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Winter 25 Generator

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GENERA OR

a publication of Loup Power District WINTER 2025

Shorebirds flock

to Loup's lakes

Learn about the birds that rest

in Nebraska during migration

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

A cross-country electric bike adventure

Rate change for 2025


BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim Donoghue

Chairman

Mike Fleming

First Vice Chairman

Rich Aerni

Second Vice Chairman

Larry Zach

Secretary

Dick Tooley

Treasurer

Alan Drozd

Steve Heesacker

Dana Schultz

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. Loup’s residential rates have

not changed since 2018.

2 | GENERATOR

ON THE COVER: Great White Pelicans at the Genoa Headworks.


president’s message

Loup directors bring ‘wide

variety of business acumen’

As we approach the end of 2024, I want to

take a second and reflect on the election process

that took place in early November 2024.

We will see a change in the President of

the United States this year, as former President

Trump replaces President Biden in the

White House. There has been much speculation

about what this will mean going forward.

Here at Loup, we are taking a wait-and-see

attitude, and the District will move forward

as policy and regulation allows.

The election also brings several new legislators

to the Nebraska Unicameral. We work

closely with the Unicameral through our involvement

with the Nebraska Power Association

and the Chamber of Commerce and look

to our legislators to help implement rules and

regulations that assist us in running our dayto-day

business here at Loup.

Closer to home, we have a new Board

member at Loup. Mr. Dana Shultz from

Schuyler will represent Loup as the Board

member from Subdivision 5. Previously, Chris

Langemeier was this representative, but he

resigned in August 2023 to become a Board

member at NPPD.

After several rounds of discussion, Mr.

Schultz decided to put his hat in the ring and

run for the Board. He won the election to fill

out the remaining two years for this subdivision

seat.

We welcome Dana and his wife Lori to the

Loup Power District family and look forward

to working with him on the many issues that

we have moving forward.

In addition, current Board members

Robert Cerv of Clarkson, Steve Heesacker of

Humphrey, and Mike Fleming of Columbus

all won reelection to the Board here at Loup

and will serve their six-year term beginning

in 2025.

The Loup Power District directors bring a

wide variety of business acumen to their positions,

which really assists District management

in developing policy and rules that are

reasonable and fair to all.

We have directors who are farmers, former

teachers, small business owners, and those

that have worked at and run large manufacturing

businesses. This variety allows

outside-the-box thinking when developing

the way business is conducted at Loup Power

District.

District management and the Board of

Directors hopes everyone had a Happy Holiday

season. Please take care of yourself and

others, and may this be the most joyous time

of your life.

NEAL SUESS

President/CEO

Schultz elected to Loup Board of Directors

Dana Schultz of Schuyler was elected to

represent Subdivision 5 on the Loup Power

District Board of Directors in November.

The seat had been vacant since August 2023

when Chris Langemeier resigned to accept an

appointment to the Nebraska Public Power

Board of Directors.

Schultz said he learned a lot about Loup

and public power during conversations with

Langemeier.

After Langemeier resigned, Schultz began

attending meetings to learn more and decided

to run for the open seat.

“I wanted to see exactly what was going on

and I thought it was pretty important to hit

the ground running when I got on the board

in January.”

He said he has learned a lot in the last year

or so, but there is still more to learn. And he's

looking forward to that — especially now

that he's retired after more than 40 years as a

principal and educator.

“I'm excited to be part of a great company,”

he said.

DANA SCHULTZ

Subdivision 5

WINTER 2025 | 3


Chasing George Wyman

an electric American adventure

Jack Smith pushed a skateboard

across America four times.

Then he rode an electric skateboard

from Oregon to Washington, D.C.

In 2022, he pulled up to Loup’s

electric vehicle charging station in a

1964 Volkswagen “Rust Bus” that was

converted to run on all-electric power.

Smith was retracing the route

of Horatio Nelson Jackson, who in

1903 became the first person to cross

America in an automobile. That route

came through Columbus.

In 2023, he and his wife, Cathy,

drove the Rust Bus from Chicago to

Santa Monica, Calif., on Route 66.

Smith has definitely had his share

of adventures. But he’s never content

to stay still for long.

And so, in 2024, he began another

adventure — a cross-country trip on

an electric bicycle. Jack Smith at T-Bone Truck Stop southwest of Columbus on October 17.

