More than half of the 15 community solar project sites in communities served wholesale electricity by the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska have been completed and are online.
An update on the projects was provided to the MEAN Board of Directors at their meeting in August. The eight projects sites in Nebraska were completed by the end of July with the remaining seven sites, located in Colorado and Iowa, under construction and expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
The projects, which have a combined nameplate capacity of 21 megawatts, are a collaborative effort with MEAN and Omaha, Neb.-based Sandhills Energy. Construction on the projects began in 2024.
Each participating community is contracting for energy output for their respective projects through power purchase agreements with Sandhills Energy.
Power Market Update
Tyler Wolford, a client services director from The Energy Authority, provided a power market update to the Board. Wolford gave an overview of how The Energy Authority partners with MEAN to optimize MEAN’s power resources in the wholesale power markets where MEAN operates.
He also discussed the rapidly changing power market environment which includes significant electric load growth primarily due to the growth of data centers and the challenges it presents for all utilities in procuring new resources to meet rising capacity requirements.
Integrated Resource Planning
MEAN is beginning the process to update its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for 2027. MEAN files an IRP every five years as part of a federal requirement by the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA).
The IRP serves as a planning tool for MEAN regarding potential future energy resources. The IRP evaluates several factors including new generating capacity, power purchases, energy conservation and efficiency, cogeneration and renewable energy resources, to assist MEAN in providing adequate and reliable service.
MEAN’s current IRP was completed in 2022. The updated IRP is expected to be completed and filed with WAPA in 2027.
Winter resource adequacy
The Board heard a winter resource adequacy report for the regions where it operates. For winter 2025-26 MEAN meets the resource adequacy requirements in the regions, which includes the Southwest Power Pool, MidContinent Independent System Operator and the West region.
Resource adequacy is about ensuring there's enough power available to meet demand, including a safety margin for unexpected issues. Rising electricity demand across the U.S., combined with more weather-dependent variable resources on the grid is straining the bulk electric grid and prompting higher resource adequacy requirements for utilities to meet.
Unit Capability Testing
MEAN’s annual summer Unit Capability Testing is wrapping up. Testing on 50 generating units in 19 communities resulted in a 98 percent pass rate on the first test, which is the highest rate of success to date.
These generating units serve as a backup power resource and are typically on standby throughout the year until called upon at critical times to maintain regional electric grid reliability. Many of these units were recently called upon to run by the Southwest Power Pool during high temperatures and low output from wind generation.
The testing program helps ensure the generating units will be ready when they are needed. The testing process includes a checklist of items, including requiring each power plant to operate for a specified amount of time while data from each generating unit is recorded and verified.
The energy capacity from these local power sources is leased to MEAN and make up a small slice of MEAN’s overall diverse power supply portfolio.