Generator_Spring 2023_Final

GENERA OR
a publication of Loup Power District SPRING 2023
LOUP + NPPD + SPP
Working together to bring
reliable & affordable power
to our customers

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Steve Heesacker
Chairman
Bob Cerv
First Vice Chairman
Jim Donoghue
Second Vice Chairman
Mike Fleming
Secretary
Dick Tooley
Treasurer
Rich Aerni
Alan Drozd
Chris Langemeier
Larry Zach
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Neal Suess
President/CEO
Walt Williams
Vice President,
Accounting & Finance/CFO
Todd Duren
Vice President,
Corporate Services
Korey Hobza
Vice President, Engineering
Dan Hellbusch
Vice President, Operations
The Loup Generator is
published quarterly
as a service for Loup
employees, families,
friends, and associates.
For feedback, story ideas
and submissions, contact:
Stacy Wemhoff
Communications Coordinator
402-562-5711
swemhoff@loup.com
Counties receive $2.1 million
Loup Power District recently delivered its
inside revenue payments and the second
half of the in-lieu-of-tax payments to the
counties it serves. This is a benefit of being
served by a locally controlled, not-forprofit
utility.
Like other businesses, Loup Power District
pays sales tax, gasoline taxes, motor
vehicle license fees, and permit fees. The
in-lieu-of-tax payments are made to
service area counties in lieu of occupation,
personal property, and real estate taxes.
County treasurers will distribute the
funds to the various taxing bodies in each
county.
Total in-lieu-of-tax payments for 2022:
Platte — $ 9,713.77
Boone — $5,078.34
Loup pays communities $1.3 million
Loup Power District recently
delivered lease payment
checks totaling more
than $1.3 million to area
communities.
Each of these communities
owns their electric
distribution systems.
These payments
compensate them for the
use of those systems for the
fourth quarter of 2022.
Loup Power District renewed its
membership in Community Clubs
and Chambers of Commerce in towns
throughout its service area.
Checks totaling $31,462 were presented
to communities in Boone, Colfax, Nance,
Platte, and Madison counties. Payment
amounts are based on the 2022 gross
revenues in each community.
“Membership renewal demonstrates
Loup Power District’s commitment to
community involvement in all of our area
towns,” said Todd Duren, Vice President of
Corporate Services for Loup Power District.
Nance — $ 6,445.84
Colfax — $240.48
Madison — $359.27
Total — $ 21,837.70
Communities use the funds
for a variety of public
projects.
The payments were:
Columbus—$985,653.03
Platte Center—$8,916.75
Monroe—$12,242.23
Tarnov—$1,249.05
Creston—$5,082.66
Humphrey—$23,554.52
Lindsay—$51,123.29
Cornlea—$1,626.79
Newman Grove—$17,302.55
The District is also required to make
additional payments to the counties to
guarantee they receive 5 percent of the
inside revenues from the various towns in
their areas subject to the in-lieu-of-tax
payments.
Additional payments to the counties for
2022:
Madison — $35,417.07
Platte — $1,641,628.92
Nance — $123,549.88
Colfax — $108,337.06
Boone — $185,799.17
Total — $2,094,732.10
Duncan —$15,800.89
Fullerton—$29,582.02
Genoa—$21,471.24
Belgrade—$3,257.44
Richland—$2,699.98
Howells—$17,546.50
Leigh—$15,013.18
Clarkson—$16,654.46
Albion—$43,240.94
Cedar Rapids—$19,478.51
Primrose—$1,441.62
Petersburg—$9,781.35
St. Edward—$18,390.12
Total — $1,321,109.12
Loup renews community memberships
Towns and their payments include:
Columbus Area Chamber —$22,309
Albion Chamber of Commerce—$1,583
Lindsay Community Club—$1,403
Fullerton Chamber of Commerce—$1,104
Genoa Chamber of Commerce—$744
Humphrey Community Club—$727
Howells Community Club—$593
Clarkson Community Club—$584
Newman Grove Community Club—$550
St. Edward Community Club—$556
Cedar Rapids Community Club—$496
Petersburg Community Club—$288
Leigh Community Club—$425
Primrose Community Club—$100
2 | GENERATOR