GEORGE WYMAN’S TRIP

George Wyman was born in 1877 in

California. By the end of the century, he

was a champion bicycle rider. He moved

to Australia to further that career and in

1902, he became the first American to

circumnavigate Australia on a bicycle.

He moved back to the U.S. in 1902

and became interested in motorized

bicycles. That year, he became the first

person to cross the Sierra Nevada range

on a motor vehicle, riding his

motorbike from San Francisco to

Reno, Nevada.

That accomplishment

inspired the idea of taking

a motorbike across

the continent.

He departed San

Francisco on May

16, 1903, riding the

same 1902 motorbike.

It had a 200

cc, 1.5 horsepower

engine and could go

about 25 miles per

hour.

4 | GENERATOR


Wyman’s route across the United States. Photo courtesy of The George A. Wyman Memorial Project.

His journey was incredibly difficult.

The dirt trails and wagon tracks were

often impassable, so he rode on the

railroad tracks for much of his journey.

He had breakdowns that required

improvised repairs until he could get

new parts.

As he neared Aurora, Illinois, his

engine’s crankshaft snapped so he

pedaled to Chicago where he had to

wait five days for a new crank to arrive

by railway express.

On July 6, 1903, he arrived in New

York City, becoming the first person

to cross the United States on a motor

vehicle. The 3,800-mile journey took

him 51 days.

Twenty days later, Jackson arrived

in New York in a 1903 20-horsepower

Winton touring car, becoming the first

person to travel across the country in

an automobile.

His journey followed nearly the

same route and took 63 days.

Despite taking longer and arriving

after Wyman, Jackson’s trip in the

“horseless carriage” is the one that

captivated the public.

And so Wyman’s accomplishment

was largely forgotten.

The George A. Wyman Memorial

Project aims to promote Wyman’s

story.

“The Wyman story is one of personal

courage, determination and

struggle to overcome adversity . . .

Wyman faced his long-distance

motorcycling saga alone, without a

backup crew, with only his ingenuity

and resourcefulness to keep himself

and his motorcycle moving,” according

to the Wyman Memorial Project

website.

VINTAGE ELECTRIC BIKES

When Smith learned Wyman’s

story, he was hooked.

“The guy was incredibly tough,” he

said. “Besides being a great rider,

he was a great mechanic.”

And then he knew what to

do for his next adventure —

he would recreate Wyman’s

route across the U.S. on

an electric bike. But first, he

needed the bike. So he reached

out to Vintage Electric Bikes

owner Andrew

Davidge.

It wasn’t the first time someone

asked Davidge about getting one of

his bikes for a cross-country trips. In

fact, he’d gotten that question several

times before. But Smith was the first

person who was experienced enough

to reel Davidge in.

“After just five minutes of talking

with him, I said ‘We’re all in. Let’s

build you a custom bike. Let’s do this

thing,’” Davidge said.

Davidge built his first custom bike

just out of high school. It had a 10-

mile range. Then he took two production

prototypes to a car show and sold

40 bikes.

That success prompted him to drop

out of college to start a business that

blended his love of automobiles, bicycles,

and invention.

“Ever since then we’ve just been

engineering, designing, and fabricating

bikes and always continuing to

make them better and better,” Davidge

said.

While his bikes continue to get better

— they can go nearly 100 miles on

a charge — their look remains rooted

in the past.

“I wanted to design a bike that’s

always going to look cool and won’t

age with different trends that come

out,” Davidge said. “Really, the safest

way to do that is to build something

inspired by the 1920s that has universally

always been cool.”

Smith rode this Vintage Electric Bikes

Scrambler electric bicycle on his trip.

40 mph top speed

40–75 miles per charge

750/4000-watt drivetrain

Photo courtesy of Vintage Electric Bikes.

WINTER 2025 | 5


‘‘

It looks like a perfect

storm is developing. This

heat is relentless. It’s 100

degrees here in North

Platte, Nebraska, and the

forecast is calling for it

to continue. In addition,

my (George’s) route is

leading me directly into

the major flooding that

is occurring in Nebraska

and Iowa.”

Jack Smith on his Facebook

page on June 25, 2024

Right: Smith tackles a steep hill between

Meadville and Warren, Penn., on October

30. Photo courtesy of Jack Smith/Burt

Beavers.

SMITH’S JOURNEYS

Smith said Davidge’s bikes appealed

to him because they reminded

him of old motorcycles and that

would help connect his journey to

that of Wyman.

