Loup Generator - Summer2019
This issue of the Loup Power District Generator includes updates on repairs at the the Genoa Headworks, a story about the Telechron Master Clock, employee anniversaries, and more.
This issue of the Loup Power District Generator includes updates on repairs at the the Genoa Headworks, a story about the Telechron Master Clock, employee anniversaries, and more.
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GENERA OR<br />
a publication of <strong>Loup</strong> Power District SUMMER 2019<br />
PICKING<br />
THEPIECES<br />
UP<br />
Rebuilding the Headworks
BOARD<br />
OF DIRECTORS<br />
Larry Zach<br />
Chairman<br />
Chris Langemeier<br />
First Vice Chairman<br />
Ross Knott<br />
Second Vice Chairman<br />
Alan Drozd<br />
Secretary<br />
Dick Tooley<br />
Treasurer<br />
Rich Aerni<br />
Robert Cerv<br />
Jim Donoghue<br />
Mike Fleming<br />
Steve Heesacker<br />
EXECUTIVE STAFF<br />
Neal Suess<br />
President/ CEO<br />
Walt Williams<br />
Vice President,<br />
Administrative Services/CFO<br />
David Bell<br />
Vice President,<br />
Development/Marketing<br />
Ron Ziola<br />
Vice President, Engineering<br />
Dan Hellbusch<br />
Vice President, Operations<br />
The <strong>Loup</strong> <strong>Generator</strong> is<br />
published quarterly as a<br />
service for <strong>Loup</strong> employees,<br />
families, friends and<br />
associates.<br />
For feedback, story ideas<br />
and submissions, contact:<br />
Stacy Wemhoff<br />
Communications Coordinator<br />
402-562-5711<br />
swemhoff@loup.com<br />
2,011 public power utilities<br />
provide electricity to 49 million people in 49 states<br />
and five U.S. territories. While each utility is unique,<br />
public power is characterized by some key values.<br />
COMMUNITY OWNED<br />
Public power utilities are owned by the communities<br />
they serve. They provide local jobs and support the<br />
local economy. You’ll see your friendly utility staff at the<br />
ball games and the grocery store.<br />
LOCALLY OPERATED<br />
Public power utilities are run by the city. They are<br />
regulated and governed by the city council or a board<br />
with local representatives. If you live in a public power<br />
community, you have a voice in decision-making for<br />
your utility.<br />
RESPONSIVE<br />
Public power utilities focus on delivering the highest<br />
level of service and value to customers. They are<br />
committed to meeting the needs of the community<br />
through environmental stewardship, high reliability<br />
and economic development.<br />
NONPROFIT<br />
Surplus revenues stay in the community and are<br />
invested in system improvements, shared with the local<br />
government, or used to lower your electric bills.<br />
Revenues are not distributed among outside<br />
shareholders.<br />
LOW-COST<br />
Public power utilities have access to tax-exempt<br />
financing and generally have stronger credit ratings<br />
than privately owned utilities. Community-owned<br />
utilities operate efficiently, and many have access to<br />
less expensive federal hydropower.<br />
2 GENERATOR
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE<br />
‘It won’t happen overnight’<br />
Rebuilding Headworks will take several years<br />
Many people around Nebraska continue<br />
to be in awe at the destruction caused by the<br />
mid-March storm event (or bomb cyclone).<br />
From the damage at Nebraska Public Power<br />
District’s Spencer Dam, to road damage on<br />
Dodge Street in Omaha, to the bridges that<br />
were damaged near Schuyler, Monroe and<br />
Genoa, to the levees that were breached<br />
along the Missouri River, to all the sand that<br />
has been deposited outside of the river beds<br />
throughout Nebraska — the damage caused<br />
by this one event will be felt for many years<br />
by the people throughout Nebraska.<br />
Obviously the <strong>Loup</strong> Power District was<br />
affected by this storm. The District saw<br />
damages to (1) the substations in St. Edward,<br />
Cedar Rapids and the sand plant south and<br />
by NEAL SUESS<br />
President/CEO<br />
The District is in the process of finalizing<br />
the temporary design repair drawings and<br />
submitting them to the Federal Energy<br />
Regulatory Commission (FERC) which has<br />
oversight of this project.<br />
The District will be designing permanent<br />
canal repairs to assist with future storm<br />
events. The District is also in the process<br />
of finalizing the root cause analysis for the<br />
damages. This report indicates the level<br />
of water and debris that was contained<br />
in the <strong>Loup</strong> River during the storm event<br />
was beyond any design capabilities of the<br />
Headworks and Canal system.<br />
For the near future, especially through the<br />
summer, fall and winter months, the entirety<br />
of the Headworks will be closed off to the<br />
west of Genoa, (2) subtransmission and distribution<br />
lines near the Headworks and south and west of<br />
Columbus, and (3) the obvious breaches and damage to<br />
the Canal system near the Headworks, as well as damage<br />
in the Tailrace section of the Canal, south and east of<br />
Columbus.<br />
District employees and contractors continue to<br />
work on all of these, but I want to focus mostly on the<br />
Headworks and Canal repairs for this article.<br />
