BEATRICE – Norris Public Power District and Arkansas-based Today’s Power, Inc. could receive approval soon from the Gage County Board, to build a class-2 solar power installation southwest of Beatrice in Elm Township. The site is about seven miles south of Ellis.


The board of supervisors held a public hearing Wednesday on the project, which would be located on property owned by Jeff Hays. Hays says the discussions stretch back about three years. "We've been through a lot of trial and tribulations figuring out the regulations, so at this point in time, just so you know....I am willing to put this on my property."


Norris Public Power District Engineering Director Jerry Enns says locking in a low-cost power supply is a reason the district is building such operations in its’ six-county service territory. They are connected to Nebraska Public Power district transmission facilities.


"We have solar installations in Lancaster County. There's a one megawatt site that was energized over a year ago right next to our Centerville operations office in Lancaster County. There's a site under construction right now, and should be on line by the end of the year in Saline County, right adjacent to the village of Tobias. We have one installed in the Ruby, Nebraska area up in Seward County. And, we have one operating over in Thayer County, near the village of Deshler."


The 2,550 solar panels can generate one-megawatt of energy. "There's a lot of pressure on the utilities today to find sources of power that are more cost-effective. With this rate locked in for 35 years at less than what we can buy it for today....it just makes sense to all of our customers. We can share that savings with our customers here in Gage County."


Enns says the single-axis solar panels track the sun throughout the day and reset themselves for the next day. The solar arrays would be surrounded by seven-foot chain link fencing with low maintenance grasses planted around the installation.


Formal action on the special use permit for the solar installation will be taken by the county board in a couple of weeks.