Turtle Creek Station

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Aerial view of Turtle Creek Station - Jan. 2024 (facing southeast)

For the latest happenings at the Turtle Creek Station site location, please see the News Feed at the bottom of this page.

OPPD' s Power with Purpose project identified the need for up to 600MW of utility-scale solar and 600MW of balancing natural gas generation to support growing customer demands. The combined solution of utility-scale solar and natural gas continues to support our mission of providing affordable, reliable, environmentally sensitive energy services. While OPPD considers all three parts of our mission equally, new utility-scale solar and balancing natural gas power generation are now must-haves to support continued reliability. Turtle Creek Station is one of this initiative’s balancing natural gas plants.

In 2023, the OPPD Board of Directors voted to approve the utility’s recommended near term generation resource plan to address unprecedented growth in energy demand. With this new plan, OPPD remains committed to its Power with Purpose generation expansion projects, which includes Turtle Creek Station (450 MW), Standing Bear Lake Station (150 MW), and Platteview Solar (81 MW).

Turtle Creek Station will be located near South 168th Street and Fairview Road in Sarpy County. It will include two, simple-cycle combustion turbines and supporting structures for generation, along with a substation for transmission.

Turtle Creek Station will be used to balance the energy load. The plant will run only as needed (estimated at less than 15% of the time) and will be available to support planned (maintenance) and unplanned (storms) outages, as well as be available to support regional power needs as directed by the Southwest Power Pool. Adding natural gas generation will help OPPD meet the growing energy needs of our service territory and support resiliency. That means OPPD can continue providing energy to our customers even in an unpredictable future. Adding natural gas generation will help OPPD meet the growing energy needs of our service territory and will support resiliency. That means OPPD can continue providing energy to our customers even when operations are impacted by a major storm event.

Combustion Turbines

OPPD selected Siemens Energy, Inc. to provide two, SGT6-5000F combustion turbines to power Turtle Creek Station, a simple-cycle turbine facility. The turbine technology converts natural gas into energy to drive a generator, which produces electricity.

Modern natural gas turbines from Siemens Energy, Inc. are designed to also run on light fuel oil, adding fuel source diversity and resiliency. And they are capable of running on a 30% hydrogen/natural gas blend or biodiesel in support of future technology advancements to further decarbonization of OPPD’s generation assets. The turbines offer low emissions that help OPPD meet its targets without the need for additional air pollution control devices. They also have improved operational characteristics, such as fast start-up to supplement renewable energy and meet the changing generation needs of the grid.

Sarpy Southwest Transmission Project

OPPD has completed routing three separate transmission lines in the area that are needed to maintain system resiliency and reliability, as well as to support customer load growth and future power generation. The Sarpy Southwest Transmission Project is now currently under construction. For more information and to see the transmission line routes, please click here.

Additional Site Information

Community Meeting: South 168th & Fairview Road

OPPD The Wire: New facility names reflect history, geography of region

OPPD The Wire: OPPD presents details of new backup natural gas generation

OPPD The Wire: OPPD signs contract for two natural gas generation stations

OPPD The Wire: Work progressing at natural gas sites

OPPD The Wire: OPPD seeks to extend current operations at North Omaha Station

OPPD The Wire: Two natural gas generating plants set to come online this summer

Aerial view of Turtle Creek Station - Jan. 2024 (facing southeast)

For the latest happenings at the Turtle Creek Station site location, please see the News Feed at the bottom of this page.

OPPD' s Power with Purpose project identified the need for up to 600MW of utility-scale solar and 600MW of balancing natural gas generation to support growing customer demands. The combined solution of utility-scale solar and natural gas continues to support our mission of providing affordable, reliable, environmentally sensitive energy services. While OPPD considers all three parts of our mission equally, new utility-scale solar and balancing natural gas power generation are now must-haves to support continued reliability. Turtle Creek Station is one of this initiative’s balancing natural gas plants.

In 2023, the OPPD Board of Directors voted to approve the utility’s recommended near term generation resource plan to address unprecedented growth in energy demand. With this new plan, OPPD remains committed to its Power with Purpose generation expansion projects, which includes Turtle Creek Station (450 MW), Standing Bear Lake Station (150 MW), and Platteview Solar (81 MW).