The District continues to work to seal up the breaches<br />
that occurred along the Canal, south and west of Genoa.<br />
The breaches have been sealed up enough to allow the<br />
District to bring a certain amount of water into the<br />
Canal; however, this amount is far below that for normal<br />
operation and will continue in this manner for some<br />
time, probably through the end of 2020.<br />
As the District starts to get into more temporary<br />
and permanent repairs, we expect water levels in the<br />
Canal to fluctuate, in order to manage and complete the<br />
repairs.<br />
public for recreation purposes.<br />
With the construction activity ongoing and the heavy<br />
equipment being used to move sand, dirt and gravel<br />
from one area to another, it is too dangerous to open<br />
any of these areas to the public. We realize this creates<br />
some inconveniences. However, the public safety is too<br />
great of a concern to allow these areas to open. The<br />
District will let everyone know when it is safe to use<br />
these areas again.<br />
We want everyone to know we are working as quickly<br />
as possible to make the repairs to all of our systems and<br />
get back to normal operation. This will be a process that<br />
will last many months and take several years. It will not<br />
happen overnight.<br />
The District appreciates everyone’s patience, prayers,<br />
thoughts and ideas. We know that we are part of your<br />
communities and we plan to be in your communities for<br />
a very long time.<br />
Continue to look at the District’s website and social<br />
media outlets for updated information.<br />
SUMMER 2019 3
Henry Ellis Warren<br />
MASTER<br />
OF TIME<br />
A rare Telechron Type A Master Clock resides<br />
in a display case at the Columbus Powerhouse.<br />
It was invented by Henry Ellis Warren in 1916.<br />
The Master Clock was used to control the frequency<br />
of the alternating current to an even 60 cycles per<br />
minute. This regulation facilitated the rise of the<br />
electric clock in homes across the country.<br />
By 1941, the Warren Telechron Company<br />
produced about 3 million clocks annually.<br />
THE WARREN TELECHRON MASTER CLOCK TYPE A<br />
by Harry S. Holcomb, Ill (VA) and Robert Webb (IA)<br />
Henry Ellis Warren, a native of Boston, graduated from the<br />
Massachu setts Institute of Technology in 1894. He settled<br />
in Ashland, MA, in 1907, and set up a small workshop there<br />
where, as a hobby, he tinkered with electrically driven clocks.<br />
He developed a battery-driven clock and took out his first<br />
patent on this clock in July 1909.<br />
The Warren Clock Company was founded in 1912 and<br />
his commercial production of battery driven clocks began in<br />
1915. However, he considered these clocks inadequate and<br />
unreliable, and thus sought other methods of telling time<br />
accurately.<br />
Although the idea of driving electric clocks with alternating<br />
current was not new, Henry Warren was the first to develop,<br />
in early 1916, a simple self-starting alternating current motor<br />
which was truly “synchronous” with an alternating current and<br />
which could be produced inexpensively.<br />
However, he discovered that the synchronous motor clock,<br />
when driven by alternating electricity from the local power<br />
company, still did not keep perfect time, losing up to 15<br />
minutes per day. The reason for this was because the power<br />
companies had difficulty controlling precisely the alternations<br />
or frequency of their generators.<br />
Henry Warren realized that the next problem he faced was<br />
“to bring about in some manner the accurate regulation of<br />
the alternating current impulses which were being sent in all<br />
directions over the wires so that these impulses, in connection<br />
with the newly designed motor, might be used to supply<br />
power companies’ customers with a dependable time-telling<br />
device.”<br />
He went to work and “took only a few months to design and<br />
build a thoroughly satisfactory master clock which could be<br />
used at power stations so as to indicate errors in the average<br />
frequency, which were hundreds of times smaller than could<br />
be measured with instruments then in use.”<br />
His first clock was installed for demonstration purposes at<br />
the L Street Station of the Boston Edison Company on October<br />
23, 1916. The company was so impressed with the clock that<br />
they insisted on keeping it.<br />
The concept of the Telechron Master Clock is very simple.<br />
Its large five-minute dial carries two hands, both of which<br />
are center mounted. One hand is connected to an accurate<br />
pendulum clock and the other to a synchronous motor. The<br />
synchronous motor is so geared that when the frequency of<br />
4 GENERATOR
A page from the Master Clock instruction manual. Thanks to Cliff Wilson and the Ashland (Mass.) Historical Society.<br />
Columbus Powerhouse operators used this<br />
Telechron clock to keep the official time<br />
for the State of Nebraska until 1950.<br />
the generators is correct (exactly 60 cycles per second) the gold hand will<br />
rotate at exactly the same speed as the black pendulum-regulated hand.<br />
As described by J. E. Coletnan, “The generating station operator watches<br />
the clock and adjusts his turbine governors regulating the frequency so as to<br />
