A coalition of farm and environmental groups is pushing Nebraska's largest electric utility to expand its use of wind power as it develops a new 20-year plan for the state.
The Nebraska Public Power District is holding open-house meetings throughout as it decides how to generate energy in the future. One option is to spend $1.5 billion to retrofit new coal-fired plants so they meet new environmental regulations.
Nebraska Farmers Union president John Hansen says NPPD already
has an exceedingly modest goal for renewable energy, and lags behind neighboring states. The district has set a voluntary goal of
generating 10 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2020.
NPPD spokesman Mark Becker says the district's board is
considering all options, and will likely decide in early 2013.