On June 4, he launched his trip

from the streets of San Francisco on

the 82-pound Scrambler bike. He also

had a trailer with his gear and an extra

battery. Wyman was unsupported

in his journey and Smith wanted to

make his trip solo as well.

Just a few days into his journey, he

faced the toughest part of his journey

— the Sierra Nevada mountain

range. But with lots of pedaling to

conserve battery power, he made it

through Donner Pass.

He kept plugging away, moving on

to Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.

On June 22, he rode from Cheyenne

and made it to Kimball, Nebraska.

From there he went to Sidney and

Ogallala. On June 25, he made it to

North Platte only to face a difficult

decision.

“It looks like a perfect storm is developing,”

he wrote on his Facebook

page. “This heat is relentless. It’s 100

degrees here in North Platte, Nebraska,

and the forecast is calling for it to

continue. In addition, my (George’s)

route is leading me directly into the

major flooding that is occurring in

Nebraska and Iowa.”

Smith decided to suspend his ride

and returned home in a rental van.

But he didn’t want to call it quits.

In September, he announced on

social media that he was going to restart

his journey and asked if anyone

would be interested in supporting

him.

Burt Beavers, who knew Smith

through the skateboarding community,

jumped at the chance.

“I’m recently retired and had the

time and wanted to go across the

United States,” Beavers said.

On Oct. 15, the pair restarted the

journey in North Platte. For the

second half of the journey, Smith

eliminated the bike trailer and put his

gear in a van driven by Beavers.

On Oct. 17, they arrived in Columbus

for a short stop before continuing

on their way.

Smith travels about 100 miles per

day and he is getting 70-90 miles per

battery.

“I love this part of the country

because it’s nice and flat and you can

just go,” he said.

The Scrambler can approach 40

miles per hour, but Smith generally

rides at around 18–22 miles per hour.

The single-speed bike has five assist

settings. It is also equipped with a

throttle, but Smith said he usually

only uses that at intersections when

he needs to accelerate quickly into

6 | GENERATOR


Smith started his journey solo

towing a trailer for his gear.

His friend, Burt Beavers, joined him

on the second half of his journey

and he put his gear in a van.

Photo courtesy of Jack Smith.

Right: Jack Smith (left) and Larry

Newland charged the Rust Bus at

Loup Power District’s electric vehicle

charging station on June 3, 2022.

The pair followed the route of Horatio

Nelson Jackson, the first person

to cross the United States in an

automobile.

LEARN MORE:

The George A Wyman

Memorial Project

wymanmemorialproject.blogspot.com

Vintage Electric Bikes

www.vintageelectricbikes.com

Smith’s travels across America

bit.ly/Smithtravels

the flow of traffic.

“I’m always pedaling,” he said.

Beavers usually drives ahead and

explores towns along the route. The

pair are staying in hotels each night.

Smith said the Scrambler is easy to

charge. He just takes it into the hotel

room and plugs it in.

So far, Smith said his journey is

much easier than Wyman's. He can

stay in nice rooms at night. The roads

are better. If he needs a break, he can

jump in the van for a bit.

Like Wyman, he is at the mercy

of the elements for much of the day

however. The winds were gusty when

he pulled into Columbus. He’s had

brutal cold mornings and hot afternoons.

But it’s all part of the journey.

Smith said people have recreated

Wyman’s trip on motorcycles or

gasoline-powered bicycles.

“As far as I know nobody’s done

it on an electric bike,” he said. “And

people ask me if I’m doing it because

I’ll be the first.”

His answer is always no.

“I’m just doing it,” he said.

And we can’t wait to see what he

does next.

Smith’s electric bike tribute to George

Wyman took a total of 42 days. He

finished the second half of his journey

on Nov. 3.

WINTER 2025 | 7


‘bird-watching paradise’

Loup’s lakes ideal for shorebirds

By MIKE GUTZMER

Senior Scientist/Principal Ecologist

New Century Environmental

New Century Environmental has been conducting least

tern, piping plover and rufa red knot surveys for Loup

Power District for six years.

As we completed these studies, we observed many other

shorebirds. After seeing more than 130 migrating black

terns on one May morning this past spring, I thought it

would be good to share the bird watching opportunities

at Lake North and Babcock, north of Columbus. The more

birds you observe, the more species you will learn. In turn,

you will be amazed at the bird-watching paradise at the

lakes.

