Winter 2024 Generator

GENERA OR
a publication of Loup Power District WINTER 2024
Behind the Scenes:
Power Restoration
2024 Retail Rates
EnergyWise Incentives

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bob Cerv
Chairman
Jim Donoghue
First Vice Chairman
Mike Fleming
Second Vice Chairman
Rich Aerni
Secretary
Dick Tooley
Treasurer
Alan Drozd
Steve Heesacker
Larry Zach
HOW DO WE SET
ELECTRICITY RATES?
Loup Power District identifies electricity rates based on cost of service
while keeping our customers and our communities front and center. As a
not-for-profit company, Loup does not answer to remote shareholders and
is not driven by a profit motive. Revenues are invested right back into the
company and communities.
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
ADD UP ALL THE COSTS. Loup conducts a cost-of-service study to
determine the revenue requirement — how much revenue is required
to maintain financial stability. The costs are separated into three areas:
power supply and transmission, distribution, and customers.
DIVIDE REVENUE REQUIREMENTS by customer class — commercial,
industrial, residential. The cost-of-service study identifies how and when
each class uses energy, and how the utility incurs costs from each class.
The study identifies the amount to recover through customer, demand,
and energy charges for each customer class, and how costs vary by time of
day or season. This amount is then compared with the rates for each class.
FACTOR a rate adjustment strategy into a financial plan. The plan takes input
from management and the Board of Directors and lays out a strategy for
how rates should be implemented in the future. The plan ensures adequate
revenues are recovered for each class of customer and explains how each
rate component (customer, energy, demand) should vary over time.
BALANCE the recommended rates with the governing body’s input and
community objectives. Loup’s managers present the rate study to the Board
of Directors. The Board decides whether the proposed rate structure meets
the needs of the community and the utility’s revenue requirements.
FINAL RATE. The newly set rates go into effect on
customers’ monthly bills.
2 | GENERATOR

president’s message
Construction cost increases
affecting the bottom line
As I have mentioned in previous columns,
Loup Power District is working hard on many
facets of economic development, including
looking at new, large loads that might be
located within Loup’s service area.
With these new loads comes increasing
investment necessary to serve these loads,
which could provide financial challenges.
During the budgeting process for 2024,
Loup management laid out detailed one-and
six-year construction budget estimates to
provide long-term financial information to
the Board of Directors.
Loup is looking at a significant increase in
construction budget costs in the near future,
specifically for 2025, 2026, and beyond.
What are the reasons for these increased
construction budgets? There are several
factors involved:
• NEW LARGE LOADS — These new loads
create the need to expand existing
infrastructure to provide service to these
facilities.
• LONGER LEAD TIMES — It’s taking long
to purchase vehicles, transformers, and
general supplies.
• INFLATION — There are continuing
increases in inflation across all facets of
the electric utility industry.
How can the District deal with these
increases in costs that are occurring? There
are four ways to handle this:
• Borrow money to provide a longer time
period to recover costs from all Loup
customers.
• Review and update customer service
policies to provide security deposits/aid in
construction for those customers creating
the need for new infrastructure.
• Modify and increase rates to collect
additional dollars to cover the cost of the
new construction.
• Reduce cash reserves on hand, although
these are currently near record-low levels.
Loup management and the Board of
Directors are reviewing all of these options
and trying to balance out what would work
best for Loup and our customers.
NPPD recently updated its transmission
extension policy to require a security deposit
for new loads creating additional infrastructure
needs.
Loup management and the Board are
discussing similar options on the distribution
side.
Unfortunately, rate increases will also be
part of the conversation. While these are
never easy to implement, please remember
that Loup’s current rates are 30.3 percent
below the national average and 9.5 percent
below the Nebraska average, which puts
us in the lowest tenth percentile both
nationally and statewide. That is something
to be proud of and to promote.
Management and the board have been
working extremely hard over the past
several years to stay ahead of what we
know is coming. By staying ahead of these
changes, we can keep rates at a reasonable
level while maintaining Loup’s financial
health.
NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
WINTER 2024 | 3

