Center for Rural Affairs: Wind Energy

Lyons, Nebraska – Today, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) board of directors voted, 6 to 3, to reject proposals to increase the district’s wind energy purchases.

Public power means doing more than lining the pockets of out-of-state companies. The same tired arguments, focusing on cost and intermittency, lose credibility each day as utilities in bordering states continue to invest in their local economy. If wind energy works there, it can work here. Nebraskans deserve better.

Johnathan Hladik, Senior Policy Advocate, Center for Rural Affairs

“In the discussion, board member Ed Schrock made the claim that there are no NPPD customers that want to invest in more wind,” said Hladik. “But that simply isn’t the reality, it runs counter to our experience. Farmers, ranchers, business owners, educators, healthcare providers and many other rural and small town Nebraskans have told us, directly, unequivocally, that they support investing in wind.”

According to Hladik, NPPD directors Mary Harding of Denton, Fred Christensen of Lyons, and Second Vice Chairman Gary Thompson of Beatrice all voted in favor of investing in more wind generated electricity. The remainder of the board voted to reject any additional wind investments.

“The Center for Rural Affairs also wants to acknowledge Mary Harding, Fred Christensen and Gary Thompson for all their efforts on these issues,” said Hladik. “Their hard work and persistence demonstrate the kind of true leadership that rural Nebraskans want and need to help create a better future across Nebraska.”

“The vote today demonstrates that the only way to change the direction of NPPD on this issue is if constituents stand up, hold the boards’ feet to the fire, and urge them to invest more in wind energy. If their constituents speak out, we can hope for more leadership from other board members. The kind of leadership that Gary, Mary and Fred showed today, the kind of leadership that rural and small town Nebraskans elected them to provide,” concluded Hladik.

In advance of the vote, the Center for Rural Affairs shared a letter signed by 28 rural and small town community leaders in medicine, education, agriculture, economic development and the faith community, with the NPPD board urging them to make investments in rural and small town Nebraska’s energy future by purchasing locally produced wind power at today’s historically low rates.

The public release of that letter, along with the full text of the letter and signatories, can be viewed or downloaded at http://files.cfra.org/pdf/nppd-sign-on-letter.pdf