Loup Power District has been providing low-cost and

reliable electric power to Platte County and the surrounding

area for more than 80 years now.

What people don’t know is that Lake North and Lake

Babcock provide one of largest surface water bodies in the

eastern part of the state.

The storage reservoir in Lake Babcock provides an

excellent shallow water wetland ideal for many shorebird

species to forage and rest during their migration or establishment

of a breeding location.

There are a variety of shorelines that contain plants,

pure gravel, some sand, and several silt flats that are ideal

for shorebird use.

According to Paul Johnsgard, the incredible shorebird

migration in our state is nearly invisible, involving more

than 30 species and an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 birds.

Many of the species travel from South American wintering

grounds, and about half of them are bound for the

arctic tundra breeding grounds of Canada and Alaska.

While resting and feeding between flights, the birds

scatter across Nebraska’s smaller and shallower wetlands.

The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union compiled a half

century of migration reports from the 1930s to 1980s. The

reports show a breakdown of 10 out of 34 shorebird species

exhibited a migration during the first week of May. Ten

more exhibited peaks during the second week of May.

As wetlands warm in May, the invertebrate life becomes

abundant, and the birds can forage and make the long

journey north. Not all the shorebirds arriving in Nebraska

continue north.

Shorebirds are found in diverse habitats ranging from

intertidal mudflats, sandy beaches, and rocky coastlines

to freshwater wetlands, grasslands, plowed fields, and

flooded agricultural land across the country.

Lake North and Babcock provide productive aquatic

plant communities such as lotus, milfoil, coontail, and

several duckweeds that are foraged upon by a multitude of

shorebird species.

Killdeer is one of the more common species and these

birds start arriving about the middle of March and quickly

scatter across all the state’s meadows and grasslands.

Sometimes they even nest in parks or on golf courses of

larger towns. Killdeer, are easily the most recognized of

our shorebirds, and those nesting here are likely to have

wintered in Central America, or even as far south as Venezuela.

Throughout the summer, pelicans, terns, a residual

snow goose population, and a variety of gulls can be seen

adorning the beaches of Lake North.

Aquatic habitats are under assault across the country.

Loup Power District, through its hydro operation, provides

excellent forage, breeding, and resting opportunities for

dozens of shorebirds.

Lake Babcock and Lake North serve as a water storage

reservoir for LPD, but nature lovers in our part of the state

know this is a valuable water resource for an incredible variety

of shorebirds that live and migrate through our great

state.

Find these shorebirds!

Make a plan to visit Lake North and Lake Babcock

this spring or summer to see how many of these

shorebirds you can spot.

8 | GENERATOR


AMERICAN

AVOCET

Slender and graceful with long,

blue-gray legs and upcurved bill.

Bold black-and-white pattern on

back and wings. Pale cinnamon

head and neck in summer,

gray in winter.

18"

LESSER

YELLOWLEGS

Dainty bird with bright yellow legs

and a thin, long bill. Streaking

on the breast when breeding.

Plain wings and mostly white

rump when in flight.

Graceful, high-stepping gait.

10.5"

BUFF-BREASTED

SANDPIPER

Smooth pale buff on face and

underparts. Light-edged black

feathers on its back, wings, and

the top of its head look like scales.

Yellow legs. Small round head

and short bill.

8"

SPOTTED

SANDPIPER

Round black spots below when in

breeding plumage. Plain in fall and

winter. Rounded breast makes it

look like its leaning forward. Thin,

straight bill. Constantly bobs its tail

while working to find invertebrates.

7.5"

LEAST

SANDPIPER

Very small with a thin bill that turns

down slightly at the tip. Yellowgreen

legs. Nonbreeding birds

are brownish with a smudgy

brown breast. Breeding birds have

a rusty, speckled back.

6"

BAIRD'S

SANDPIPER

Broad breast and slightly droopy

bill. Long wing tips that extend past

the tip of the tail. Adults are mottled

with warm brown and black above

and white below. Juveniles look

similar but a bit more scaly.

7.5"

PECTORAL SANDPIPER (pictured at left)

Mostly brown with yellowish legs. A sharp contrast between the brown-streaked breast and white belly.

Striped back. 9"

WINTER 2025 | 9


PIPING

PLOVER

Pale sandy-colored back with a

short, stubby bill. Black chest band

in summer that is replaced with

dusky chest patches in the winter.

Increasing numbers, but still

an endangered species.