CCC Club
Cleans
Tailrace
Central Community College’s Students 4 Sustainability
(S4S) club came to Loup Power District’s Tailrace Park in
November to clean litter.
The group empowers students to make sustainable
changes in their lives through campus projects, local
community efforts, and peer education.
The campus-wide club has around 50 members, with
eight to 10 who regularly attend monthly meetings.
The club officers are interns for the Environmental
Sustainability Office at CCC. Ben Newton, Sustainability
Director at CCC, serves as advisor.
S4S President Deandra Rodriguez said the club
gives members the opportunity to share ideas for
environmentally sustainable projects and learn about
resources to help them implement those ideas.
Club members volunteer at campus and community
events, such as highway cleanup. They also engage in
gardening and sustainability projects.
Rodriguez suggested litter cleanup at the Tailrace
because she spent time there as a child fishing with her
dad, uncles and great-grandpa.
She saw an opportunity for her club after a recent visit.
“I noticed how horrible the litter was getting and
wanted to help clean it,” she said. “Another main reason
why I wanted to clean it is because I wanted to help prevent
further pollution in the water’s ecosystem.”
Loup provides trash receptacles and collection at each
of its five parks. However, not all visitors throw their
litter away. Temporary summer employees help maintain
the parks wiith mowing and trash cleanup. But those
employees usually return to college after summer break.
Over the years, several groups and clubs have
volunteered to assist Loup in cleaning parks in the spring
and fall.
4 | GENERATOR
Top: William (Ash) Gordman.
Middle: Gregory Davidchik and Byron Madrigal.
Bottom right: Deandra Rodriguez.
Bottom left: Neve Newton and Benjamin Newton.

Get smart about lighting your home
A simple flip of the switch is no
longer the only choice for illuminating
our homes. While we still have this
tried-and-true option, we’ve entered
a new era of innovative and intelligent
technologies.
Wi-Fi-enabled smart lighting
offers an array of cutting-edge
functionality and convenience.
ENERGY EFFICIENT
Most smart bulbs utilize LED
technology, which is much more
efficient than traditional incandescent
lighting. Additionally, smart lighting
gives you more control over how and
when you light your home, ultimately
resulting in less energy used for
lighting.
CONVENIENCE AND CONTROL
Most smart bulbs can be controlled
from an app on your smartphone
or can be paired with your voice
assistant, like Amazon Alexa.
You can conveniently control
lighting settings from anywhere in
your home or when you’re away.
Whether you want to set a schedule for
lighting or adjust brightness levels,
these smart options offer effortless
control no matter where you are.
PERSONALIZED OPTIONS
Bright, warm, purple, green—
smart lighting can help you create any
mood.
For a more traditional look, try
dimmable white bulbs. If you want
to create the perfect ambiance for
movie night, look for bulbs that can be
adjusted for a variety of vibrant colors.
The possibilities are endless.
While smart lighting offers
convenience and control, keep in mind
your wall light switch will need to stay
in the on position for you to control
the smart bulb from your phone or via
voice command. With the switch on,
the bulb receives power, enabling it to
connect to a Wi-Fi network.
If you need additional options for
operating lights, consider a smart
light switch. Today’s smart switches
play nicely with smart bulbs. If you
want to control your smart bulbs with
a physical switch (in addition to using
your phone and voice commands),
look for smart switches that include
a built-in feature that allows both.
Many smart light switches include
motion detectors as well.
If you’re looking to take the plunge
and integrate multiple smart bulbs to
your home lighting system, your best
bet may be a kit, like the Philips Hue
Starter Kit. Most kits include several
bulbs and any additional tools you’ll
need to get started.
If you’re new to smart home tech
and looking to start small, try a
smart bulb in a high-traffic area of
your home. It’s also worth noting
that smart plugs are a great starter
option and allow convenient control
of lamps or other lighting fixtures that
are plugged in to a wall outlet. Smart
plugs are inexpensive and simply plug
in to your existing outlet. Electrical
items that are connected to the smart
plug can be controlled from a smart
phone app, just like smart bulbs.
Whether you’re looking for more
convenience, colorful options, or
better ways to manage energy use,
smart lighting can provide multiple
benefits.
WINTER 2024 | 5

