Regulator Commission (FERC) transmission tariff.
- Received the monthly President’s Report, available to view at OPPD.com/BoardMeeting.
Next board meetings
The next all-committees meeting is Tuesday, October 15, 10 a.m., in person at Blue Cross Blue Shield, 1919 Aksarben Dr. in Omaha and virtually via Webex. Visit OPPD.com/CommitteeAgenda for the meeting link, beginning at about 9:45 a.m. The next monthly board meeting is Thursday, October 17, 5 p.m., in person at the Legislative Chamber of the Omaha Civic Center, 1819 Farnam St. in Omaha, as well as virtually via Webex. The public may attend virtually if they prefer and will be able to access the meeting link at OPPD.com/BoardAgenda, beginning at 4:45 p.m.