Winter 2026 Generator

GENERA OR
a publication of Loup Power District WINTER 2026
IN THIS ISSUE:
Suess retires as President/CEO
and Hobza takes helm
Board approves
2026 retail rate increase

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mike Fleming
Chairman
Rich Aerni
First Vice Chairman
Larry Zach
Second Vice Chairman
Dana Schultz
Secretary
Dick Tooley
Treasurer
Bob Cerv
Jim Donoghue
Alan Drozd
Steve Heesacker
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
Korey Hobza
President/CEO
Walt Williams
Vice President,
Accounting & Finance/CFO
Todd Duren
Vice President,
Corporate Services
Michael Wallace
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
Cover photo: The settling basin at the Genoa Headworks. Photo by John Fritzges.

president’s message
Exec team and board crucial to
success during 20-year tenure
As many of you are aware, in June of 2024
I announced that I planned to retire at the
end of 2025. This was not an easy decision
to make as I enjoy my job very much and I
love working with the people at the District
and with our customers. There are many
insightful things that I have learned over the
years and I am grateful for my time here at
the District.
In January, the Board of Directors named
our current VP of Engineering, Korey Hobza,
to be my replacement starting in 2026. I
have been excited to work with Korey on the
transition and Korey will do an excellent
job leading the District in the future.
Korey’s knowledge of the projects we have
ongoing at the District is immense and his
background in manufacturing (he worked at
BD Pharmaceuticals) before coming to the
District provides a background that many
people do not have.
I can say from my years at the District, the
key to making it all work is having a great
executive staff to help in all things that are
ongoing at the District. The executive staff I
inherited when I came on board (David Bell,
Kendall Christensen, Kim Grubaugh, Ron
Ziola, and Vicki Dilfer) and the current Vice
Presidents and Executive Staff (Todd Duren,
Dan Hellbusch, Korey Hobza, Walt Williams,
and Angell Robak) have all made my job a lot
easier and they have helped make the District
one of the better places that I have worked
throughout my career.
Having a group of individuals that have a
good relationship with each other and that
are willing to work with each other day to day
makes an enormous difference in the overall
morale of the District as a whole. Watching
these people pull together and work as a team
is amazing, and something that I will never
forget. They are what make it enjoyable to be
a part of this team.
I want to take a minute to thank everyone
at the District for making me feel like a
part of the family. I came from a place of
employment outside of the District when I
started here in September 2005, yet everyone
made me feel like a part of something
special as we moved forward. There were
many challenging times (dealing with the
relicensing of the hydroelectric system, the
March 2019 storm, the COVID-19 pandemic,
and Winter Storm Uri in 2021), but we always
seemed to pull together and make it through
these as a team. That is what I am truly
thankful for.
Obviously, I could not have done this without
the vision of the Board of Directors here at
Loup. These individuals are true leaders in
the communities they serve, and they have
provided insight that has moved the District
forward over the years. Their ability to see
things and adjust quickly have made the
District a leader in those communities. I am
grateful for what they do each day and their
leadership for the District.
With that said, I have reached the end of my
time at Loup. Thank you all for everything
you have done for me and my family, and I
hope to see you in the future at venues around
the four-county area. As I have said many
times, “Be Happy and Stay Safe.”
NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
WINTER 2026 | 3

Q&A
with Neal
Suess was named
President/CEO in
2005 and retired at
the end of 2025.
Tell us about your early life.
I was born in 1962 in a small town
called Highland, Illinois. I lived
there until I was about 5 years
old. After that, we moved every
few years because my dad was a
salesman for Wayne Feeds.
I lived in towns in Illinois,
Missouri, Wisconsin, and North
Carolina. I went to and graduated
from high school in West Des
Moines, Iowa, and then went to
Iowa State University in Ames.
I was in college when my dad and
mom moved to Columbus as part
of my dad working for Wayne
Feeds. I lived with my parents
during the summer while working
as an intern for R.W. Beck. My dad
was later named President of Sand
Livestock System.