Columbus Area Children’s Museum Display
features Columbus Powerhouse
Columbus Area Children’s Museum Sneak Peak! This water
feature highlights the Loup River and Loup’s own Columbus
Powerhouse. Kids can build dams, test their fishing skills,
and play with the water spigot, water vortex, plumbing
simulator and more!
The exhibit also includes education on watersheds, wildlife,
and variable rate irrigation.
Other exhibits at the museum include Kidstown with a market,
medical clinic, theater, and mechanic garage. There will
also be a two-story Corn Climber, interactive farm display,
sensory room, and outdoor play area.
The water exhibit is sponsored in part by Lower Loup
Natural Resources District and Lindsay Manufacturing.
Learn more at columbuslearnandplay.org
Share the warmth this winter
Many of us take a warm house for granted. Others face winter knowing they
can’t afford to heat their homes. Loup Power District established the HEAT
HELPER FUND with the goal of helping people stay warm.
Loup customers can donate to the fund by adding a few dollars to their Loup
payment or by writing a check directly to Heat Helper Fund and sending it to PO
Box 164, Columbus, NE 68602-0164. Donation receptacles are also available at
Loup offices.
Donations are tax deductible and are handled locally through Columbus
Emergency Relief, Inc. There are no administrative fees so 100 percent
of donations are used to pay electric heating bills for Loup
Power District customers in Boone, Colfax, Nance and Platte
Counties and part of Madison County.
Columbus Emergency Relief, Inc., is located at 3020 18th
Street in Columbus and provides emergency help with
utility, housing, medical and transportation needs.
Call 402-564-4184 for more information.
WINTER 2024 | 7