pReSIDeNT’S MessAGe
District finishes $1.5M above
hydro generation forecast
Many people know the District owns two
hydroelectric power plants that generate
electricity — one near Monroe and one near
Columbus. What many people do not know is
that the District sells the power from these
facilities to NPPD, and NPPD includes this
generation as part of their portfolio to provide
power and energy to its customers.
This process has changed quite a bit over the
years. When the District first entered into a
contract to sell this power to NPPD back in the
early 1970s, the payment the District received
was a specific dollar amount each year that
increased with inflation. There was no requirement
regarding how much power was generated
and sold to NPPD, and the District received
this dollar amount no matter how much
energy was generated.
That changed in 2007, when the District
started getting paid for each kilowatt-hour of
energy that was generated and sold to NPPD.
This was based upon a formula tied to the
average cost of all of NPPD’s generating facilities.
Loup did well under this concept, as the
District hydro operators were able to gener-
ate significant amounts of power during these
years (mostly due to upgrades performed at
the hydroelectric generating plants).
Another change was implemented in 2022.
Under a new contract, the District still sells
power to NPPD, but the pricing is based on the
market price for power as determined by the
Southwest Power Pool (SPP). See page 11 for
more detail about how the SPP works.
Although District personnel knew about the
SPP and the SPP markets, selling power based
upon the SPP market price was a new concept
to everyone. I am happy to say that overall
2022 was a very good year for revenue received
from the hydroelectric facilities. The District
finished well above budget (by almost $1.5
million) in revenue received for the generation
from the hydroelectric facilities.
The District’s hydroelectric operators, Headworks
crew, and power canal crew did a great
job in 2022 making sure to maximize the
generation available —overall the District
had almost 20 percent less generation in 2022
compared to 2021.
Using data from NPPD and obtaining knowledge
about the SPP markets, the hydroelectric
operators were able to maximize the generation
at times of peak power pricing and
substantially beat the forecasted revenue
projection — even with less water available to
generate power.
A tip of the hat goes out to all of the hydro-
electric crews for a job well done in 2022. This
was a significant change, and a lot of new ideas
were thrown their way in a short amount of
time.
As the District learns more and more about
the SPP markets, we will continue to grow our
knowledge of how to best maximize the profitability
of the hydroelectric facilities.
NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
SPRING 2023 | 3

RETIREE PROFILE:
STAN
WIELGUS
Loup retiree Stan Wielgus (center) prepares
to set a pole with coworkers in 2016.
Stan Wielgus may have more free
time as a retiree. But he sure doesn’t
spend it sitting around.
In fact, he probably burns more
calories now, figuring in the onemile
swims, 3-mile walks, weight
lifting, and stretching he does on a
regular basis.
“When I retired, that was one
thing I told myself — that I was going
to keep myself healthy,” Wielgus
said. “So I make sure I do that.”
***
Wielgus has always been on the
move in more ways than one.
He joined the Navy right out of
high school, following in the footsteps
of his brother and father. As one
of 10 children, he also knew it was his
key to a better life.
“They were offering an education
and I took advantage of that,”
Wielgus said.
He spent four years seeing the
world — Australia, Japan, China,
Guam, Taiwan, and Hawaii — before
leaving active service. (He later
re-enlisted and spent 14 years in the
Navy Reserve.)
After leaving the Navy, Wielgus
headed to Platte College, followed by
a job at Cornhusker Public Power District.
He joined Loup Power District in
1980 and stayed for nearly 40 years,
working as a Journey Line Technician
and Crew Lead.
“It was definitely right
up my alley because I
like to be outside and I
like to be on the move.”
Wielgus also really enjoyed the
satisfaction of a job well done, like
putting in secondary underground
service
“The ground’s been untouched
and by the time you leave, you have it
trenched and the wire’s in and energized,”
he said.
On the flip side, Wielgus said he
sure doesn’t miss getting called out
to fix storm damage when it was cold
or rainy.
Wielgus knows he put in his hours
on those storm calls. He put in all his
years and now can enjoy retirement.
Looking back, he said all those
years went fast on the whole, but the
last three gearing up to retirement
seemed to take forever. And that’s
understandable since Wielgus had
been working ever since junior high.
Now he has the time to focus on
helping friends and family with
repairs or home improvement
projects. He has time to travel.
And he definitely has time to
exercise. Sometimes he does cardio.
Sometimes he lifts using the same
weight bench he’s had since he got
out of the Navy.
And he goes outside as often as he
can. Sometimes he’ll wander out to
take a look at the stars.
And then he realizes he better
attend to another promise he made
himself.
“I was going to get myself a
telescope, and I haven’t done it yet.”
Wielgus has four children,
five grandchildren and two
great-grandchildren.
4 | GENERATOR