6–7"

WILSON'S

PHALAROPE

Small shorebird with long legs and

a slender neck. Thin, straight bill.

Breeding females are brighter, with

a dark stripe down the neck, bluegray

back, and peachy neck. Males

lack the black neck stripe.

9"

SANDERLING

Very pale and plain in winter

plumage which it has for most of

the year. Reddish brown on head

and foreparts when in breeding

plumage from late spring to late

summer. Plump with a stout black

bill and black legs.

8"

CATTLE

EGRET

Stocky white with yellow plumes

on the head and neck during

breeding season. Often perches

with its neck drawn in. Short yellow

bill. Legs vary from yellow or pink in

breeding season to black in winter.

20"

LONG-BILLED

DOWITCHER

Plump bird with long bill.

Breeding birds have cinnamon

underparts and dark upperparts

with white tips. Nonbreeding birds

are more gray. Distinctive sewingmachine

like feeding behavior.

12"

WILSON'S SNIPE

Medium, pudgy shorebird with

short, stocky legs. Intricate pattern

with three long streaks down the

back and striped head. Very long

bill. Looks stocky due to extra-large

pectoral muscles that make help it

fly up to 60 miles per hour.

10.5"

10 | GENERATOR


DUNLIN

Stocky, medium-sized shorebird.

Dull brownish gray on head,

chest, and back when in winter

plumage. Reddish back and black

belly patch in breeding plumage.

Bill is heavy at base

and droops at the tip.

8.5"

BLACK

TERN

Small and graceful with broad

wings. Black head and dark gray

wings. Adults may look patchy

black and white if molting out of

breeding plumage. Slender bill.

Short, notched tail.

10"

KILLDEER

Slender shorebird with long wings

and tail. Adults have two black

breast bands and a white collar.

White belly and breast. Downy

young may have a single black

band. Pause while walking

to bob their heads.

9–11"

LEAST

TERN

Smallest North American tern.

Adults have a thin, yellow bill with

a black tip. Crisp black and white

head pattern. Slender, pointed

wings with black edge

and a forked tail.

8.5"

HERRING

GULL

White spots in black wingtips. Pale,

yellow eyes and pink legs. Slim,

yellow bill with a red spot.

Adults have white heads

in spring and summer that turn

gray-brown in winter.

23–26"

AMERICAN

WHITE PELICAN

One of the largest birds in North

America. Long neck and massive

bill. All white with black flight

feathers. Raised vertical plate on

their bill early in breeding season

that is shed later in the year.

55–70"

GREAT BLUE HERON (pictured at left)

Large, tall shorebird with a long neck. Grayish-blue overall with a long bill.

Adults have a black crown stripe and head plumes. 39–52"

WINTER 2025 | 11


12 | GENERATOR


Board approves retail rate increase

The Loup Power District Board of

Directors approved a 3.1 percent retail

rate increase at its monthly December

meeting. The increase comes

amid increasing wholesale power

costs, 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 Bob Cerv.

Loup’s overall rates are 35.8

percent below the national average

and 6.0 percent below the Nebraska

average based on data from a 2022

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 $50 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-ofservice

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.

Also, Loup will be seeing an increase

in wholesale power costs from NPPD

in 2025.

Steve Heesacker, 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 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 increases in purchased

power costs and construction and

material costs, the Board felt it was

prudent to implement this increase in

retail rates to maintain Loup’s financial

health,” Heesacker 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 retail rates

and energy-saving programs, visit

the Loup’s website at loup.com.

Average Price for Residential Electricity September 2024, in cents per kWh

CA

31.6¢

WA

12.4¢

OR

15.2¢

NV

14¢

AK

25.7¢

ID

12.4¢

UT

12.2¢

AZ

15¢

MT

13.5¢

WY

14¢

CO

15.7¢

NM

15.6¢

HI

40.8¢

ND

12.8¢

SD

14¢

NE

13.1¢

KS

14.9¢

TX

15¢

OK

14¢

MN

16.3¢

IA

14.1¢

MO

14.8¢

AR

12.8¢

WI

17.7¢

LA

11.9¢

IL

15.9¢

MS

13.2¢

MI

20¢

AL

15.4¢

VT: 22.6¢

NH: 24.9¢

MA: 29.2¢

RI: 28.6¢

CT: 33¢

PA

17.8¢

NY

25¢

IN OH

14.9¢ 15.8¢

WV

VA

KY

15.9¢

15.5¢

12.5¢ NC

TN

15.2¢

12.6¢

Residential Average Price

(cents per kilowatt-hour)

14¢ or more

Less than 14¢

GA

13.7¢

SC

15.1¢

FL

14.1¢

ME

26.4¢

NJ: 19.3¢

DE: 16.7¢

MD: 18.4¢

DC: 18¢

Source: U.S. Energy Information

Administration: Average Price of

Electricity by State, September

2024. Numbers rounded to

nearest tenth of a cent.