Behind the Scenes:
RESTORING A POWER OUTAGE
“How long is it going to take?”
Those are familiar words to all
who work in the electric industry. It’s
the first question people have when
the lights go out. And it doesn’t take
long to realize how dependent we
are on electricity.
But what does it take to get
those lights back on? Why does it
sometimes take hours?
Most people will never witness the
behind-the-scenes work that goes
into ending outages, so we’re going
to explain the process.
BUT FIRST, THE BASICS
Your electricity travels a great
distance to your home. It all starts
with generation. The fuel can be
natural gas, diesel, coal, hydro,
wind, solar, or nuclear. A power
plant typically produces voltages of
less than 30,000 volts. That voltage
needs to be “stepped up” so it can
travel long distances. That process
starts next door in the power plant’s
substation and switchyard. In the
substation, a transformer steps up
the voltage to 345,000 volts and
sends it out on transmission lines to
another substation.
When the electricity hits the next
substation, a transformer reduces
the voltage to 34,500 volts and sends
it out to smaller local substations.
These local substations are the
final stop before the electricity
reaches your home. There, a
transformer reduces the voltage to
12,740 volts.
Just before entering your home,
yet another transformer steps down
the voltage to 120/240 volts so you
can operate all the devices that
power your life.
This scenario repeats itself
constantly throughout Loup Power
District’s territory covering more
than 2,200 square miles.
There are thousands of poles
and nearly 900 miles of distribution,
transmission, and underground lines.
While we work hard to maintain all
that infrastructure, Mother Nature
can cause a lot of problems if she
wants to.
Just like your home, our system
has breakers. They help us reduce
the exposure of the line and allow
us to split our system into sections
to reduce the amount of people
affected by outages. Breakers also
protect equipment on the line.
Ever wonder why your lights blink
a few times before going off? That’s
the breaker. It operates a few times
trying to give the fault a chance to
clear the line before opening.
THE OUTAGE BEGINS
It doesn’t take long for Loup
employees to learn about an outage.
New technology alerts us right away.
And we are also ready to respond
when bad weather threatens our
territory.
Humphrey Local Superintendent
Joe Hubenka said he usually starts
getting calls shortly after an outage.
Customers ask what happened and
how long the outage will last.
And while he wants to answer
those questions for them, there’s no
way to do so with any certainty.
“You never know until you get
there,” he said. “There’s no lineman
who has ever diagnosed something
from his home.”
HEAD TO THE OFFICE
An after-hours outage requires
line technicians to respond from
home.
After learning of an outage,
Hubenka usually heads to the
Humphrey office and calls Journey
Line Technician Jared Hoefelman to
join him.
By the time he gets to the office,
he most likely has gotten an update
from one of the Plant Operators at
the Columbus Powerhouse.
He gathers his equipment and
jumps in the truck to head to the
general area of the outage.
If it’s on the other side of his
division, the drive alone can take
more than 30 minutes.
He has an idea of where the
problem is, but he has to patrol lines
to pinpoint the exact cause of an
outage — for example, a broken pole
or a fallen tree branch.
Checking the line takes time. It’s
one of the more time-consuming
steps, but also one of the most
important parts of restoring an
outage.
Line techs can’t just flip a switch
and restore the power. That can
be dangerous for many reasons.
Re-energizing the line in certain
scenarios could be dangerous to the
public and cause more damage that
extends the outage.
“Public safety is of utmost
importance,” Hubenka said.
FIND THE PROBLEM
Once Hubenka finds the cause of
an outage, he has to get a game plan
for repair and power restoration.
Does he need any additional
equipment? Will the repair require an
aerial lift or a digger truck?
Is the repair something that can
be done safely? Or are the weather
conditions too dangerous?
Hubenka said his goal is to restore
power as quickly as possible.
But in addition to public safety,
he must consider his own safety and
that of other employees.
These safety procedures add time,
but they are vital. It’s how line techs
survive a dangerous job so they can
go home to their families.
“We have to follow our safe
practice procedures,” Hubenka said.
EXAMPLE SCENARIO
Let’s say a 50-foot oak tree fell
through a line. Even though it is
causing an outage, it only broke a
crossarm so the pole is still good. The
wire isn’t broken but is under the
tree.
Line techs have to chop the tree
and free the wire. Anyone who has
cut up a downed tree will understand
the danger. You have to be careful
and pay attention to the tree and
8 | GENERATOR

how it’s sitting on the ground.
Downed trees can shift and roll while
being cut.
In addition, the power line is
under tension, pinned down by the
tree. Sometimes power lines must be
tied down so that they can be let up
in a more controlled manner once
the tree is cut.
In other scenarios, employees
might decide to temporarily brace a
broken pole until they can get a new
pole and digger truck to the site in
daylight. They might need to call in
additional help from other areas of
the District for widespread damage.
POWER RESTORATION
Once all repairs are made, the
line is re-energized and power is
restored. This process and time
frame is always different.
The one thing that is consistent is
that employees work hard to ensure
reliability. Loup line crews always do
their best to get the lights back on as
quickly and safely as possible during
outages that are often caused by
factors beyond control.
It is the same all across Nebraska
— the only state in the nation
served completely by public power
utilities.
In fact, Nebraska was recently
ranked number one in the nation for
reliability.
And that’s something that
Hubenka is
proud of. He has
spent 45 years
working in the
power industry
and knows that
public power
works. It offers
customers low
rates and high
reliability.
“Why fix
something that
works?” he said.
JOE HUBENKA
Humphrey Local Superintendent
WINTER 2024 | 9