keep the black and gold hands in line.<br />
By doing this, the other synchronous clocks plugged into the system automatically<br />
keep correct time.”<br />
There was a second benefit for the power company from the use of the<br />
Master Clock. Since the current (cycles per second) could be regulated very<br />
precisely, it became possible for several generators of generating plants to<br />
hook together efficiently in one large grid system.<br />
By 1921, the Master Clock Type A, or improved versions of it, and the<br />
synchronous motor-driven electric clock were in widespread use.<br />
In addition to the large 5-minute dial previously mentioned, there is a<br />
lower 12-hour dial with hour and minute hands. The upper five-minute dial<br />
has one hand driven by a synchronous motor. This is an auxiliary clock motor<br />
to be kept running at all times in case the primary motor should fail.<br />
The seconds beating clock, when properly regulated, is to run with an<br />
error of less than one second per day using the Graham “clead beat” type<br />
escapement.<br />
The pendulum movement, which drives the black hands on the center<br />
dial and the lower dial, is regulated by two methods. The first means of<br />
adjustment is by adding or subtract ing small weights.<br />
SUMMER 2019 5
The weights are applied to a pan<br />
fastened to the pendulum rod. They<br />
are marked with a numeral displaying<br />
the number of seconds per day which<br />
that particular weight would change the<br />
clock’s rate. Weights are added to the<br />
pan to increase the rate and removed<br />
from the pan to slow it.<br />
A second way of regulating the clock<br />
is with two small rheostats located in<br />
the top of the case. These control the<br />
intensity of a magnetic field set up by<br />
a battery coil in the bottom of the case<br />
and affect the pendulum swing. One<br />
rheostat will set the clock, correcting<br />
small errors of up to five seconds. The<br />
other rheostat will correct the rate of<br />
pendulum movement and acts in the<br />
same manner as the weights on the<br />
pendulum pan.<br />
The pendulum movement is powered<br />
by a spring which is kept wound by a<br />
connection with the synchronous motor.<br />
If the clock should stop, the synchronous<br />
motor must be turned off to prevent<br />
over-winding of the clock spring. The<br />
main and auxiliary synchronous motors<br />
are controlled by means of toggle<br />
switches in the top of the case.<br />
The instruction manual suggests<br />
that the movement be cleaned and<br />
overhauled and that new synchronous<br />
motors be installed every two years.<br />
These clocks were to receive very good<br />
maintenance to ensure reliable service<br />
for the power plants.<br />
Henry Warren’s Master Clock Type A<br />
and the synchronous clock motor, both<br />
relatively simple in concept and design,<br />
were ingenious products.<br />
Their development made possible, for<br />
the first time, the widespread use of the<br />
household electric clock that we know<br />
today.<br />
Article used with permission. This article was originally published in the February 1985 issue of the NAWCC Bulletin (pages 35–37), a journal of the National Association of<br />
Watch & Clock Collectors, Inc. For more information about the Association and its membership benefits, please visit nawcc.org.<br />
“<br />
In the modern electric clocks . . . the function of measuring time<br />
is separate from the function of telling time. Two devices are<br />
necessary, first a single very reliable and accurate master clock<br />
located at some central point on a power system, and second an unlimited<br />
number of synchronous motor clocks located wherever convenient on the<br />
distribution system of the power company. The same generators, wires, and<br />
transformers which carry light, heat and power to all the company’s customers<br />
also carry without any extra charge accurate time impulses to those modern<br />
electric clocks. The only thing that is necessary for the electric clock to do is<br />
to translate the alternating current impulses into time indications. Therefore,<br />
they serve to tell the time which is accurately measured by another device.<br />
TOP: The nameplate from <strong>Loup</strong> Power<br />
District’s Warren Telechron Master<br />
Clock.<br />
BOTTOM: Historical records show<br />
that <strong>Loup</strong>’s clock was initially used at<br />
Muscatine Electric Light Company in<br />
Muscatine, Iowa. <strong>Loup</strong> acquired the<br />
clock sometime in the late 1930s.<br />
Courtesy of Ashland (Mass.) Historical Society.<br />
6 GENERATOR<br />
As a result of this arrangement the mechanical construction of the electric<br />
clock is of a very different nature from that of the ordinary spring and weightdriven<br />
clock. In the latter conservation of power is of the utmost importance.<br />
Only a slight amount of energy is available in a tightly wound spring or a lifted<br />
weight and this naturally must be used in the most miserly way if the delicate<br />
time-measuring escapement device is to perform accurately . . . In the electric<br />
clock, however, it is not difficult to provide an abundance of power which can<br />
be used for the simple task of keeping the clock hands in motion . . .<br />