GHW SETTLING BASIN BANK WORK
The Genoa Headworks crew rebuilt the diversion weir
on March 23–24. They repeat this process every spring.
The wooden flashboards (or planks) top a permanent
concrete weir. These sacrificial flashboards are designed
to fail under heavy ice loads or high water to prevent
damage to the permanent fixed weir. It’s more than
1,000 feet long and has a height of about 6 feet.
ACCIDENT REPAIR
An accident damaged a subtransmission pole on Highway
91 just outside of Creston in February. The 34.5kV breaker
tripped once at the time of the accident — around 2 a.m.
— but power came right back on. Loup employees from
Humphrey, Albion, Newman Grove, and Columbus had the
pole replaced by noon that day without any further service
interruption. Photo by Newman Grove Local Superintendent
Alvin Meyer.
DOLLAR GENERAL PREP
Crews from Genoa and Fullerton added three-phase service
to the site of a future Dollar General south of Genoa.
Pictured above are Journey Line Technician Paul Burbach
and Genoa Local Superintendent Dominic Zoucha.
SPRING 2023 | 5

UNDERSTANDING
HEAT PUMPS
At its core, a heat pump transfers heat by relying
on the principle that energy fl ows from HOT to COLD.
This technology is already in refrigerators, cars, and other appliances.
HEAT PUMPS WORK BY
evaporating, compressing and expanding heat.
AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP
Air source heat pumps are the most common type
of heat pump. They use an outdoor fan to move air
through coils that evaporate the heat into a refrigerant.
An indoor compressor adds pressure to the refrigerant,
raising its temperature. An expansion valve then
releases the air, cycling hot and cold
air to the right place.
This type includes both mini-split
ductless systems and systems
that connect to ductwork,
like a central air conditioning
system.
Modern, enhanced
compressors and expansion
valves allow for heat
pumps to work even in cold climates.
6 | GENERATOR

$
HOW MUCH
HOW MUCH
ENERGY DO HEAT DO THEY COST?
PUMPS USE?
Since heat pumps donʻt create heat, they
are more energy effi cient than traditional
heating and cooling and can produce two
to four times as much heat energy as they
consume.
Just like any heating or cooling system,
heat pumps are more effi cient in spaces
without air leaks and when properly
installed.
Consumer Reports reported an average
cost of $7,791 for installation or about $1,000
more than the average cost for a gas furnace.
Air source pumps rated for colder climates cost
more. Geothermal heat pumps are typically the
most expensive to install, due to the cost to dig
the pipes.
Starting in 2023, the Infl ation Reduction Act
authorizes a $2,000 tax credit (and rebates
up to $8,000 for income-qualifi ed households).
GEOTHERMAL/GROUND SOURCE
Although air temperatures above ground change
throughout the day and with the seasons,
temperatures of the earth 10 feet below ground
are consistently between 50°F and 60°F. For
most areas of the United States, this means soil
temperatures are usually warmer than the air in
winter and cooler than the air in summer.
Geothermal heat pumps use the
earth’s constant temperature to
heat and cool buildings. They
transfer heat from the ground
(or water) into buildings during
the winter and reverse the
process in the summer.
SPRING 2023 | 7