Turtle Creek Station will be located near South 168th Street and Fairview Road in Sarpy County. It will include two, simple-cycle combustion turbines and supporting structures for generation, along with a substation for transmission.

Turtle Creek Station will be used to balance the energy load. The plant will run only as needed (estimated at less than 15% of the time) and will be available to support planned (maintenance) and unplanned (storms) outages, as well as be available to support regional power needs as directed by the Southwest Power Pool. Adding natural gas generation will help OPPD meet the growing energy needs of our service territory and support resiliency. That means OPPD can continue providing energy to our customers even in an unpredictable future. Adding natural gas generation will help OPPD meet the growing energy needs of our service territory and will support resiliency. That means OPPD can continue providing energy to our customers even when operations are impacted by a major storm event.

Combustion Turbines

OPPD selected Siemens Energy, Inc. to provide two, SGT6-5000F combustion turbines to power Turtle Creek Station, a simple-cycle turbine facility. The turbine technology converts natural gas into energy to drive a generator, which produces electricity.

Modern natural gas turbines from Siemens Energy, Inc. are designed to also run on light fuel oil, adding fuel source diversity and resiliency. And they are capable of running on a 30% hydrogen/natural gas blend or biodiesel in support of future technology advancements to further decarbonization of OPPD’s generation assets. The turbines offer low emissions that help OPPD meet its targets without the need for additional air pollution control devices. They also have improved operational characteristics, such as fast start-up to supplement renewable energy and meet the changing generation needs of the grid.

Sarpy Southwest Transmission Project

OPPD has completed routing three separate transmission lines in the area that are needed to maintain system resiliency and reliability, as well as to support customer load growth and future power generation. The Sarpy Southwest Transmission Project is now currently under construction. For more information and to see the transmission line routes, please click here.

Additional Site Information

Community Meeting: South 168th & Fairview Road

OPPD The Wire: New facility names reflect history, geography of region

OPPD The Wire: OPPD presents details of new backup natural gas generation

OPPD The Wire: OPPD signs contract for two natural gas generation stations

OPPD The Wire: Work progressing at natural gas sites

OPPD The Wire: OPPD seeks to extend current operations at North Omaha Station

OPPD The Wire: Two natural gas generating plants set to come online this summer

  • March 2024 Update

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    With site progress at about 82%, construction activities are ramping up ahead of commissioning as the generation facility is scheduled to go online later this year. As the crews works diligently to meet this deadline, shifts will continue into the night at times as we approach operation. Night shifts are expected to have smaller crews and will adhere to all permits and ordinances necessary.

  • February 2024 Update

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    OPPD announced plans to add a total of four combustion turbines capable of producing 225 MW each – three at OPPD’s Cass County plant and one at Turtle Creek Station. The new units are expected be online by 2030. For more information, please see this story in The Wire.

    Siemens was selected to manufacture the units, and the units will be the same as the combustion turbines at Turtle Creek Station today.


  • January 2024 Update

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    TCS Aerial January 2024 – Facing Southeast

    Turtle Creek Station’s substation has been completed and energized in November.

    For the generation part of the site, all the major equipment is on site, construction activities continue, and the site is preparing for commissioning in the coming months. During the commissioning process, OPPD works with its construction contractors and turbine manufacturers to ensure all systems are working properly and the facilities are ready to produce energy.

    The lighting and paving work is underway, along with beautification and other cosmetic work. Also coming in 2024 will be site landscaping work.

    Turtle Creek Station is scheduled to come online late this summer, for more highlights of recent progress, please see this story in The Wire.

  • September 2023 Update

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    Beginning Sunday, Oct. 1, and again on Sunday, Oct 8, specialized large-equipment movers on behalf of Omaha Public Power District will move two Generator Step-up (GSU) Transformers to the Turtle Creek Station site at 168th & Fairview Rd. in Sarpy County.