Synchronous motor clocks may be readily substituted for practically all forms<br />
of ordinary clocks and their field of usefulness may be extended far beyond<br />
that of spring and weight-driven clocks.<br />
The electric movements are small and compact so that they may be mounted<br />
in any ordinary form of case. The dial may be readily illuminated by using<br />
a trifling amount of the energy which is available inside the case itself.<br />
They have already become the most popular form of alarm clock. They<br />
may be arranged to show the time of day by moving numerals in place of<br />
moving hands. They may be arranged to switch electric current on and off<br />
at predetermined times or to give signals according to a regular program. In<br />
fact there seems to be no limit to the field of usefulness of these new timekeepers.<br />
— HENRY ELLIS WARREN, February 6, 1937<br />
Meeting of the Clock Club in Boston
May 1930 Ladies’ Home Journal ad courtesy of clockhistory.com 7
Top: A view of the two major canal breaches on the north<br />
and south sides of the intake structure at the Genoa<br />
Headworks a few days after the March storm.<br />
Top left: The Nebraska National Guard helped drop<br />
sandbags in the south side breach. Employees added<br />
sand and rock to completely fill the breach.<br />
Bottom left: The storm’s flooding ripped off an addition to<br />
the Headworks building, damaging the break room and<br />
an office. Employees are still using the shop area.<br />
Right: Employees from the neighboring Preferred Sands<br />
of Genoa helped fill the north breach in the days following<br />
the storm.<br />
8 GENERATOR
The storm destroyed the caretaker’s house<br />
at the Genoa Headworks (below). Most of<br />
the house has been removed from the canal.<br />
PICKING<br />
THEPIECES<br />
UP<br />
The March<br />
storm caused<br />
a large canal<br />
breach near<br />
the Highway 22<br />
bridge southwest<br />
of Genoa. Preferrred<br />
Sands employees<br />
helped fill the gap, but<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> employees need to<br />
widen the dike an additional<br />
10 to 20 feet in places.<br />
Ice jams. Rain. Snow melt. Fluctuating temperatures.<br />
They collided violently in mid-March, leaving<br />
behind disaster and destruction throughout much of<br />
Nebraska.<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District’s Genoa Headworks was not<br />
spared. The water breached the canal walls in several<br />
places between the intake structure and the Highway<br />
22 bridge southwest of Genoa. The two largest<br />
breaches flanked the intake structure.<br />
Over the next week, <strong>Loup</strong> employees worked to fill<br />
the breaches and stop the uncontrolled flow of water<br />
from the <strong>Loup</strong> River in to the canal.<br />
They had help from neighboring Preferred Sands of<br />
Genoa. Preferred employees used the business’ large<br />
machinery to haul loads of sand to help fill the gaps<br />
and rebuild roads.<br />
The Nebraska National Guard assisted as well,<br />
dropping 280 massive sandbags in the south breach.<br />
Now, four months later, employees are working<br />
to pick of the pieces and rebuild the area. It is<br />
a frustratingly slow process — made so by a<br />
combination of the extent of damage, the weather,<br />
and the regulatory procedures mandated by the<br />
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).<br />
Although some of the pieces are falling into place,<br />
it will take several years to finish the puzzle.<br />
SUMMER 2019 9
Top: The March storm washed away<br />
the decking on the weir bridge at the<br />
Genoa Headworks. This left employees<br />
unable to access the south side of<br />
the canal. New decking was installed<br />
in April.<br />
In this photo, Heavy Equipment Operator<br />
Kurt Mohr (crane operator),<br />
Drege Foreman James Reeg (left)<br />
and Headgates Operator Andy Zarek<br />
(right) install stop logs on April 18.<br />
Right: The weir bridge after the storm.<br />
Bottom: The intake structure received<br />
some damage but remained operational.<br />
10 GENERATOR
Left: The Pawnee II, a dredge used to<br />
remove sand from the canal’s settling<br />
basin, took on about four feet of water<br />
during the flood, damaging the dredge<br />
pump motor.<br />
A portion of the dredge roof was<br />
removed with the help of a crane, which<br />
then lifted out the 11-ton, 3,000hp motor<br />
so it can be refurbished.<br />
The Pawnee II’s predecessor — the<br />
Pawnee — also survived a flood in 1966.<br />
Bottom left: Dredge Operator Joe<br />
Kleckner works to separate the motor<br />
coupling prior to the motor’s removal.<br />
Bottom right: Hydro Superintendent<br />
Brad Morton, Monroe Chief Operator<br />
Jamie Held, and Hydro Electrical/<br />
Mechanical Technician Matt Kathol<br />
discuss dredge repairs.<br />
SUMMER 2019 11
employee notes<br />
RICK SCHAECHER<br />
Meter/Maintenance Superintendent<br />
Retired<br />
Rick Schaecher of Columbus retired from <strong>Loup</strong> Power District after more than 27 years<br />
of service.<br />
He joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 1992 as the District Substation Meter/Maintenance Superintendent at<br />
the Columbus Service Center and continued in that position until his retirement.<br />