CRITICAL CONNECTIONS:
HOW ELECTRICITY
GETS TO YOU
The electric grid is considered one of the most
complex machines in the world, delivering the
electricity we need for everyday life.
step 1
GENERATION
Power plants generate electricity
using a variety of energy sources,
like solar, natural gas, nuclear
and wind energy.
step 2
STEP-UP
TRANSFORMER
A step-up transformer
increases the voltage
to push the electricity
over long distances.
step 3
TRANSMISSION LINES
High-voltage electricity
travels over long distances
through these lines.
step 5
DISTRIBUTION SUBSTATION
These substations lower the voltage
again so the electricity is ready to
travel on distribution lines.
step 6
DISTRIBUTION LINES
Lower-voltage electricity
travels through distribution
lines, like the ones you
typically see on the side
of the road.
step 4
TRANSMISSION
SUBSTATION
Voltage is lowered at a
transmission substation
so electricity can travel
across the local
distribution system.
step 7
FINAL STOP
A transformer located on the ground or a utility
pole reduces the voltage a final time, then
electricity is sent inside your home, school, or business.
10 | GENERATOR

Board approves retail rate increase
The Loup Power District Board of
Directors approved a 3.5 percent retail
rate increase at its monthly December
meeting. The increase comes amid
increasing material prices and supply
chain issues.
“Even with the retail rate increase,
Loup’s retail rates remain among the
lowest in Nebraska and the nation,”
said Loup Board Chairman Steve Heesacker.
Loup’s overall rates are 30.3 percent
below the national average and 9.5
percent below the Nebraska average
based on data from a 2021 American
Public Power Association survey. This
places Loup in the lowest tenth percentile
both statewide and nationally.
Loup’s average residential customer
will see an annual increase of about
$60 for electricity costs, although the
exact amount depends upon seasonal
rates and usage.
Before voting to increase retail
rates, Board members reviewed
current rate levels for all classes of
customers as well as budgeted revenue
and expenses. In addition, management
performed a retail cost-of-service
study.
As part of this review, the Board
analyzed purchased power costs
from Nebraska Public Power District
(NPPD), Loup’s wholesale power supplier,
and anticipated future costs.
Loup has seen an increase in material
costs in recent years coinciding
with nationwide supply chain issues
and inflation pressure. In addition,
Loup is projecting a large increase in
construction projects in the next six
years due to anticipated load growth.
Rich Aerni, chairman of Loup’s Rate
Committee, said the Board worked
with management to successfully keep
rates steady between 2018 and 2022.
Loup was able to do that despite the
2019 storm that damaged the District’s
hydroelectric system and the
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in
2020 and 2021. Loup is still working
to recover approximately $5 million
in construction costs from the federal
government for repairs made to the
hydroelectric system from the 2019
storm. This has affected the District’s
cash position.
“With the increase in construction
and material costs, the Board
felt it was prudent to implement this
increase in retail rates to maintain
Loup’s financial health,” Aerni added.
Energy or kilowatt-hour (kWh)
usage and seasonal usage patterns
are always the determining factor in a
customer’s bill. Customers in all rate
classifications have opportunities to
reduce their costs by taking advantage
of numerous programs offered by
Loup.
These programs include energy
incentives and home energy audits.
For more information on Loup’s retail
rates and energy-saving programs,
visit Loup’s website at loup.com.
Average Price for Residential Electricity October 2023, in cents per kWh
Loup’s
retail rates
are
30.3%
below the
national
average and
9.5%
below
Nebraska’s
average.
CA
26.7¢
WA
11.3¢
OR
13.2¢
NV
14.6¢
AK
24¢
ID
12.2¢
UT
11.2¢
AZ
14.5¢
MT
13¢
WY
12.5¢
CO
14.5¢
NM
14.5¢
HI
42.7¢
ND
11.7¢
SD
13¢
NE
11.8¢
KS
13.7¢
TX
14.7¢
OK
13.3¢
MN
15.3¢
IA
13.4¢
MO
12.4¢
AR
12.7¢
WI
17.1¢
IL
15.8¢
MS
LA
13.7¢
11.9¢
MI
19.1¢
IN
15.2¢
KY
13¢
TN
12.6¢
AL
15¢
VT: 22.1¢
NH: 25.8¢
MA: 28¢
RI: 31.8¢
CT: 29¢
OH
16¢
Residential Average Price
(cents per kilowatt-hour)
More than 14¢
Less than 14¢
PA
18.4¢
14.5¢
GA
13.8¢
FL
15.5¢
NY
22.7¢
WV
VA
15.1¢
14.3¢
NC
14.8¢
SC
ME
29.1¢
NJ: 17.5¢
DE: 17.5¢
MD: 18.4¢
DC: 18¢
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Numbers rounded to nearest tenth of a cent.
WINTER 2024 | 11
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration: Average Price of Electricity by State, October 2023