A calculated risk.
That might be the best way to
describe what happens inside the
Columbus Powerhouse every day.
Because even though the Plant
Operators are constantly monitoring
the water levels in the canal, the river,
and the lakes, there’s no way to know
for certain what the energy market
and Mother Nature will do.
“We need to generate at peak levels
when the pricing is best,” said Plant
Operator Craig Baxa.
But how exactly do Loup’s Plant
Operators accomplish this task?
At the beginning of each 12-hour
shift, the incoming plant operator
gets a rundown of what happened
overnight or during the day including
8 | GENERATOR
storm reports and power outages.
The operator then checks water
level gauges on several rivers, including
the Middle Loup and North Loup
near St. Paul. He also checks in with
employees at the Genoa Headworks
to see what the river looks like at the
canal intake.
The operators receive a six-day
energy outlook every day. These forecasts
are based on historical demand
as well as factors like temperature,
wind speed, and precipitation.
That forecast estimates the wholesale
market price per megawatt hour
every hour for those six days based on
expected generation and demand.
“Having the information of the
upstream water flows paired with the
information of the day-ahead pricing
forecast allows us to start preparing a
generation plan,” Baxa said.
That pricing forecast updates each
morning for the next six days. This
allows operators time to ensure that
regulating reservoirs Lake North and
Lake Babcock are full so they can
generate at a higher level when prices
are high.
After the operator decides how
much electricity Loup will generate
each hour for the next day, it is
bid into the Southwest Power Pool’s
wholesale energy market.
Nebraska Public Power District,
Loup’s wholesale energy provider,
provides this service out of its
Doniphan Control Center.

A
TEAM
Left: Plant Operator Justin Kohl
at the Columbus Powerhouse.
Above: An aerial view of the
Columbus Powerhouse. Three
penstocks direct water from the
canal down 112 feet to the
turbines. Each penstock is 20
feet in diameter and 300 feet
long.
SPRING 2023 | 9

While the forecast is generally accurate,
the real-time energy market
can still change every minute. Because
prices are so volatile, there are times
where Loup generates electricity into a
negative market and loses money.
Loup must put the promised
amount of electricity onto SPP’s grid.
If conditions change and Loup cannot
meet that promise, we must buy it
back at the real-time price.
Another hurdle to generation planning
is compliance with Loup’s license
from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
License restrictions state that Loup
must ensure minimum water flows in
the bypass reach (the portion of the
Loup River from the diversion weir to
1
its meeting with the Platte River). The
District is also limited to a maximum
diversion of 2,000 cubic feet per second
from March 1 to June 7.
But the operators’ duties don’t end
there. The Columbus Powerhouse
serves as an after-hours call center.
Operators reconnect customers, take
payments, answer outage calls and dispatch
line technicians to those outages.
They also monitor Loup’s substations
and their security with the Supervisory
Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA) system.
Loup’s five Powerhouse Operators
—Baxa, Jamie Held, Blane Konwinski,
Justin Kohl, and Tony Miller — handled
all these duties with success last
year.
2
Prior to 2022, Loup sold its energy
generation to NPPD and was paid for
each kilowatt hour based on a formula
tied to the average cost of NPPD’s
generating facilities.
In their first year navigating the
SPP market, the operators beat the
generation revenue forecast by nearly
$1.5 million and did so with less water
than the previous year.
But the operators are quick to point
out that the success is due in large part
to their fellow employees at the Headworks
and those on the canal crew.
Headworks employees operate the
intake gates, diverting as much water
as possible based on river conditions
and license restrictions. They, too,
constantly monitor the water levels
and alert the operators to any changes.
The canal crew employees help
maintain the canal system, ensuring
that everything is working properly.
And together, they made certain
that their calculated risk paid off.
Loup Power District generates electricity
at its powerhouses in Monroe and Columbus.
NPPD — Loup’s wholesale energy provider
— bids the electricity (along with its own) into
SPP’s wholesale energy market, competing
against other generators.
3
5
SPP selects the lowest-cost
resources based on fuel and variable
operation and maintenance costs.
Loup purchases energy
from NPPD to serve customers.
4
10 | GENERATOR
NPPD buys energy back from SPP
to serve customers, including Loup,
at a market price.

