By: Shane Schumacher
Omaha’s power grid is growing, but a surge of large-scale development is testing how well it can keep up.
A Publicly Governed Utility
The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) has long supplied power to the Omaha area. Its customers vote directly for board members on their ballots, as they did in the November 3 election.
Growing Demands on the Grid
In recent years, OPPD and local residents have raised concerns that the grid will need continuous upgrades to support both industrial and residential growth. To address the generation the grid will need in the future, OPPD is developing an Integrated System Plan (Omaha Public Power District [OPPD], n.d.). The utility is currently focused on efficiency efforts, grid upgrades, and expanded generation, with several pathways toward net-zero emissions by 2050 (OPPD, n.d.).
In the near term, OPPD faces hyperscalers, existing grid issues, and rising energy production costs.
What Residents Are Worried About
Todd Mack, an Omaha resident for 40 years, told the Omaha News he worries about how quickly the city can expand and what that growth might cost consumers.
“I don’t know that anyone is trying to mislead anybody, but it’s just not a clear thing,” Mack said. “I don’t think until we actually get there, I don’t think anyone really knows for certain.”
The Data Center Factor
Much of that concern traces back to the construction of large data centers, such as Google’s in the area. Google invested $6 million in OPPD programs intended to relieve costs and address other concerns.
A Path Through Green Energy
Josh Moenning, director of New Power Nebraska, said the key to expansion is building green energy in from the start. He pointed to the Rattlesnake Creek wind facility in Dixon County, which essentially powers a Facebook data center near Omaha, an arrangement OPPD helped facilitate.