And then you started
working as an engineer
after college?
Yes. R.W. Beck offered me a
full-time job in 1984 after
I graduated from college. I
worked for them until 1992.
Then we moved our family to
Oklahoma where I worked as
an engineer for the Oklahoma
Municipal Power Authority. We
were there for almost two years
and then moved to Pella, Iowa,
where I served as the city’s first
electric director.
They were looking for someone to
combine their power plant system
and electric system and I was able
to complete that project.
Then I came back to Columbus
to work for R.W. Beck again from
1996 to 2005.
You served as a consultant
for Loup at that time. Is that
how you became interested
in the electrical industry?
I’d already worked in the electric
utility industry before returning
to Columbus. Although I loved my
work at R.W. Beck, I’d gotten to
a point where I wasn’t going to
move up a lot more in the firm.
That’s why I went to the other
electric utilities to get some
additional experience.
After returning to R.W. Beck,
I started working heavily with
Loup. completing cost-of-service
studies, rate work, pro forma
reports, and other projects. I really
enjoyed working in the public
power sector and especially with
Loup.
When then-CEO Bob White
announced his retirement at the
end of 2005, I knew I really wanted
the job. I’d been coming to board
meetings every month for two
years, so I had a clear idea of what
the job entailed. I also knew all the
board members.
Did you know right away
that you wanted to accept
the job?
I still needed a little time to
process it. I talked with my wife,
Jo. Although there were several
factors at play, in the end I knew I
really wanted to accept the job.
Was it what you expected
when you first started?
I knew right away it was the right
move. Was it everything that I
expected? To a great degree, yes.
— continued on page 6
4 | GENERATOR

Suess and Korey Hobza
Tell us about your early life.
I grew up on a farm between Leigh
and Creston. I went to school in Leigh
and then went on to the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln where I earned a
degree in engineering.
Where did you go from there?
After college I went on to work for
Ingersoll Rand on their Leadership
Development Program. I moved
to different plants, positions, and
projects throughout the country and
world on yearly rotations. I worked
in mechanical and manufacturing
engineering, quality control, and
health and safety.
After graduating from the Ingersoll
Rand Leadership Program I accepted
a full-time position with them at
their location in Hastings, Nebraska.
In that position I still had the
opportunity to travel, supporting
manufacturing teams in other states
as well as the Czech Republic and
China.
And after that you came back
to the Columbus area?
A recruiter contacted me about an
opportunity at Becton Dickinson
Pharmaceutical Systems. I accepted
a position as the Facilities Manager
for the PS Plant. I was involved with
many project teams while there
including the worldwide sterilization
and facilities teams.
Why did you apply for a
position at Loup?
A friend suggested I apply for the job.
I was ready for a change and a new
challenge in my career.
After learning more about the
company and going through the
interview process, I thought it would
be a great fit for me.
Was it a tough transition?
I was fortunate to get to learn from
my successor, Ron Ziola. He was a
great mentor and I learned a lot from
him. Eventually, it all came together.
The engineering department
plans many of the large projects
throughout Loup’s territory. I really
enjoyed getting out and learning how
our system works and having a hand
in planning those projects.
Why did you decide to apply
for the CEO job?
I really like new challenges. This
job seemed like a great opportunity
to take what I had learned from my
work in the engineering department
and expand on it. It was a logical next
step in my career path.
What are you most looking
forward to?
I want to get out in the field and
learn more about this industry and
company from our employees.
In return, hopefully they get to know
me better and feel comfortable in
bringing forward challenges as well
as offering new ideas and solutions.
What challenges do you
anticipate going forward?
I think we need to maintain control
of our budgets and stay on track.
Neal’s leaving this company
financially in a good place and I want
to ensure it stays that way.
It will also be a big job to learn about
all the reports and forms that we
need to submit to state and federal
agencies on an ongoing basis.
