Connecting Power with Purpose

Connecting Power with Purpose

“The solar and natural gas assets we’re building support OPPD's unwavering mission to provide affordable, reliable and environmentally sensitive energy services to customers,” says Lisa Olson, vice president of Public Affairs for OPPD. “We’re proud to lead the way we power the future in this ever-changing and evolving energy landscape.” Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) provides electricity to 853,000 customers in 13 Nebraska counties. Valmont is invested in improving sustainability throughout the world and it’s a distinct privilege to be able to help improve lives within the communities it operates, such as Omaha, Nebraska, where Valmont is headquartered. In 2022, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) called upon Valmont, a trusted, longtime partner, to engineer 263 customized transmission line structures for two new natural gas balancing plants. With more than 2,200 structural components, the customized towers will support transmission lines connecting the two new natural gas facilities to the existing electric grid. The project is part of OPPD’s Power with Purpose (PwP) initiative, which includes further development of solar power and supports its goal of net-zero carbon production by 2050. The new natural gas facilities will allow OPPD to retire old natural gas-fired units and convert the remaining units from coal to natural gas to integrate more renewable energy in the future. With a power capacity of 600 megawatts (MW), the two new stations will serve as balancing support to improve overall grid reliability with lower greenhouse gas emissions than their predecessors and coal-fueled electricity. Since the beginning of the planning and development phase, Valmont has teamed with OPPD to design and customize the galvanized steel transmission structures to meet detailed specifications and ensure sustainability. Crews began to connect the two facilities to the power grid in 2022, and work will continue through 2024. Valmont is proud to partner with OPPD and support its goal of net-zero carbon emissions. The sustainable infrastructure provided by Valmont for this large-scale investment helps forge strong connections to conserve more resources, increase reliability to the power grid and positively improve the lives of Nebraskans.