Schaecher was in charge of the Meter and Maintenance Department at <strong>Loup</strong> Power<br />
District. The Meter and Maintenance crew performs high voltage switching, maintenance<br />
and inspections of distribution and transmission substations throughout the district,<br />
as well as metering and relaying. The crew also operates and maintains <strong>Loup</strong>’s SCADA<br />
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system and irrigation Load Control.<br />
A graduate of Lindsay Holy Family High School, Schaecher has an Associate of Applied<br />
Science degree in Electrical Technology from Southeast Community College in Milford.<br />
He and his wife, Karla, are the parents of two children: Jared and Ryan.<br />
1 year+Promotion<br />
JOHN FRITZGES<br />
Equipment Operator<br />
John Fritzges of St. Edward<br />
joined <strong>Loup</strong> Power District as a<br />
Maintenance Man at the Genoa<br />
Headworks in 2018.<br />
He was promoted to Equipment<br />
Operator in May.<br />
Fritzges is responsible for<br />
maintaining the District’s parks,<br />
facilities and equipment. He also<br />
assists equipment operators and<br />
serves as a dredge deck hand<br />
during the dredging season at the<br />
Genoa Headworks.<br />
He and his wife, Kaitlin, have<br />
three children: Kohen, Reese, and<br />
Rhett, are expecting another in<br />
September.<br />
Transfer<br />
TIM RECEK<br />
Maintenance Man<br />
Tim Recek of Columbus<br />
transferred to the Hydro<br />
Department where he is now<br />
working as a Maintenance Man.<br />
He joined <strong>Loup</strong> Power District<br />
in 2017 as a Utilityman.<br />
In his new role as<br />
Maintenance Man, Recek is<br />
responsible for maintaining<br />
District parks, facilities, and<br />
equipment.<br />
He and his wife, Brenda, have<br />
two children: son, Dylan, and<br />
daughter, Sydney.<br />
Welcome<br />
NANCY NELSEN<br />
Customer Service Rep<br />
Nancy Nelsen of Newman<br />
Grove joined <strong>Loup</strong> Power District<br />
as a part-time Customer Service<br />
Representative in the Newman<br />
Grove office.<br />
In her new position, Nelsen’s<br />
responsibilities include greeting<br />
customers; processing payments;<br />
setting up, transferring, or closing<br />
service; taking service calls; and<br />
preparing reports.<br />
Nelsen graduated from<br />
Lincoln High School and earned<br />
an Associate of Applied Science<br />
degree from Southeast Community<br />
College.<br />
She and her husband, Chris,<br />
have a daughter, Halie.<br />
12 GENERATOR
SHARON TROFHOLZ<br />
Columbus Service Center Coordinator<br />
Sharon Trofholz of Columbus retired after more than 37 years of service.<br />
Trofholz joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 1982 as the Steno-Clerk at the Columbus Service Center. Her<br />
position title was changed to Service Center Coordinator in 1999 and she continued in that<br />
position until her retirement<br />
As the Service Center Coordinator, Trofholz handled communication among the<br />
personnel at the Service Center including linemen, meter and maintenance, shop, and<br />
canal crews. Her duties also included taking service calls including outages, receiving<br />
locate requests, sending irrigation load control messages and handling dispatches. She also<br />
prepared work tickets, service orders, and reports.<br />
Trofholz and her husband, Gary, are the parents of three adult children: Greg, Kelly, and<br />
Kari. They have seven grandchildren and two great-grandsons.<br />
Retired<br />
1 Year<br />
ANDY YRKOSKI<br />
Lineman<br />
Andy Yrkoski joined <strong>Loup</strong><br />
Power District as a Lineman on<br />
the Columbus Line Crew at the<br />
Columbus Service Center in 2018.<br />
As a Lineman, Yrkoski is<br />
a member of the crew that is<br />
responsible for the construction,<br />
tree trimming, operation,<br />
and maintenance of electric<br />
transmission and distribution<br />
systems and substations in the<br />
Columbus Division.<br />
Yrkoski is a graduate of<br />
Columbus High school. He earned<br />
an Associate of Applied Science<br />
Degree in Utility Line from<br />
Northeast Community College in<br />
Norfolk.<br />
1 Year<br />
AARON SUNDBERG<br />
Lineman<br />
Aaron Sundberg of Fullerton<br />
joined <strong>Loup</strong> Power District as a<br />
Lineman in the Fullerton Division<br />
in 2018.<br />
He is a member of the<br />
crew that is responsible for<br />
the construction, operation,<br />
and maintenance of electric<br />
transmission and distribution<br />
systems and substations in the<br />
Fullerton Division.<br />
Sundberg is a native of<br />
Clarks and a graduate of High<br />
Plains Community Schools. He<br />
graduated from the Utility Line<br />
program from Metropolitan<br />
Community College.<br />
10 Years<br />
MATT KATHOL<br />
Hydro Electrical/<br />
Mechanical Technician<br />
Matt Kathol joined <strong>Loup</strong> as<br />
Meter, Relay, and Equipment<br />
Technician II in 2009. In 2018,<br />
he transferred to the Hydro<br />
department and began working<br />
as a Hydro Electrical/Mechanical<br />
Technician.<br />
In that role, Kathol maintains<br />
and repairs equipment at<br />
the Columbus and Monroe<br />
Powerhouses.<br />
A graduate of Norfolk High<br />
School, Kathol earned an Associate<br />
