Strategic Directive 7: Environmental Stewardship (2024)

As a former biologist and health care provider, and current certified Nebraska Master Naturalist, I thank you for the opportunity to comment:
Please set Interim Goals (or Short Term Goals in the medical world) so that OPPD and the public knows that progress is being made, rather than a surprise at the end that very little happened.
Engage customers and stakeholders to develop and provide incentives that promote energy efficiency, customer generation and mitigate the environmental and social impacts of fossil fuel combustion, particularly within vulnerable communities. As an example, my family made the decision a few years ago to install solar panels on our roof. We do save money from OPPD buying back the extra power generated. Most of our other appliances are electric so that we can utilize the cleaner energy that electricity provides.
Harden our critical infrastructure in order to adapt to the effects of climate change. Contrary to some who have their heads buried in the sand (which will get too hot), we need to start now (yesterday) to adapt to what is already happening. As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.
Work to efficiently comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations. This shouldn't have to be said, but I guess it does.
Communicate the environmental and public health impacts of climate change as we serve our communities. This also shouldn't have to be said, but apparently not everyone gets it.
Collect data on our environmental performance and communicate progress periodically to the board and community.
Work to improve our use of raw materials, energy and water used in operations and provision of our services, and strive to reduce the emissions, discharges and wastes that we generate with a commitment to continuous improvement.

There is nothing more "common sense" than wanting to protect our biosphere so that human and non-human life can survive.

No surprise about the Sierra Club's comment. It is just another example of Begley's Axiom, "The Left is never satisfied."

On behalf of the Nebraska Sierra Club and our over 2000 members and supporters in OPPD's territory, I wish to express our appreciation that environmental justice was added to SD-7. Forty percent of NDEEs $307 million climate action grant and the Center for Rural Affairs' $62 million grant are set aside for traditionally underserved of which the largest population in Nebraska reside in OPPD’s District, specifically North and South Omaha. It is only logical that Environmental Justice should be included and measured.

At the same time we are disappointed that OPPD has not set aggressive goals for energy efficiency and distributed energy resources. SD-7 should have measurable interim goals towards your 2050 net zero carbon goal. As the saying goes: “what gets measured gets done.” Conversely, what doesn't get measured doesn't get done. As I indicated in my comments at the all committee meetings and at the board meetings, at the very least OPPD can set goals for DERs. As the U.S. Dept. of Energy states: "DERs can help agencies meet goals and mandates, deliver cost and energy savings, and provide environmental benefits." SMUD who served as a model for OPPD’s creation of Strategic Directives has a report entitled “Integrated DER Management Enables to Meet Aggressive Clean Energy Goals.” This can serve as one of many models that other utilities have.

In addition, reference should be made to the seeking of the vast amount of federal funding that could help to advance energy efficiency and clean energy incentives.

David E. Corbin, PhD
Energy Committe Chair
Nebraska Sierra Club

As I've told the Board at least a dozen times, SD-7 is unlawful as it is contra to OPPD's statutory duty to produce only low cost and reliable power. Wind and solar are neither.

The real tragedy here is not that the world is going to burn up in 2100 (it's not), but that OPPD is missing out on a gigantic economic opportunity as I detailed in my comments at the September 19th meeting.

There is a growing demand for electricity. Data centers and AI are driving that demand. Most other utilities are foolishly adding more intermittent and costly wind and solar to their grids. That's an inadequate and unstable supply. If OPPD built a 3,000 MW gas-fired power plant in Washington or Burt Counties, the Omaha area would see an economic boon.

Transmission is golden. The high-powered lines out of the former Ft. Calhoun station are empty. Fill them up! Transmission costs $1.5m per mile.

Larry Ellison, chairman and founder of Oracle, recently said he's employing utility executives who are looking to site an Oracle data center that can meet its needs. He thinks the US could need 1,000 data centers that would each consume up to 800 MW. Data centers, of course, need power 24/7/365. Solar doesn't cut it. I also understand that 27 different bit coin miners are looking at Nebraska.

Right now Northern Virginia is the home of the most data centers. Why not Omaha? Answer: Because the Board is fixated on net zero.

More electricity means more revenue for OPPD. That also means that the OPPD executives would also get big pay raises.

I've also told the Board multiple times that the Center of the American Experiment modeled net zero in WI and MN and the result was triple electric rates and black outs in January. CA and Germany have been pursuing net zero for many years and that's why they have electric rates that are triple OPPD's.

If there such a thing as political malpractice, the OPPD Board would be sued into bankruptcy.

As to the new "environmental justice" addition, to say this is ridiculous is an understatement. It has nothing to do with producing low cost and reliable power. With this SD-7 amendment, the Board has become a liberal parody.

David D. Begley

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