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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