of Applied Science Degree in<br />
Electromechanical Technology<br />
from Northeast Community<br />
College in Norfolk.<br />
He and his wife, Ashley, are the<br />
parents of a son, Eli.<br />
SUMMER 2019 13
employee notes<br />
GINNY JOHNSON<br />
Customer Service Representative<br />
25 years<br />
Ginny Johnson of Genoa joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 1994 as a regular part-time Cashier at the<br />
Genoa Office.<br />
In 2009, the position title was changed to Customer Service Representative. Johnson<br />
was promoted to a full-time Customer Service Representative in 2018.<br />
Her responsibilities include greeting customers; processing payments; setting up,<br />
transferring, or closing service; taking service calls; and preparing reports.<br />
Johnson is a graduate of Genoa High School. She also took accounting and computer<br />
courses at Central Community College-Columbus.<br />
Johnson and her husband, Don, are the parents of four sons: J.J., Andy, Craig, and Scott.<br />
They have six grandchildren.<br />
5 Years<br />
CAMERON KNOPIK<br />
Journeyman Lineman<br />
Cameron Knopik joined <strong>Loup</strong> Power District in<br />
2014 as a Lineman in Albion and was promoted to<br />
Journeyman Lineman in 2017.<br />
Knopik is a member of the line crew that is in<br />
responsible for the construction, operation, and<br />
maintenance of <strong>Loup</strong>’s electrical transmission and<br />
distribution system in the Albion Division.<br />
He is a native of Fullerton and a graduate of<br />
Fullerton High School. He earned an Associate of<br />
Applied Science Degree in Utility Line from Northeast<br />
Community College in Norfolk.<br />
Knopik and his wife, Connie, live in Albion.<br />
Transfer<br />
ZACH REICKS<br />
Meter, Relay & Equipment<br />
Technician<br />
Zach Reicks of Columbus recently transferred to<br />
Meter, Relay and Equipment Technician.<br />
He joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 2007 as an Apprentice Lineman<br />
at the Columbus Retail Division based out of the<br />
Columbus Service Center. Later that year he was<br />
promoted to Lineman. In 2011, he was promoted to<br />
Journeyman Lineman.<br />
In his new role, Reicks is part of the team that<br />
is responsible for installation and maintenance of<br />
substation power equipment for the District.<br />
A graduate of Columbus Lakeview High School,<br />
Reicks has an Associate of Applied Science Degree in<br />
Utility Line from Northeast Community College in<br />
Norfolk.<br />
He and his wife, Ashley, are the parents of three<br />
children: Leyton Michael, Camden Lee, and Lily Jean.<br />
14 GENERATOR
MARIE ZACH<br />
Administrative Assistant — Engineering<br />
Marie Zach of Columbus joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 1999 as a Cashier at the District’s Columbus<br />
General Office. She was promoted to Computer Operator in 2001 and to Lead Customer<br />
Service Representative in 2011. She was promoted to Administrative Assistant for the<br />
Engineering Department in 2014.<br />
Zach provides support to the Vice President of Engineering and other department<br />
personnel. She maintains work order files, state and federal forms, consultant materials,<br />
internal reports, and more.<br />
A native of Humphrey, Nebraska, Zach is a graduate of Humphrey St. Francis High<br />
School. She earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Administration<br />
and a Management Diploma from Central Community College -- Columbus.<br />
Zach and her husband, Steve, are the parents of four children: Wes, Austin, Danny,<br />
and Laura. They have 11 grandchildren.<br />
20 Years<br />
Welcome<br />
DREW GRAHAM<br />
Utilityman<br />
Drew Graham is a Utilityman<br />
based out of the Columbus Service<br />
Center in June.<br />
In his role as Utilityman,<br />
Graham’s duties include servicing<br />
the District’s rental water heaters,<br />
delivering interoffice mail, and<br />
assisting on other projects as<br />
needed.<br />
Graham is a native of Silver<br />
Creek and graduated from Twin<br />
River High School. He earned a<br />
degree in Heating Ventilation and<br />
Air Conditioning/Refrigeration<br />
from Northeast Community<br />
College.<br />
He and his wife, Jordan, live in<br />
Columbus.<br />
Welcome<br />
JACOB CZARNICK<br />
Lineman<br />
Jacob Czarnick is a Lineman<br />
based out of the Columbus Service<br />
Center.<br />
Czarnick is a member of the<br />
crew that is responsible for<br />
the construction, operation<br />
and maintenance of electric<br />
transmission and distribution<br />
systems in the Columbus area.<br />
He graduated from Columbus<br />
High School and earned his Utility<br />
Line degree from Northeast<br />
Community College last month.<br />
Czarnick interned at <strong>Loup</strong><br />
during the summers of 2017 and<br />
2018.<br />
Welcome<br />
BEAU SCHOMMER<br />
Lineman<br />
Beau Schommer is a Lineman<br />
based out of the Columbus Service<br />
Center.<br />
In his new role, Schommer<br />
is a member of the crew that is<br />
responsible for the construction,<br />
operation and maintenance<br />
of electric transmission and<br />
distribution systems in the<br />
Columbus area.<br />
Schommer graduated from<br />
Norfolk Catholic High School and<br />
earned his Utility Line degree from<br />
Northeast Community College. He<br />