— continued on page 7
Hobza joined Loup in
2020 and assumed
the President/CEO
position at the
beginning of 2026.
WINTER 2026 | 5

— Suess, continued from page 4
I knew the ins and outs of the
industry but had only worked in
smaller offices. Working with 125
coworkers was a big change. I tried
to let the people that report directly
to me do what they’re supposed to do
and not worry about it. I wanted to
let them make the decisions with my
support.
Looking back at more than 20
years at the helm, what are
you most proud of?
I’m really proud at how this this
company comes together in times
of crisis. The way this entity comes
together and pulls together for
everybody, is really amazing to
me. It’s what makes us a great
organization.
We had three really tough years in
a row with the storm event in 2019,
Covid in 2020, and Winter Storm Uri
in 2021. That doesn’t even include
the back-to-back New Year’s ice
storms we had in 2006/2007 and
2007/2008.
What other big projects were
you involved with over the
years?
Obviously, the hydroelectric license
was and still is a big project. Water
issues have been an amazing thing
that I didn’t have a lot of experience
with before. And the challenge of
getting through the license has been
something that I would have never
thought could or would have taken as
long as it did.
We hired a consultant in December of
2005 before I was actually acting as
President and CEO. And technically
we’re still working on it. We got our
license in 2017, but are still trying to
finalize some of the requirements
that we want changed.
Another big project was the hydro
refurbishment in the mid-2000s. I
worked on it some while I was with
R.W. Beck and then it was completed
when I started working at Loup.
In 2006, Legacy Resources (now
Preferred Sands) came on board
to use the sand dredged from
the settling basin at the Genoa
Headworks for fracking.
We were looking at adding one
hundred acres of additional land to
put sand and now they’re taking as
much sand as we’re dredging out
every year. I really think bringing
Preferred in saved us a lot of
potential trouble down the road with
what to do with all that sand.
One other big issue has been the
wholesale power agreements with
NPPD. I assisted Loup on the contract
back in 2002 while at R.W. Beck and
was in the middle of the negotiations
for the 2016 contract and the 2026
contract that was just signed.
What do you see in public
power’s future?
I think public power is in a great
place in Nebraska, especially with
these new contracts that we’ve got
with NPPD.
I do worry about the industry overall.
It’s changing so much with these
large loads. It will be interesting to
see how the data centers and the
artificial intelligence needs that are
out there are going to drive change.
And how will that affect us at our
homes? What’s it going to be like
when we’re trying to meet their
needs? Yet we also have to meet the
needs of everybody else who’s trying
to just make a living out there.
The other thing that I worry about is
the ever-changing administrations
we have at the local, the state and
the federal levels. Every time an
administration changes, it has ripple
effects to our industry.
How did you know
it was time to retire?
I looked at the timeline of the other
gentlemen that had been here before
me, and not many of them lasted
beyond twenty years.
I’ve got three grandkids that live in
the Sioux Falls area, and I really want
to spend a lot more time with them.
I’ve had a great time doing this, but
now that we’ve got the new NPPD
contract, it’s time for somebody else
to take over.
I do wish the license was completely
put to bed, but I don’t know if that’s
ever going to happen. If there was
one thing I regret, it’s not getting
that totally wrapped up.
But I don’t know that anybody could
have done it without spending thirty
years here, quite frankly, because
we’re held back by the federal
government.
6 | GENERATOR

So, what else will you be
doing in retirement?
I do have a year-long retainer
agreement here at Loup. But I’m also
going to be doing a lot of golfing.
My wife and I are also working
on some projects in Columbus,
specifically fundraising for the
downtown theater project.
We also want to travel. Our daughter
lives in Philadelphia. We’ve got
an Alaskan trip planned for next
summer. My mom is 93 and lives
here in town so I help care for her.
But really, I just want to relax a bit
more. My dad passed away when he
was 54. He worked so hard and then
he was just gone and didn’t get to
enjoy his life.
What will you miss?
