PUBLIC MEETING:
May 8, 6-7 p.m.
Join Microsoft Teams meeting
Phone number: +1 402-979-7656 United States, Omaha
Conference ID: 349 762 857#
LINCOLN — Lincoln Electric System is holding a public meeting to inform customers of the utility’s resource adequacy efforts. The meeting will occur on Thursday, May 8, 6-7 p.m. online via Microsoft Teams and in person at the Kevin Wailes Operations Center, 9445 Rokeby Road in Lincoln.
LES’ regional transmission organization is the Southwest Power Pool, or SPP. SPP has developed new resource adequacy regulations that outline heightened generation requirements for utilities designed to help ensure system reliability. To avoid financial penalties under these new regulations, LES must have enough accredited capacity, or the generation capacity that SPP will count toward meeting peak load requirements, to meet that peak load plus an additional reserve margin to ensure reliability.
In the April LES Administrative Board meeting, LES’ Resource and Transmission Planning manager, Scott Benson, recommended adding two natural gas combustion turbines to help meet the new SPP requirements. Extensive scenario planning and analysis determined that the proposed turbines were the optimal near-term solution. The two combustion turbines would add approximately 100 megawatts of power to LES’ resource portfolio, and nearly all required support infrastructure already exists at LES’ Terry Bundy Generating Station. LES is tentatively planning for the turbines to be fully operational by 2030.
“Every decision we make is made with careful consideration and with the customer at the top of mind,” said Benson. “LES is committed to providing our customers with reliable and affordable power while staying on target with our 2040 decarbonization goal. The addition of the combustion turbines is in line with that commitment.”
LES is encouraging customers to attend the public meeting to hear Benson share more information on the project. The rate impacts of the proposed project will also be discussed. Customers attending can also comment on the project. LES staff will continue to meet with customers and customer groups throughout May to provide information and receive feedback.
“Evolving resource adequacy requirements isn’t unique to LES or even SPP,” added Benson. “These are changes the entire electric utility industry is learning to navigate.”
The LES Administrative Board plans to take action on the proposed turbines at its May 16 board meeting. If approved, the Lincoln City Council will consider the proposed turbines at a public hearing in June.
In April 2025, LES entered a power purchase agreement with the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District for 22 MW of capacity and energy from Central’s Jeffrey Reservoir Hydroplant. By the end of 2025, LES also expects to bring online a 3-MW battery storage project and receive nearly 425 MW of wind capacity through a partnership with Google. However, these additions are not enough to sufficiently address the new SPP regulations. Learn more about LES’ generation resources at LES.com/Generation.
Visit LES.com/Generation for more information on this public meeting, including the meeting link and materials.