interned with <strong>Loup</strong> Power District<br />
in Humphrey last summer.<br />
SUMMER 2019 15
employee notes<br />
TIM RAMAEKERS<br />
Meter/Maintenance Superintendent<br />
Promotion<br />
Tim Ramaekers was promoted to Meter/Maintenance Superintendent at <strong>Loup</strong> Power<br />
District.<br />
In his new position, Ramaekers oversees the Meter and Maintenance Department.<br />
The Meter and Maintenance crew performs high voltage switching, maintenance and<br />
inspections of distribution and transmission substations throughout the district, as<br />
well as metering and relaying. The crew also operates and maintains <strong>Loup</strong>’s SCADA<br />
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system and irrigation Load Control.<br />
Ramaekers joined <strong>Loup</strong> in 2001 as a Lineman. He was promoted to Journeyman<br />
Lineman in 2006 and was promoted to Meter Relay & Equipment Technician in 2008.<br />
Ramaekers is a graduate of Norfolk Catholic High School and earned an Associate of<br />
Applied Science Degree in Utility Line from Northeast Community College.<br />
He and his wife, Michelle, are the parents of a daughter, Garyn, and a son, Kai.<br />
Employees help raise funds for flood relief<br />
Nikki Brunken saw photo after<br />
photo of the devastation caused by<br />
flooding in mid-March.<br />
She wanted to do something for<br />
the victims, but wasn’t sure exactly<br />
how to help.<br />
The answer ended up coming to<br />
her when she was asked to volunteer<br />
for a flood relief event in Columbus.<br />
“I decided it was something I<br />
was interested in,” Brunken said. “I<br />
couldn’t just sit at home and see my<br />
house that was perfectly fine and not<br />
do something.”<br />
Brunken was tasked with<br />
organizing a silent auction just three<br />
weeks before the event.<br />
“I knew there was absolutely<br />
no way that I could go around and<br />
solicit enough on my own,” she said.<br />
“I knew I was going to need a team<br />
to help me out.”<br />
She asked three fellow coworkers<br />
for help along with some other<br />
friends. They agreed to help for the<br />
same reason she did.<br />
“We all felt we wanted to do<br />
something but didn’t know what we<br />
could do,” said Shari Cromwell.<br />
The team reached out to local<br />
businesses and asked if they would<br />
consider donating to the event. The<br />
response was amazing — especially<br />
since there were several recent<br />
fundraisers for other causes.<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District employees (left to right) Lynette June, Nikki Brunken, Shari<br />
Cromwell and Rhonda Rogers volunteered with a flood relief event in April. They are<br />
pictured with Julie Oppliger, who also volunteered time for the event along with Sue<br />
Hoge, wife of <strong>Loup</strong> employee Jim Hoge, and many others.<br />
“The community was quite<br />
generous,” Brunken said. “A lot of<br />
people donated on their own for the<br />
flood and yet they were still willing to<br />
donate to the silent auction.”<br />
In the end, the event, held on April<br />
27, raised $86,374.77. The total does<br />
not count businesses or individuals<br />
who donated directly to the fund.<br />
Donations are still being<br />
accepted. To learn more,<br />
visit floodreliefne.org.<br />
16 GENERATOR
AC tune up water heater heat pump<br />
$<br />
40<br />
Tune-ups on cooling<br />
systems that have been<br />
neglected for a few years<br />
will improve efficiency<br />
and provide energy<br />
savings of 15% or more.<br />
QUALIFYING SYSTEMS:<br />
Residential central air<br />
conditioners, air-source and<br />
water-source heat pumps.<br />
$<br />
400–600<br />
A heat pump water heater<br />
is more efficient than a<br />
standard unit. While it<br />
costs more upfront, the<br />
savings will pay back the<br />
difference in two years.<br />
QUALIFYING SYSTEMS:<br />
Air source HP water<br />
heaters ($400), and wateror<br />
ground-source heat pump<br />
water heaters ($600).<br />
$<br />
400–3,300<br />
Heating and cooling your<br />
home is probably one of<br />
your largest energy<br />
expenses. High-efficiency<br />
heat pumps can help<br />
reduce that cost.<br />
QUALIFYING SYSTEMS:<br />
Minimum 15 SEER,<br />
12.5 EER, and 8.5 HSPF;<br />
or a variable capacity<br />
heat pump.<br />
ENERGYWISE ℠ INCENTIVES<br />
increased to aid flood victims<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District, in partnership with Nebraska<br />
Public Power District (NPPD), is increasing three<br />
residential EnergyWiseSM incentives to help those<br />
affected by the recent historic and devastating<br />
flooding.<br />
The incentive amounts for the High-Efficiency<br />
Heat Pump, Cooling System Tune Up and Heat Pump<br />
Water Heater programs have increased approximately<br />
33 percent.<br />
The temporary incentive increases end December<br />
31, 2019. They are available to all customers — not<br />
just those with flood damage.<br />
All projects must be installed and operational<br />
during the calendar year to be eligible for the<br />
corresponding EnergyWiseSM program year<br />
incentives.<br />
LEARN MORE AT LOUP.COM<br />
SUMMER 2019 17
MICHAEL ZIOLA<br />
Doane University<br />
—<br />
Master’s Degree<br />
in Educational Leadership<br />
MORGAN TROFHOLZ<br />