are you
Check out these energy-saving incentives!
Smart Thermostat Program
If you have a home Wi-Fi connection and a central
air-conditioning or heat pump system, you
may qualify for an incentive of up to $100 for a
qualifying smart thermostat.
Smart thermostat technology is most beneficial
for households that have extended periods during
the day when no one is home. It is also a great
option for homes that have irregular occupancy
through the week, month or year.
Attic Insulation
Residential customers who have 6"
or less of attic insulation and electric
heating systems are eligible for an
incentive of 30¢ per square foot if they
add at least 6" (or an additional R-19)
of insulation to their attic space.
The maximum incentive amount is $600
per dwelling.
SYSTEM TYPE
INCENTIVE
Primarily Electric Heat (Professionally Installed) $100
Primarily Electric Heat (Customer Installed) up to $75
Primarily Fossil-Fuel Heat (Professionally Installed) $50
Primarily Fossil-Fuel Heat (Customer Installed) up to $25
Induction Cooktop
The Induction Cooking Program
offers a 20% incentive to those
who purchase an induction
cooktop or range with a minimum
width of 30 inches.
Electric Vehicle & Charging Station
• $500 for installation of a residential ChargePoint Wi-Fi-enabled charging station.
• Up to $600 for in-home pre-wiring for future installation of an electric vehicle
charging station ($400 for new construction).
• Commercial Conduit — 100% reimbursement incentive (maximum of $1,000)
for new commercial construction for the installation of conduit to be used for a
future public electric vehicle charging station.
• Commercial Charging Station: Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC) must be
preapproved before equipment is ordered. Charging stations must be available
for public use 24/7.
For Non-Profit Organizations: 90% reimbursement for the installation of an
EV charging station.
For All Other Businesses: $200/kW of charging
station capacity. Incentive is capped at 50%
of charging station cost.
12 | GENERATOR

High Efficiency Heat Pump
Your heating and cooling system is likely the largest user of energy
in your home. A new heat pump will provide both comfort and lower
energy bills and you can receive a rebate up to $3,300.
Option 1: Direct incentive
The homeowner selects a qualified heat pump — minimum 15 SEER,
12.5 EER, and 8.5 HSPF, or a variable-capacity heat pump.
• The installing contractor completes startup testing and signs the
application.
• The homeowner also signs the application and submits it to Loup
Power District.
• Loup will provide the incentive directly to the homeowner.
Option 2: Low-Interest Loan Program
You can finance your new heat pump
system at a low interest rate through
a partnership with the Nebraska
Energy Office and about 600
financial institutions throughout the
state as an alternative to a direct
incentive.
Customers cannot proceed with
the installation until the Nebraska
Energy Office has processed the loan
paperwork (this can take as many as
10 business days).
Homes built within the last five years
are ineligible for the loan, but owners
can apply for the incentive.
Lawn & Garden
Advances in battery technology have come
a long way in recent years.
More power is being packed into batteries
so your lawn and garden tools can easily
handle any job
• 20% incentive on any new batterypowered
or corded electric lawn mower,
snowblower, chainsaw, or tiller.
• Electric riding, walk-behind, and robotic
mowers are eligible.
• Incentive amount is based on purchase
price (installation, taxes, delivery/
shipping, and setup costs are NOT
eligible).
• Chargers and additional battery
purchases are eligible for the incentive
if they are purchased at the same time
as the mower.
Heat Pump Water Heater
SYSTEM TYPE CRITERIA INCENTIVE
Air Source Heat Pump Water Heater UEF > 1.9 $400
Water or Ground Source
Heat Pump Water Heater
COP > 2.8 $650
Cooling System Tune Up
Residential customers are eligible for a
$30 yearly incentive when they have their
cooling system tuned up by an HVAC
contractor.
Air conditioners and heat pumps are
eligible.
Industrial & Agricultural Incentives
Industrial customers can receive incentives for a variety
of energy-saving projects including prescriptive and
custom lighting, commercial HVAC and HVAC system
optimization, industrial processes, variable frequency drives,
and heat pump water heaters.
Incentives are available to ag customers who replace
irrigation outlet components or install a corner pivot
VFD. The Custom Agriculture Incentive Program helps
offset the costs of energy efficiency improvements for
unique programs including grain conditioning, animal
husbandry, building upgrades, and more.
Learn more about these
programs at loup.com
or by calling Greg Badstieber
at 402-562-5718.
This program is offered in
partnership with Nebraska
Public Power District.
WINTER 2024 | 13