The people here are great. I’ve had
a great bunch of people that have
reported to me and who I’ve worked
with. I do want to say work “with”
because it’s not them working “for”
me. It’s us working together because
that’s what it’s really all about.
I’ve also had great board members.
Working with them will be
something that I will miss greatly.
Our organization is in great shape
going forward and I’m really, really
excited about where that leaves Loup
in the future.
I think we are viewed throughout
the state as a really well-run
organization and one of the topnotch
electric utilities in the state.
Being part of Nebraska Power
Association and everything that
goes along with it is also really
exceptional.
Suess has a one-year retainer to work
as a consultant for Loup through out
2026.
— Hobza, continued from page 5
I have a lot to learn from Neal
in these areas as well as how we
complete rate studies and other
financial statements.
I also think we’re going to struggle
with people. The world has changed,
and our younger workforce have
different expectations today, so we
will navigate.
I also think the public is less tolerant
of power outages. Years ago, if the
power went out during a storm,
people got out their candles and a
book and held on until crews could
get out to restore power. Today, the
work is harder for our crews because
they are expected to perform the
work faster. But we still need to
ensure that they are working safely.
Do you think the public power
model is still the best for
Nebraskans?
I don’t think most people in this
state realize the value of public
power. The Nebraska we know is
here because of public power and
Nebraska industry is here because of
this model. We’ve kept the price of
power at reasonable and affordable
rates which entice new companies to
make their homes here.
We’ve had to raise our power prices
to catch up with the cost of energy.
That’s the only way we can sustain
what we’re doing. But all of the state
is still benefiting because public
power companies don’t have to add
profit margins for shareholders like
investor-owned utilities.
Loup, much like all public power
entities in Nebraska, is looking out
to the future to make sure we have
the infrastructure in place to support
growth in our area. At the same
time, we are trying to not overbuild
which will affect our cost to the
end consumer. We are working to
support our growing communities
by having infrastructure ready when
needed with affordable rates. That
is always the challenge — supply
what’s needed as cost effectively as
possible.
WINTER 2026 | 7

employee notes
RHONDA ROGERS
Lead Customer Service Representative
Rhonda Rogers joined Loup in 2015 as
a Customer Service
Representative
at the Columbus
General Office.
She was promoted
to Lead Customer
Service Representative
in 2024.
Rogers is responsible
for organizing
the daily activity 10 YEARS
of the Customer
Service Representatives at the Columbus
General Office. This includes
procedures and system operations
scheduling, payment processing and
service orders, and account balancing.
Rogers is a graduate of Columbus High
School and attended Spencer School
of Business and Central Community
College-Columbus. She has two sons:
Aaron and Alec. Aaron and his wife,
Sierra, have one daughter, Ayla.
GUY IMUS
Fullerton Division Superintendent
Guy Imus joined Loup in 1985 as an
Apprentice Line Technician at Fullerton.
He was promoted to Line Technician in
1986 and to Journey Line Technician in
1989.
Imus was named
Cedar Rapids Local
Superintendent in
1991.
He was promoted to
his current position
of Fullerton Division
Superintendent in
2015.
40 YEARS
As Fullerton Division
Superintendent,
Imus oversees the
operation and maintenance of Loup’s
electric transmission and distribution
system in the Fullerton Division service
area including Fullerton, Belgrade,
St. Edward, Cedar Rapids, Primrose,
Genoa, and Monroe.
Imus is a native of Belgrade and a
graduate of Fullerton High School.
He earned an Associate of Applied
Science Degree in Utility Line from
Northeast Community College in
Norfolk.
He and his wife, Vickie, are the parents
of two children: Jeremy and Caitlin.
BO OLSON
Powerhouse Operator
Casey “Bo” Olson of Genoa has
been promoted
to Plant Operator
at the Columbus
Powerhouse.