University of Nebraska-Lincoln<br />
—<br />
Bachelor’s Degree<br />
in Business<br />
BRIANNA PRATER<br />
University of Nebraska-Lincoln<br />
—<br />
Bachelor’s Degree<br />
in Psychology<br />
JACEY OLMER<br />
University of Nebraska-Lincoln<br />
—<br />
Bachelor’s Degree<br />
in Graphic Design<br />
Plans: Continue to teach<br />
and coach at Waverly High School<br />
Son of Peg and Ron Ziola,<br />
Vice President of Engineering<br />
Granddaughter of Gary<br />
and Sharon Trofholz,<br />
Columbus Service Center<br />
Coordinator (Columbus)<br />
Plans: Master’s Degree in Clinical<br />
and Mental Health Counseling<br />
Daughter of Sue and Rick Prater,<br />
Supervisor of Safety and Training<br />
Daughter of Tom and<br />
Ann Olmer, Humphrey<br />
Customer Service<br />
Representative<br />
AUSTAN KORUS<br />
Twin River High School<br />
AIDEN CROMWELL<br />
Columbus High School<br />
BRADY SOKOL<br />
Newman Grove High School<br />
GRIFFIN BABB<br />
Boone Central High School<br />
Son of Brenda Korus and Neil<br />
Korus, Chief Mechanic<br />
Plans: Study mechatronics<br />
at Central Community<br />
College-Columbus<br />
Son of John and Shari Cromwell,<br />
Lead Customer Service<br />
Representative<br />
Plans: Ag Business<br />
at Northeast Community College<br />
Son of Joan and Scott Sokol,<br />
Newman Grove Local<br />
Superintendent<br />
Plans: Lineman Program at<br />
Northeast Community College<br />
Son of Shelly and Roy Babb,<br />
St. Edward Local Superintendent<br />
18 GENERATOR
Area students earn scholarships<br />
LINKAGES SCHOLARSHIPS<br />
Linkages Scholarships were awarded to 11 students in the 2019<br />
graduating class at Columbus High School.<br />
The Linkages Program is a nationally recognized program that supports<br />
high schools offering a quality program of engineering and technology<br />
courses. The Columbus Economic Council, <strong>Loup</strong> Power District, and local<br />
businesses provide support for the program.<br />
The students qualified for the Linkages Scholarship by taking engineering<br />
and technical courses. The scholarship can be used at each student’s college<br />
of choice.<br />
The 2019 Linkages Scholarships were awarded to the following students:<br />
Gold Level —Logan Garbers, Edwin Ortiz-Morales, Eduardo Lares, and Ethan<br />
Gaston; Silver Level — Avery McMeekin, Pedro Zayas-Vargas, Mitchell<br />
Thelen, and Heriberto Huerta-Zayas; Bronze Level — Jan Gomez, Treyton<br />
Mead, and Eduardo Loredo-Luevano.<br />
The following local sponsors provided important financial support to this<br />
year’s program: BD Medical, Behlen Mfg., Cargill Protein, Columbus Bank,<br />
Columbus Community Hospital, Duo Lift Manufacturing, Pinnacle Bank, and<br />
TORIN Products.<br />
Since its beginning in 2004, the Linkages Program has awarded 192<br />
scholarships totaling $57,775.<br />
LOUP POWER DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIPS<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District has awarded scholarships to nine area students who<br />
are attending Central Community College-Columbus this fall.<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District scholarships are awarded to high school seniors<br />
living in Boone, Colfax, Nance, and Platte Counties and portions of Madison<br />
County. Selection is based on academic achievement, employment and<br />
school activities, quality of the personal statement, application completeness<br />
and recommendations.<br />
Scholarships were awarded to: Boone Central High School — Haley Buck;<br />
Columbus High School — Juliette Caballero, Aiden Cromwell, Hailey Wagner,<br />
and Nadine Hernandez; Howells-Dodge High School — Dylan Horejsi;<br />
Lakeview High School — Emma Williams; St. Edward High School — Keean<br />
Cruise; Twin River High School — Logan Dickey.<br />
Lease payments<br />
total more than<br />
$1.2 million<br />
<strong>Loup</strong> Power District officials recently<br />
presented lease payment checks<br />
totaling more than $1.2 million to<br />
area communities.<br />
Each of these communities owns<br />
their electric distribution systems.<br />
These payments compensate them<br />
for the use of those systems for the<br />
first quarter of 2019.<br />
Communities use the funds for a<br />
variety of public projects.<br />
The payments were:<br />
Columbus — $1,099,536.66<br />
Genoa — $30,863.46<br />
Creston — $9,053.75<br />
Lindsay — $53,710.91<br />
Leigh — $18,945.55<br />
Newman Grove — $23,287.06<br />
ELECTRICITY<br />
REMAINS A<br />
GOOD VALUE<br />
The cost of powering your home<br />
rises slowly compared to other<br />
common expenses. Looking<br />
at price increases over the last<br />
five years, it’s easy to see that<br />
electricity remains a good value!<br />
Average Annual Price Increase 2013-2018<br />
Percent<br />
4.0<br />
3.5<br />
3.0<br />
2.5<br />
2.0<br />
1.5<br />
1.0<br />
0.5<br />
3.6%<br />
3%<br />
2.8%<br />
1.1%<br />
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<br />
Consumer Price Index<br />
0<br />
Rent<br />
Cable/<br />
Satellite TV<br />
Education<br />
Electricity<br />
SUMMER 2019 19
2404 15th Street | PO Box 988<br />
Columbus, NE 68602-0988<br />
Employees added 2×4s to the diversion wall at the Genoa Headworks on June 19.<br />
The wall diverts water into the settling basin and must be repaired every year.