What is the
Southwest
Power Pool?
Our lives depend on electricity, but
most of us have no idea how many
people, machines, and complex
processes work together around the
clock, every day of the year to ensure
the reliable supply of cost-effective
power.
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is
a major player in this process. Even
so, the organization remained largely
unknown by the public until the February
2021 winter storm that impacted
more than 170 million Americans.
SPP is a regional transmission organization
(RTO) based in Little Rock,
Ark. It manages the bulk electric grid,
operates a wholesale electric market,
and plans transmission on behalf of
utilities and transmission companies.
Like air-traffic controllers — who
don’t own the planes they direct,
the skies they monitor, or the airports
that serve as travel hubs — SPP
doesn’t own power plants or transmission
lines, but instead directs the
regional bulk power grid to ensure
that electricity gets from where it’s
made to where it’s needed.
Back in February 2021, historic cold
temperatures caused massive consumption
of heat and power, straining
the electric grid. To preserve that grid
and prevent catastrophic failures, SPP
implemented rolling blackouts for the
first time in its 80-year history.
Nebraska Public Power District is
Loup’s wholesale power provider and
has been a member of SPP since 2009.
In turn, Loup is a member of SPP.
While customers throughout the state
and Midwest were frustrated by the
blackouts, the event also highlighted
the benefit of SPP membership.
SPP’s members all shared energy
during the crisis, directing it to where
it was needed the most. This helped
minimize impacts to any one entity.
Those short energy curtailments prevented
the grid from cascading out of
control like it did in Texas.
That state suffered a major power
crisis when the winter storm hit. More
than 4.5 million homes and businesses
were without power — some for
several days — because electric utilities
in state failed to winterize power
sources like wind turbines and natural
gas infrastructure.
In addition, Texas’ power grid is not
connected to national grids, so it was
difficult to import excess energy from
other states during the storm.
Nebraska would have potentially been
in the same situation if it maintained
its own power grid, for example.
Although the state generates plenty
of power, we rely on our neighbors for
help when sustained weather events
— extreme heat or cold — spike the
amount of power we consume.
The arrangement also saves utilities
—including NPPD and Loup —
money at the end of the day. Overall,
SPP’s services provided members
$2.7 billion in net benefits in 2021 at a
benefit-to-cost ratio of 18-to-1.
THE SPP REGION
552,885 square mile service territory
More than 18 million people
949 generating plants
5,180 substations
SPRING 2023 | 11

SPP partners with companies in 15 states
SPP is a regional transmission organization (RTO): a
nonprofit corporation mandated by the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission to ensure reliable supplies of
power, adequate transmission infrastructure, and competitive
wholesale electricity prices on behalf of its members.
SPP helps ensure almost 19 million people across its service
territory have reliable and affordable power.
Southwest Power Pool dates to 1941, when 11 regional
power companies joined to keep an Arkansas aluminum
factory powered around the clock to meet critical defense
needs. After the war, SPP’s Executive Committee decided the
organization should be retained to maintain electric reli-
ability and coordination.
TOP GRID PRIORITIES:
ENSURE adequate generation to maintain reliability under
normal & extreme conditions
PROTECT the grid from cyber attacks
BUILD transmission to connect new generations and
customers to the grid
FACILITATE robust wholesale markets that make low-cost
energy widely available
REDUCE risks and costs associated with extreme events
2021 Annual Spot Map
Source: FERC 2021 State of the Markets Report
In 2021, SPP’s average wholesale
market prices were the lowest of
any organized market in the U.S.
SPP IS LIKE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
SOUTHWEST POWER POOL
Does not own airplanes,
airlines, or airports
Does not own the sky
it monitors
Directs air routes to ensure
airplanes and passengers
are safely transported
Does not own utilities, power
generators, or transmission lines
Does not own the land
electricity flows across
Monitors and directs regional
bulk power grid to ensure electricity
gets from where it’s made
to where it’s needed
12 | GENERATOR

A storm warning means
TAKE ACTION
Stay Safe During and After a Storm
Storms can be unpredictable and wreak havoc on the power grid. Severe wind and
ice accumulation can cause power lines to gallop or snap. Tornadoes and hurricanes
can bring down transmission towers, power poles and power lines and damage other
equipment. Lightning can strike a transformer. All types of severe weather events can
cause damage or make utility equipment difficult to access.
Do all you can to keep yourself and others safe during or after a storm.
KEEP YOU AND YOURS SAFE
• Install a weather app for severe weather notifications.
• Shelter in a safe area. (Storm warning = take action!)
• Have an evacuation plan in place (e.g., for floods, wildfires).
• Make sure your emergency kit is properly stocked and up to date.
• Follow all manufacturer’s instructions when using a generator.
• Place a portable generator at least 20 feet away from doors and windows.
• Use a generator in an open area (not in a garage, carport or enclosed space).
• Ensure carbon monoxide alarms are installed on every level of your home.
KEEP OTHERS SAFE
Do not plug a generator into a wall outlet, which can cause backfeed. Backfeed means
that power can go from your home back into the power grid and endanger crews that
are working to restore power.
DURING CLEANUP
• If there is an outage, do not go outdoors until the power has been restored.
• Ice, snow, standing water or storm debris could be covering downed power lines.
• Never approach a downed power line; call 9-1-1 to report it. Alert others to stay away.
• Do not trim trees/branches within 10 feet of an overhead power line.
Learn more at:
SPRING 2023 | 13