    A GSU transformer is designed to step-up generator output to a higher voltage that’s ready to connect to the transmission network.

    Just one of these transformers, loaded on a trailer, weighs about 437,500 pounds. Together, the truck and trailer set-up measures 311-feet long and weighs 879,200 pounds. The transformer equipment arrives to our area by rail before being loaded on a trailer for the final leg of its journey to the new plant.

    The work to move the units to Turtle Creek Station is scheduled at night to ensure minimal traffic disruption, as brief road closures may be needed. OPPD and our contracted large-equipment movers have coordinated with city, county, and state officials, as well as members of law enforcement, to ensure the safety of the public and workers along the route.

    If members of the public come across this move, we ask that they refrain from approaching employees, contractors or vehicles and stay far back from the work taking place so that we can complete it safely.

  • July 2023 Update

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    Above ground construction at Turtle Creek Station is well underway. Overall assembly of units 1 & 2 combustion turbines and respective stack formation are making visual progress. Additionally, the power distribution center has been set. The substation is now nearing final stages of construction.

    Facing Southwest, Aerial View, June 2023

  • May 2023 Update

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    A lot of construction progress has been happening on site the last few months as seen in this aerial photo. Recent focus has been on major equipment assembly and the administrative building.

    Major transmission work is complete, which will connect Turtle Creek Station to the electric grid. Additional transmission work will take place in the fall to coordinate energization.

    Facing North – Construction Progress as of April 2023

  • February 2023 Update

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    Construction progresses during the winter months for the substation at Turtle Creek Station with concrete duct bank pours, ground grid installation, and steel support erection underway.

    The administration building walls are going up with framing activities subsequently following.

    In the generation or power block area, both sets of Siemens Energy gas turbines and generators were placed on their foundation last month.


    Facing North - Substation Construction Progress

  • December 2022 Update

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    Beginning Sunday, Dec. 11, OPPD will begin one of two late night moves, moving its second simple-cycle combustion turbine and generator from Siemens Energy, as well as related equipment, to the Turtle Creek Station (TCS) site. The second move will occur Dec. 28.

    This heavy haul move is similar to the moves that happened earlier this fall. As with the previous moves, the work to move the units to Turtle Creek Station is scheduled at night to cause minimal traffic disruption, as brief road closures may be needed. OPPD and our contracted large equipment movers have coordinated with city, county and state officials, as well as members of law enforcement, to ensure the safety of the public and workers along the route.

    If members of the public come across this move, we ask that they refrain from approaching employees, contractors or vehicles and stay far back from the work taking place so that we can complete it safely.

  • Fall 2022 Update

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    Beginning Sunday, Oct. 30, OPPD will begin moving a generator and turbine to the Turtle Creek Station (TCS) site. This type of move will happen once more on dates yet to be determined in December.

    The late night moves involve two simple-cycle combustion turbines and two generators from Siemens Energy, as well as related equipment. This technology converts natural gas into energy to drive a generator, which powers electricity. One of the turbines loaded on a trailer weighs about 862,000 pounds. Together, the truck and trailer set-up is 196-feet long.

    In mid-October, one turbine and one generator arrived by rail to a local rail spur location. The work to move the units to Turtle Creek Station is scheduled at night to cause minimal traffic disruption, as brief road closures may be needed. OPPD and our contracted large equipment movers have coordinated with city, county and state officials, as well as members of law enforcement, to ensure the safety of the public and workers along the route.

    If members of the public come across this move, we ask that they refrain from approaching employees, contractors or vehicles and stay far back from the work taking place so that we can complete it safely.

    An additional turbine and generator are scheduled to arrive in December, at which point, we will commence another heavy move to TCS.

  • Summer 2022 Update

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    OPPD's vendor, Zachry Group, continues to prepare laydown and storage areas for equipment, materials, and supplies in anticipation of approaching construction work.

    Preliminary grading is winding down and foundation work has begun in preparation for the new facility.

    This summer, construction activities will include work on gas and transmission infrastructure, although major equipment isn’t expected to arrive until late summer or early fall.


Page last updated: 07 Mar 2024, 02:11 PM