WINTER 2025 | 13


employee notes

DAN QUINN

Line Crew Leader

Dan Quinn joined

Loup in 1994 as an

Apprentice Line

Technician in Albion.

He was promoted

to Line Technician in

1995 and transferred

to Columbus in

1997. Quinn was

promoted to Journey

Line Technician

in 2000. He was named Line Crew

Leader in 2018.

As Line Crew Leader, Quinn is charge

of the line crew that is responsible

for construction and maintenance of

Loup’s electrical transmission and

distribution system in the Columbus

Division.

Quinn is a graduate of Lakeview High

School and earned an Associate of

Applied Science Degree in Utility Line

from Northeast Community College in

Norfolk.

He and his wife, Crystal, are the parents

of five children — Zack, Matt, Adam,

Sydney, and Sierra. They have one

granddaughter, Grace.

BRIAN KLEVEMANN

Storekeeper

Brian Klevemann

joined Loup Power

District as Storekeeper

in 2023.

His duties include

purchasing, storing,

and issuing

materials and stock

for projects across

Loup’s service area.

These materials

include power

poles, connectors, and wire.

30 YEARS

1 YEAR

He also helps manage the water heater

rental program and glove testing and

rotation.

Klevemann is a graduate of Lakeview

High School. He and his wife, Heidi,

have two daughters: Tessa and Brinlee.

SCOTT SOKOL

Albion Division Superintendent

Sokol joined Loup in

1994 as an Apprentice

Lineman in the

Albion Division. He

was promoted to

Lineman in 1995

and to Journeyman

Lineman in

2000. In 2005, he

was named Local

Superintendent

for Newman

Grove. Sokol was

promoted to Albion

Division Superintendent in 2020.

Sokol oversees the operation and

maintenance of Loup’s electric transmission

and distribution system in the

Albion Division service area which

includes the northern part of Boone

and Platte Counties, and the southwest

corner of Madison County.

Sokol is a graduate of Norfolk High

School. He earned an Associate of

Applied Science Degree in Utility Line

from Northeast Community College in

Norfolk.

He and his wife, Joan, are the parents

of four children — Jarod, Shanna,

Clayton, and Brady. They have one

granddaughter, Tessa; and two grandsons,

Noah and Walker.

STEVE ZIEMBA

Heavy Equipment Operator

Steve Ziemba

was promoted to

Heavy Equipment

Operator in

December and

was also recognized

for 20

years of service.

30 YEARS

Ziemba joined

Loup in 2004 as

a Utilityman at

20 YEARS

the Columbus

Service Center.

In 2008, he transferred to the Canal

Crew at the Columbus Service Center

as a Maintenance Man.

He was promoted to Equipment Operator

in 2009 and stayed in that role until

this promotion.

As Heavy Equipment Operator,

Ziemba operates the District’s heavy

equipment and is part of the crew that

performs maintenance on the canal

system from Genoa to Columbus. He

also helps take care of District parks

and lakes.

Ziemba is a native of Clarks and

attended Kearney State College.

He earned an Electrical Mechanical

degree from Central Community

College. He and his wife, Gwen, are the

parents of three children.

JIM BOGUS

Accounting Supervisor

Accounting Supervisor

Jim Bogus

retired from Loup

Power District after

more than 13 years

of service.

Bogus joined Loup

in 2011 as Chief

Accountant. In 2015,

he transferred to

Accounting Supervisor at the Columbus

General Office.

RETIREMENT

His responsibilities included technical

and administrative accounting

work; oversight of property insurance;

purchases of supplies, materials, and

equipment; approval of purchase

orders and the material bidding process;

processing of work orders; and

general liability concerns.

Bogus is a graduate of Columbus High

School. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in

Business Administration/Accounting

from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

and earned his CPA in 1982.

