The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) and Lincoln Electric System (LES) have finalized a power purchase agreement for 20 megawatts of capacity and energy from Central’s Jeffrey Reservoir Hydroplant, located south of Brady, Neb.
The power agreement went into effect on April 1, 2025, and runs through the end of 2037. This coincides with the remainder of Central’s current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing.
LES will use the power generated by Jeffrey Hydro to support its service area, which includes the cities of Lincoln and Waverly, Neb.
“We’re proud to partner with LES and help deliver on their goal of providing environmentally responsible, low-cost reliable electricity for their customers,” Central General Manager Devin Brundage said. “We look forward to helping LES serve its customers with Nebraska hydropower.”
“LES has a variety of generation resources in our portfolio that provide flexibility, adaptability and stability in an ever-changing energy landscape,” said LES manager of Resource and Transmission Planning Scott Benson. “This partnership with Central boosts our portfolio and contributes to the reliable and affordable power our customers expect. It also brings LES another step closer to achieving our decarbonization goal. We’re proud to partner with Central on this effort.
”With the new contract, Central plans to adjust how they operate the Jeffrey Hydroplant to maximize efficiency in order to meet energy and market demands.
Lake level elevations at Jeffrey Reservoir are expected to be more variable to make the best use of water resources. Cabin owners or recreational users of Jeffrey Reservoir will likely see water levels fluctuate more than in the past.
About LES
LES is a public power utility that provides electricity to homes, businesses and government properties in Lincoln, Nebraska and its surrounding areas. LES is Nebraska’s second-largest retail electric utility based on the number of customers served. With this power purchase agreement, LES’ nameplate resource portfolio—the full capacity of its generation fleet— is comprised of 35% renewable resources, 35% natural gas and 30% coal. Learn more about LES at LES.com.