employee notes
SCOTT SNYDER
Headworks Operator
Scott Snyder retired
from Loup Power
District after 30
years of service.
Snyder joined Loup
in 1992 as a Maintenance
Man at the
Genoa Headworks.
He was promoted
to Dredge Operator
in 1998 and was
named Headworks
Operator in 2018.
He was a member of the team that
operates and maintains the District’s
dredge at the Genoa Headworks.
Snyder is a native of Genoa and a
graduate of Genoa High School. He
and his late wife, Rose, are the parents
of a daughter, Tanya, and a grandson,
Easton.
AMANDA HENRY
Human Resources Manager
Amanda Henry
joined Loup Power
District in 2013 as
Human Resources
Manager.
She is responsible
for maintaining the
District’s policies
and procedures
in the human
resources area and
for ensuring compliance
with all federal
and state regulations.
Henry is a graduate of Columbus High
School and earned a bachelor’s degree
in Communication Studies from the
University of Nebraska–Lincoln and
a master’s degree in Management
from Doane College. She holds a PHR
(Professional in Human Resources) certification
and SHRM-CP Certification.
She serves as a board member for
the Columbus Area Human Resource
Association and Society for Human
Resource Management (SHRM) of
Nebraska.
She has a daughter, Elyssa.
RETIRED
10 YEARS
TIM RECEK
Carpenter/Utility
Tim Recek of
Columbus was
recently promoted
to Carpenter/Utility
at Loup Power
District.
In his new role,
Recek is responsible
for the construction
and maintenance
of District facilities,
such as substation
foundations and
buildings, office buildings, and retail
offices. He also helps maintain the
canal and surrounding areas.
Recek joined Loup Power District in
2017 as a Utilityman based out of the
Columbus Service Center. In 2019, he
transferred to Maintenance Man and
was promoted to Equipment Operator
in 2020.
Recek and his wife, Brenda, have two
children: son, Dylan, and daughter,
Sydney.
JOE KLECKNER
Headworks Operator
Kleckner joined
Loup in 2008 as
a Maintenance
Man at the Genoa
Headworks. He
was promoted to
Equipment Operator
in 2011 before being
named Dredge
Operator in 2018. In
2021, he transferred
to Headworks
Operator.
PROMOTION
15 YEARS
Kleckner operates and maintains
heavy equipment at Loup’s Genoa
Headworks. He also builds discharge
pipeline for the dredge, constructs
and maintains dikes in the Headworks
discharge area, and performs other
hydro-related tasks.
Kleckner is a graduate of Genoa High
School. He and his wife, Brooke, are
the parents of two children: Ryder and
Annabelle.
SCOTT GOTTSCH
Storekeeper
Scott Gottsch joined
Loup in 1998 as a
Maintenance Man at
the Genoa Headworks.
In 2000, he
was promoted to
Carpenter/Utilityman
on the Canal Crew
based out of the
Columbus Service
Center.
Gottsch was
promoted to Headgates Operator at
the Genoa Headworks in 2008 and
transferred to the position of Storekeeper
I in 2016.
As Storekeeper, Gottsch’s duties
include purchasing, storing, and issuing
materials and stock for projects across
Loup’s service area. The materials
include poles, connectors, and wire.
Gottsch is a graduate of Monroe High
School. He and his wife, Sandy, are
the parents of three children: Kelly,
Megan and Courtney. They have eight
grandchildren.
JUSTIN M KOHL
Meter Relay and Equipment Technician
Justin Kohl joined
Loup Power District
as Meter Relay and
Equipment Technician
at the Columbus
Service Center
in 2022.
In this role, Kohl is
a member of the
team responsible
for installation and
1 YEAR
maintenance of
substation power
equipment. He is also responsible for
reading meters and completing service
orders.
Kohl is a native of Lincoln and a graduate
of Lincoln East High School. He
has associates degrees in Electrical
Construction and Control from Northeast
Community College and Utility
Line from Metro Community College.
Kohl and his wife, Abbi, have two
children: Ella and Rhett.
25 YEARS
14 | GENERATOR