He and his wife, Deb, are the parents

of two married children. Kyle and Ngan

Bogus have a daughter, Layla. Kara

and Brad Florian have two children,

Leah and Levi and are expecting in

January.

14 | GENERATOR


JASON BEIERMANN

Accounting Supervisor

Jason Beiermann has

been promoted to

Accounting Supervisor

at Loup Power

District.

In his new role, Beiermann

is responsible

for various technical

and administrative

accounting tasks,

including oversight of

property insurance,

purchasing materials

and equipment, approval of purchase

orders and the material bidding process,

and general liability concerns.

Beiermann joined Loup in 2015 as

Accountant/Collector in the Administrative

Services Department and continued

in that role until this promotion.

Beiermann is a graduate of Columbus

High school. He earned an Associate of

Applied Science degree in Information

Technology from Central Community

College-Columbus.

He and his wife, Tina, are the parents

of three daughters: Emily, Alyssa, and

Aubrey.

MICHAEL JONES

Accountant/Collector

Michael Jones has

been promoted to

Accountant/Collector

at Loup Power District.

In his new role, he

is responsible for

accounting and

customer service functions

and collection of

delinquent accounts.

PROMOTION

PROMOTION

Jones joined Loup in

2009 as Computer

Support Specialist at the Columbus

General Office and stayed in that role

until this promotion.

Jones was born in Columbus and grew

up in Illinois. He graduated from Harlem

High School in Loves Park, Ill., and studied

Information Technology-Electronic at

Central Community College-Columbus.

Jones and his wife, Beth, are the parents

of three sons — Benjamin, Steven, and

David.

ED DOZLER

IT Security Coordinator

Ed Dozler joined

Loup as IT Security

Coordinator at the

Columbus General

Office.

His responsibilities

include the promotion

of security

awareness programs

and auditing

systems to

WELCOME

Loup employees.

He is also creating

and implementing cybersecurity-related

solutions for the District.

Dozler is a graduate of Stanton High

School. He earned a bachelor’s degree

at Wayne State College and will earn

his Associate Degree in Information

Technology Web Development at Central

Community College. He and his wife,

Payton, live in Columbus.

CARI REEDER

Payroll and Accounting Coordinator

Cari Reeder of

Columbus joined

Loup in 2009 as

Administrative

Assistant in the

Administrative

Services Department

at the

Columbus General

Office. In 2019, her

title was changed

to Payroll and

Accounting

Coordinator.

15 YEARS

Her responsibilities include payroll,

preparing bid requests, and preparing

and submitting purchase orders.

Reeder is a graduate of Genoa High

School. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree

in Business Management from Peru

State College. She has one son, Riley.

Loup pays $1.3

million to area

communities

Loup Power District delivered

lease payments totaling

nearly $1.7 million to area

communities. Each of the

communities owns their electric

distribution systems. These

payments compensate them

for the use of those systems

for the third quarter of 2024.

Communities use the funds for

a variety of public projects.

Public power utilities provide

a direct benefit to their

communities in the form of

payments and contributions to

local and state governments.

Loup Power District gives

about 9 percent of its annual

revenues back to state and local

governments throughout the

year.

The payments were:

Columbus — $1,304,811.58

Platte Center — $10,395.95

Monroe — $10,890.03

Tarnov — $1,371.96

Creston — $5,936.83

Humphrey — $33,299.90

Lindsay — $47,428.00

Cornlea — $1,760.30

Newman Grove — $20,319.67

Duncan — $17,278.78

Fullerton — $39,288.00

Genoa — $27,696.77

Belgrade — $3,819.30

Richland — $2,681.06

Howells — $20,158.13

Leigh — $17,493.58

Clarkson — $21,886.07

Albion — $61,495.69

Cedar Rapids — $14,977.84

Primrose — $1,609.27

Petersburg — $12,044.70

St. Edward — $21,118.25

Total — $1,697,761.66

WINTER 2025 | 15


2404 15th Street | PO Box 988

Columbus, NE 68602-0988

$

ATTIC

INSULATION

IT PAYS TO BE

ENERGY EFFICIENT!

HEAT

PUMP

& AC

$

$

SMART

THERMOSTAT

$

WATER

HEATER

$

INDUCTION

COOKTOP

Learn more about the 2025 incentives

and rebates for energy-efficient home

improvements at loup.com.

$ ELECTRIC

VEHICLE

CHARGING

$ LAWN &

GARDEN

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