In his new role,
Olson monitors
and controls the
three generation
units at Columbus
and remotely
controls the Monroe
Powerhouse. He
also works closely
with the Genoa Headworks to divert
maximum Loup River water into the
District canal system for power plant
generation.
Olson joined Loup in 2021 as a Dredge/
Maintenance Canal Tech. He is a graduate
of Genoa High School. He and his
wife, Jill, have one son: Colby.
MIKE BRABEC
Columbus Division Superintendent
PROMOTION
Mike Brabec has been promoted to
Columbus Division Superintendent.
In this new role,
Brabec oversees the
construction, operation,
and maintenance
of the electric
system in the
Columbus Division,
including Columbus,
Duncan, Platte
Center, and Richland.
He supervises
the Columbus line
and service crews,
works with local
contractors, and handles customer
contacts regarding new service.
PROMOTION
Brabec joined Loup in 1995 as an
Apprentice Line Technician in Humphrey.
He was promoted to Line Technician
later that year and to Journey
Line Technician in 2000. In 2007, he
was named Local Superintendent in
Clarkson.
Brabec transferred to Journey Line
Technician in Columbus in 2008 and
was promoted to Crew Leader in
2014 before being named Division
Superintendent.
Brabec is a graduate of Clarkson High
School. He earned an Associate of
Applied Science Degree in Utility Line
from Northeast Community College in
Norfolk.
He and his wife, Lori, have two sons:
Gavin and Haden.
MICHAEL WALLACE
Vice President of Engineering
Michael Wallace joined Loup Power
District as Vice President
of Engineering
in December.
In his new role,
Wallace provides
leadership for the
planning, design,
maintenance, and
construction of
the transmission,
distribution, and
generation systems
at Loup Power
District.
WELCOME
He also has supervisory responsibility
for Engineering and Meter/Maintenance
personnel as well as building
and structures maintenance.
Wallace previously served as
President/CEO of Farris Engineering in
Omaha.
He is a graduate of Overland High
School in Aurora, Colo., and earned
a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Electrical Engineering from Kansas
State University. He is also a licensed
Professional Engineer.
He and his wife, Amy, have two sons:
Nathan and Joel.
8 | GENERATOR

TYLER KLAAHSEN
Crew Leader
Tyler Klaahsen has been promoted to
Crew Leader at the Columbus Service
Center.
In his new role,
Klaahsen oversees
the line crew that
is responsible for
construction and
maintenance of
Loup’s electrical
transmission and
distribution system
in the Columbus
Division.
Klaahsen joined
Loup in 2008 as
an Apprentice Line Technician at the
Humphrey Retail Operation and was
later promoted to Line Technician.
He transferred to the Columbus Line
Crew in 2012 and was promoted to
Journey Line Technician in 2013.
Klaahsen is a graduate of Clearwater
High School. He earned an Associate
of Applied Science Degree in Utility
Line from Northeast Community College
in Norfolk.
He and his wife, Terin, have a daughter,
Aleigha, and a son, Jett.
JAMIE HELD
Hydro Superintendent
Jamie Held has
been promoted
to Hydro Superintendent
at Loup
Power District. He is
training with Hydro
Superintendent
Brad Morton who is
retiring in 2026.
PROMOTION
In his new role,
Held will be
responsible for the
PROMOTION
general operation
and maintenance of the District’s hydro
system from the Genoa Headworks to
the Columbus Tailrace.
The hydro system includes generating
facilities at Columbus and Monroe, a
diversion and dredging operation at
the Genoa Headworks, a 35-mile canal
system, and recreational facilities at
five parks and two lakes.
Held joined Loup in 1998 as a Maintenance
Man on the Canal Crew based
out of the Columbus Service Center. He
was promoted to Equipment Operator
in 2003 and was promoted to Carpenter/Utilityman
in 2008. In 2012, Held
was promoted to Monroe Powerhouse
Chief Operator. He transferred to
Columbus Plant Operator in 2020.
Held is a graduate of Columbus High
School and attended Central Community
College in Columbus.