Communities receive more than $1.5 million
Loup Power District delivered lease payments totaling more than $1.5 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 third quarter of 2023. Communities use the funds for a variety of public projects.
Payments:
Columbus—$1,182,926.49
Platte Center—$9,372.75
Monroe—$9,308.55
Tarnov—$1,262.82
Creston—$5,252.39
Humphrey—$28,264.24
Lindsay—$51,559.29
Cornlea—$1,677.22
Newman Grove—$18,444.93
Duncan—$15,999.04
Fullerton—$36,346.37
Genoa—$25,640.24
Belgrade—$3,554.17
Richland—$2,264.98
Howells—$18,089.54
Leigh—$14,978.40
Clarkson—$19,303.50
Albion—$55,829.02
Cedar Rapids—$13,169.82
Primrose—$1,376.02
Petersburg—$10,824.78
St. Edward—$19,750.83
Total — $1,545,195.39
BRIAN KLEVEMANN
Storekeeper
Brian Klevemann
has joined Loup
Power District as
Storekeeper.
In his new role,
Klevemann’s duties
include purchasing,
storing, and issuing
materials and stock
for projects across
Loup’s service area.
These materials
include power poles, connectors, and
wire.
Klevemann is a graduate of Lakeview
High School. He and his wife, Heidi,
have two daughters: Tessa, 17, and
Brinlee, 13.
GRANT MEYER
Line Technician
Grant Meyer
joined Loup
Power District as
a Line Technician
in 2022.
He is member of
the crew that is
responsible for
the construction,
operation, and
maintenance of 1 YEAR
electric transmission
and distribution systems and
substations in the Albion Division.
Meyer is a graduate of Norfolk High
School and earned a degree in Utility
Line from Northeast Community
College.
14 | GENERATOR
WELCOME
JEREMY MOORE
Utility Arborist Technician
Jeremy Moore of
Columbus joined
Loup Power District
as a Plant Operator
in 2019. In 2023,
he transferred to
Utility Arborist at the
Columbus Service
Center.
He is responsible
for safety assisting
fellow crew
5 YEARS
members with utility
line clearance tree removals. He also
handles ground work in tree removal,
construction, and operation and maintenance
of the District’s electric system.
Moore is a graduate of Cedar Rapids
High School. He and his wife, Carri,
have three sons — Talon, Parker, and
Barrett.
TREY HAMLING
Journey Line Technician
Trey Hamling joined
Loup Power District
as a Journey Line
Technician in 2022.
He is member of the
crew that is responsible
for the construction,
operation,
and maintenance
of electric transmission
and distribution
systems and substations
in the Columbus Division.
1 YEAR
Hamling earned a degree in Utility Line
from Northeast Community College. He
and his wife, Sabrina, live in Columbus.
JESSE HOFFMEISTER
Headworks Operator
Jesse Hoffmeister
joined Loup Power
District in 2019 as
Maintenance Technician
at the Genoa
Headworks. He was
promoted to Equipment
Operator in
2020 before being
named Headworks
Operator in 2023.
Hoffmeister is responsible for operating
and maintaining heavy equipment
at the Genoa Headworks. He also
performs general canal and hydrorelated
maintenance.
Hoffmeister is a graduate of St. Edward
High School. He and his wife, Haylee,
have two sons — Mason and Ryker.
KURTIS KNOPIK
Maintenance Technician
Kurtis Knopik joined
Loup Power District
as a Maintenance
Technician at the
Genoa Headworks
in 2023.
5 YEARS
He is responsible for
maintaining District
parks, facilities, and
equipment. He also
assists the Dredge/ 1 YEAR
Maintenance Canal
Technicians and serves on the dredge
during the dredging season.
Knopik is a graduate of Fullerton High
School and earned an associate’s
degree in electrical construction from
Northeast Community College.