REY JARECKI
Carpenter/Utility
Carpenter/Utility Rey
Jarecki has retired
after more than 30
years of service to
Loup Power District
Jarecki joined Loup
in 1992 as an Assistant
Plant Operator
at the Columbus
Powerhouse. He
was promoted to
Plant Operator
at the Columbus
Powerhouse in 1993.
In 2012, he transferred to his current
position of Carpenter/Utility on the
Canal Crew based out of the Columbus
Service Center.
Jarecki’s duties included the construction
and maintenance of District facilities,
office buildings, and retail offices.
He also helped maintain the canal.
Jarecki is a graduate of Scotus Central
Catholic High School. He and his wife,
Lori, are the parents of three children:
Ryan, Liz, and Emily. They also have six
grandchildren: Rylie, Maddix, Reece,
Charlotte, Memphis, and Thomas
CINDY GASPER
Customer Service Representative
Cindy Gasper of
Columbus joined
Loup Power District
as a Customer
Service Representative
at the Columbus
General Office in
2018.
RETIRED
Gasper’s responsibilities
include
greeting customers,
processing payments,
setting up
5 YEARS
and closing service orders and water
heater contracts, and answering phone
calls.
Gasper is a graduate of Humphrey St.
Francis and attended Wayne State College.
She and her husband, Greg, have
four children: Levi, Lindsey, Mikayla,
and Michael. They also have a granddaughter,
Olivia.
JAMIE HELD
Plant Operator
Jamie Held joined
Loup in 1998 as a
Maintenance Man
on the Canal Crew
based out of the
Columbus Service
Center.
In 2003, he was
promoted to Equipment
Operator and
was promoted to
25 YEARS
Carpenter/Utilityman
in 2008. Held
was promoted to Monroe Powerhouse
Chief Operator in 2012 and transferred
to Plant Operator in 2020.
As a plant operator, Held monitors and
controls the three generation units at
Columbus and remotely controls the
Monroe Powerhouse. He also works
closely with the Genoa Headworks to
divert maximum Loup River water into
the District canal system for power
generation.
Held is a graduate of Columbus High
School and attended Central Community
College in Columbus.
He and his wife, Jamie, are the parents
of six children: Natalie, Nathan, Chloe,
Libby, Zachary, and Callie.
JOHN FRITZGES
Dredge Operator
John Fritzges of St.
Edward joined Loup
in 2018 as Maintenance
Man at the
Genoa Headworks.
He was promoted to
Dredge Operator in
2022.
Fritzges is part of a
team that operates
and maintains the
District’s dredge
at the Genoa
Headworks.
5 YEARS
He and his wife, Kaitlin, have five
children: Kohen, Reese, Rhett, Cecelia,
and Ty.
CHUCK McCUMBER
Engineering Supervisor
Chuck McCumber,
P.E., retired after
more than 15 years
of service.
McCumber joined
Loup in 2007 as
Engineering Supervisor.
His duties
included system
design of lines and
substations. He
RETIRED
also evaluated and
purchased equipment
and systems in conjunction with
Loup’s load management and SCADA
(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
programs.
McCumber has an Associate of Applied
Science degree in Engineering from
Northwest Wyoming Community College,
a bachelor’s degree in Electrical
Engineering from the University of
Wyoming, and a master’s degree in
Engineering Management from the
University of Kansas. He earned his
Professional Engineering license in
2009.
McCumber and his wife, Sandy, are the
parents of two children: Jake and Emily.
They have two grandchildren.
TYLER HINER
Equipment Operator
Tyler Hiner of
Columbus has
joined Loup Power
District as an Equipment
Operator at the
Columbus Service
Center.
Hiner operates the
District’s heavy
equipment and is
part of the crew that
WELCOME
performs maintenance
on the canal
system from Genoa to Columbus. He
also works at the two powerhouses
when needed, helps build substations,
and maintains District parks and lakes.
Hiner is a graduate of Howells High
School and Wayne State College. He
and his wife, Megan, have a daughter,
Addilynn.
SPRING 2023 | 15

2404 15th Street | PO Box 988
Columbus, NE 68602-0988
Geese at Lake Babcock
on March 13.