OPPD Signs Contract To Build NE's First Solar Plant

Omaha Public Power District has signed a contract to build the state's first solar power plant in eastern Nebraska south of Yutan. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the utility signed the contract last week to build an 81-megawatt solar farm on 500 acres in Saunders County, with construction to begin next year. The contract was signed despite some opposition from some residents in the area, who fear it will become an eyesore and lower property values. The project would be the largest solar farm in Nebraska and is the first step toward OPPD’s plan to provide 600 megawatts of solar power. OPPD says the facility, dubbed Platteview Solar, would have the capacity to generate enough electricity to power 14,000 homes.