SWITCH TO LED LIGHTING
LED bulbs use 90% less electricity than
incandescents and up to 60% less
energy than fluorescents for the same
amount of light. Many fluorescent
lights will not even operate below 10°F.
In contrast, LEDs slightly increase their
light output the colder it gets.
tips for an energy-efficient
GARAGE
A typical two-car garage measures 480 square feet,
or about 20 percent of the size of the average U.S.
home. Yet, it is often the least insulated and sealed,
uses the least efficient lighting, and is home to
older appliances.
Consider a few of the following projects to keep
your energy use from going through the roof.
INSULATE THE WALLS
Many older homes (and even some newer
ones) were not built with insulation in the walls
of the garage. While most have outside siding,
sheathing and a layer of particle board to keep
elements out, these materials do little to retain
heat. Insulating can be as easy as tacking
fiberglass insulation between exposed joists. If
your garage walls are finished, blow in insulation
through a small hole in the drywall or paneling.
SEAL THE DOOR BETWEEN
THE HOUSE AND GARAGE
If your garage is attached to the house, this door
is often a major source of cold air coming into your
home. If your garage is detached, it may be letting
much of your garage heat escape. Check to ensure
weather-stripping is installed around the entire door
frame, and that it’s intact, pliable and provides a snug
seal. Also, ensure your threshold and door sweep are
sealing the bottom.
INSULATE THE GARAGE DOOR
Even some garages with properly-insulated walls were
constructed with an uninsulated garage door. This negates
much of the benefit from insulated walls. A new, insulated
door will cost several hundreds of dollars or more, but will
provide a clean appearance. A lower-cost solution is to
purchase foam board insulation and install it on the inside
panels of your existing doors. Remember, you must cut the
foam board to a size a little smaller than your garage door’s
panels so it doesn’t smash together with insulation on other
panels as the door rolls up and down.
CAULK BETWEEN THE WALL
AND THE CONCRETE WALL OR FLOOR
Most garages were not built using compressible foam between the
lower framing and concrete floor. Over time, this connection swells,
shrinks and moves, leaving spaces that allow air from the outside to
leak in. Use a foam sealant or a latex/silicone-based caulk to seal this
often overlooked area.
REPLACE OLDER APPLIANCES
If you have an older model refrigerator or freezer in your garage, it may cost more money for you to
operate it over time than it would to invest into a new unit. Although the energy savings are smaller
in the winter, consider how hot your garage becomes in the summer. Some people move their old
televisions to the garage, too. Older televisions can use up to 10 times more energy than newer
models. If you use these older appliances quite a bit, consider purchasing a new ENERGY STAR
appliance. If you are not ready to replace the old one, at least unplug it when not in use to save
electricity.
WINTER 2024 | 15

2404 15th Street | PO Box 988
Columbus, NE 68602-0988
HEAT
PUMP
& AC
$
$
$
SMART
THERMOSTAT
$
ATTIC
INSULATION
WATER
HEATER
$
INDUCTION
COOKTOP
IT PAYS TO BE
ENERGY EFFICIENT!
Learn more about our incentives and rebates
for energy-efficient home improvements inside.
$ ELECTRIC
VEHICLE
CHARGING
$ ELECTRIC
LAWN
MOWER