He and his wife, Jamie, are the parents
of six children: Natalie, Nathan, Chloe,
Libby, Zachary, and Callie.
KYLE AINSWORTH
Journey Line Technician
Kyle Ainsworth transferred to Journey
Line Technician at the Columbus
Service Center.
Ainsworth joined Loup 2012 as a
Line Technician.
He was promoted
to Journey Line
Technician in 2014
and transferred
to Journey/Line/
Service Technician
in 2018. In 2024, he
was promoted to
Supervisor of Safety
and Training and
stayed in that role
until this transfer.
TRANSFER
In this role, Ainsworth is member of the
crew that is responsible for the construction,
operation, and maintenance
of Loup’s electrical transmission and
distribution systems and substations in
the Columbus Division.
Ainsworth is a graduate of Columbus
High School and earned an Associate
of Applied Science Degree in Utility
Line from Northeast Community
College.
He and his wife, Jill, are the parents of
three children: Brooklyn, Avery, and
Emery.
MICHAEL JONES
Accountant/Collector
Michael Jones has retired from Loup
Power District after
more than 16 years.
Jones joined Loup in
2009 as Computer
Support Specialist at
the Columbus General
Office. In 2024,
he was promoted
to Accountant/
Collector.
In his first role at
Loup, Jones’ duties
included installing, maintaining, and
repairing the computers, software, and
communications systems. As Accountant/Collector,
he was responsible
for accounting and customer service
functions and collection of delinquent
accounts.
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.
CONNOR NEAL
Line Technician
Connor Neal joined Loup Power District
as Line Technician
based in Albion in
2020.
As a Line Technician,
Neal is member
of the crew that
is responsible for
the construction,
operation, and maintenance
of electric
transmission and
distribution systems
and substations in
the Albion Division.
RETIREMENT
5 YEARS
Neal is a graduate of Norfolk High
School. He earned a degree in Utility
Line from Northeast Community
College.
WINTER 2026 | 9

employee notes
ARIC ALT
Engineering Technician I
Aric Alt joined
Loup in 2009 as a
temporary part-time
Drafting Technician.
He was named
full-time Drafting
Technician II in 2011.
In 2020, he was promoted
to Engineering
Technician II and
was promoted to
Engineering Technician
I in 2024.
Alt’s primary duties include the design
of transmission and distribution lines
and substations. This includes buying
right-of-way, surveying, designing,
purchasing materials, and writing work
orders.
Alt is a graduate of Shelby Public
High School. He has an Associate of
Applied Science degree in Drafting
Technology from Central Community
College in Columbus. He and his wife,
Bailey, live in Columbus.
NEAL SUESS
President/CEO
Neal Suess has
retired from Loup
Power District after
more than 20 years
as President/CEO.
During his 20 years
at the helm, Suess
was involved in
many milestone
events at Loup.
15 YEARS
RETIREMENT
They include the
generating unit renovation at the
Columbus and Monroe Powerhouses
in 2007, electrical expansion construction
at ADM Corn Processors east of
Columbus, the commissioning of a
new Dredge in 2012, and a new federal
hydroelectric license in 2017.
Suess also helped coordinate repairs
of the Genoa Headworks caused by a
storm in March 2019, and was instrumental
in bringing both Clarkson (2007)
and Leigh (2018) on as retail towns.
Suess holds a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Mechanical Engineering
from Iowa State University. He is a
Registered Professional Engineer in
Nebraska and a member of the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Suess and his wife, Jo, have two
children, Elizabeth (Collin Gilbert) and
Taylor (Dani Pedersen); and three
grandchildren, Leo, Bode, and Caden.
KENNETH HASH
Accountant/Collector
Kenneth Hash has joined Loup Power
District as Accountant/Collector.
In his new role, Hash
is responsible for
customer service
functions and collection
of delinquent
accounts. He will
also help with
accounting, balancing
bank accounts,
and preparing state
sales use and tax
returns.
