Richard’s Electric of North Platte has been awarded a $2.3 million bid for the upgrade of two rural Dawson Public Power District substations. The award was approved at Dawson PPD’s regular board meeting on August 5, 2024. Cross Canyon Engineering designed the substations. The sealed bid process is required for projects exceeding $750,000, as outlined in the recently passed LB 969.
Once the 2024 irrigation season is complete, work will begin at Sub 26, located southwest of Gothenburg, and Sub 35, located northeast of Gothenburg. Construction is expected to start on October 1 and be complete by May 2, 2025.
The Sub 26 update will convert it from 34,500 volts to 69,000 volts. The change will increase the capacity, with up to three times more power on the existing lines between area substations. This improves efficiency and decreases operational costs. The rebuild will also modernize the design and provide options for future substation automation.
An increase in irrigation load has made upgrades at Sub 35 necessary. Over the last four years, there has been an almost 70% increase in power required at that substation. This is equivalent to adding 34, 100-horsepower irrigation wells. The loads have come from conversions to electric irrigation equipment upgrades and the re-activation of previously unused services.
Other items of discussion at the meeting include:
- On July 27 and 28, Dawson PPD experienced difficulties with its irrigation load management system. The District was Code Red on Saturday, July 27. Control ended as expected at 9:00 p.m., however later that evening a malfunction caused some load control units to start then release several additional times. Dawson PPD is in contact with the vendor to resolve the issue and apologizes for any issues it may have caused our customers.
- In June 2024, $1.6 million net was added to plant.. So far this year, $5.99 million has been added to net plant value.
- Board members received employment law training virtually by Chad Richter, a principal in the Omaha office of Jackson Lewis P.C.
- A choking rescue device has been added to the Lexington office. LifeVac uses suction from the mouth of the choking victim to remove the obstruction.
- General Manager Gwen Kautz updated the board on wholesale power contract negotiations with Nebraska Public Power District, an upcoming request for proposal for 20 megawatts of hydro from The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, and a recent Environmental Protection Agency ruling which will financially impact NPPD.
- In a closed session, the board reviewed the General Manager’s job description for public posting. Dawson PPD’s General Manager, Gwen Kautz, will retire at the end of 2024.
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