WELCOME
Hash is a graduate of Columbus Public
High School. He earned an associate’s
degree from Central Community College
in Columbus.
He also earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration with a concentration
in management information
systems from Southern New Hampshire
University.
He previously worked as an Information
Systems Analyst at Columbus
Community Hospital
Hash and his wife, Jasmine, have two
sons: Bennett, 6, and Carson, 2.
NATALIE SHARMAN
Customer Service Representative
Natalie Sharman joined Loup as a
part time Customer
Service Representative
(CSR) at the St.
Edward Office in
2016. In 2019, she
was promoted to a
full-time CSR serving
both the Fullerton
and Albion offices.
In March of 2020,
Sharman transferred
to a Full-Time
CSR in Fullerton.
10 YEARS
Sharman’s responsibilities include
greeting customers; processing
payments; setting up, transferring, or
closing service; taking service calls;
and preparing reports.
Sharman is a native of Cambridge and
a graduate of Cambridge High School.
She studied business and marketing at
the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Sharman and her husband, Les, are
the parents of two children, Braden
and Kinzie. They also own Sharmz
Auto Body in Fullerton.
are you
Check out our
home energy
calculator and
assessment tools
at loup.com
10 | GENERATOR

Board approves retail rate increase
The Loup Power District Board of
Directors approved a 7.28% retail rate
increase at its December meeting.
The increase comes amid increasing
wholesale power costs, material price
increases, and supply chain issues.
“Even with the retail rate increase,
Loup’s retail rates remain among the
lowest in Nebraska and the nation,”
said Board Chairman Jim Donoghue.
Loup’s overall rates are 34.7%
below the national average and 11.0%
below the Nebraska average based
on data from a 2023 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
$125 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 in
all areas of the District.
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.
Loup will see an increase in wholesale
power costs from NPPD in 2026, and
potentially beyond.
Rate Committee Chairman Steve
Heesacker 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 $4 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, even with the bonds
the District issued in 2025 that will
help meet projected construction cost
needs in 2026 and beyond.
“With the increases in purchased
power costs and construction and
material costs, including the debt
costs associated with the 2025 bond
issue, 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.
Average Price for Residential Electricity September 2025, in cents per kWh
CA
32¢
WA
13.8¢
OR
16¢
NV
12¢
AK
27.2¢
ID
12.5¢
UT
14.1¢
AZ
15.3¢
MT
14.6¢
WY
15¢
CO
16.7¢
NM
16.5¢
HI
39.5¢
ND
13.7¢
SD
14.8¢
NE
13.9¢
KS
15.2¢
TX
15.8¢
OK
14.8¢
MN
17.10¢
IA
14.8¢
MO
15.8¢
AR
13.8¢
WI
18.7¢
LA
12.4¢
IL
19.1¢
MS
14¢
MI
21.2¢
AL
16.4¢
VT: 23.9¢
NH: 27.8¢
MA: 30.4¢
RI: 28.3¢
CT: 30.5¢
PA
20.5¢
NY
27.2¢
IN OH
17.3¢ 17.6¢
WV
VA
KY
16.1¢
16.6¢
13.6¢ NC
TN
15.1¢
13.3¢
Residential Average Price
(cents per kilowatt-hour)
14¢ or more
Less than 14¢
GA
15.3¢
SC
15.3¢
FL
15.8¢
ME
28¢
NJ: 23.4¢
DE: 18.1¢
MD: 21.1¢
DC: 23.7¢
Source: U.S. Energy Information
Administration: Average Price of
Electricity by State, September
2025. Numbers rounded to
nearest tenth of a cent.
WINTER 2026 | 11

2404 15th Street | PO Box 988
Columbus, NE 68602-0988
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ATTIC
INSULATION
IT PAYS TO BE
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& AC
$
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SMART
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HEATER
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INDUCTION
COOKTOP
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and rebates for energy-efficient home
improvements at loup.com.
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