Nebraska and coal

Introduction
Nebraska had 15 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 3,204 MW of capacity, representing 42.8% of the state's total electric generating capacity; Nebraska ranks 32nd out of the 50 states in terms of coal-fired generating capacity. In 2006, Nebraska's coal-fired power plants produced 21.1 million tons of CO2, 65,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxide; coal-fired power plants were responsible for 48.8% of the state's total CO2 emissions. In 2005, Nebraska emitted 24.6 tons of CO2 per person, about 25% higher than the U.S. average.

There were no coal mines in Nebraska in 2006.

History
There is no history of coal mining in Nebraska.

Nebraska is a strong coal energy producer, but all 15 coal-fired generating stations in the state are owned by public utilities. However, the headquarters of Kiewit Mining Group - the 8th-biggest coal mining company in the U.S. - is located in Omaha. Also, in 1999, Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway bought a majority share in MidAmerican Energy Holdings, which produces coal energy both independently and through its subsidiary, PacifiCorp; thus, Berkshire Hathaway is a majority owner of the sixth-biggest coal energy producer in the U.S.

Active

 * Nebraska City Station Unit 2, Nebraska City, NE
 * Whelan Energy Center Unit 2, Hastings, NE

Cancelled
There are currently no cancelled coal plant proposals in Nebraska.

Coal power companies

 * Berkshire Hathaway
 * Headquarters in Omaha, NE
 * Owner of MidAmerican Energy Holdings, which in turn is the owner of PacifiCorp
 * 6th biggest coal energy producer in U.S.
 * Controls 29 coal-fired generating stations with 10,282 MW total capacity
 * Active proposals: Council Bluffs Energy Center Unit 4
 * Nebraska Public Power District
 * Headquarters in Columbus, NE
 * Controls 4 coal-fired generating stations with 1591 MW total capacity
 * Omaha Public Power District
 * Headquarters in Omaha, NE
 * Controls 6 coal-fired generating stations with 1296 MW total capacity
 * Active proposals: Nebraska City Station Unit 2, Nebraska City Station Unit 3
 * Hastings Utilities
 * Headquarters in Hastings, NE
 * Controls 1 coal-fired generating station with 76 MW capacity
 * Active proposals: Whelan Energy Center Unit 2
 * Tenaska Energy
 * Headquarters in Omaha, NE
 * Active proposals: Taylorville Energy Center

Existing coal plants
Nebraska had 15 coal-fired generating units at eight locations in 2005, with 3,204 MW of capacity - representing 42.8% of the state's total electric generating capacity.

Here is a list of coal power plants in Nebraska with capacity over 400 MW: These 3 plants represent 83.0% of Nebraska's coal energy generating capacity, 45.6% of the state's total CO2 emissions, and 61.4% of its total SO2 emissions.

For a map of existing coal plants in the state, see the bottom of this page.

2010 report on coal ash waste and water contamination
In August 2010 a study released by the Environmental Integrity Project, the Sierra Club and Earthjustice reported that Nebraska, along with 34 states, had significant groundwater contamination from coal ash that is not currently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The report, in an attempt to pressure the EPA to regulate coal ash, noted that most states do not monitor drinking water contamination levels near waste disposal sites. The report mentioned Nebraska based Sheldon Station as having groundwater contamination due to coal ash waste.

Coal ash to melt ice
On February 18, 2010 the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began using coal ash to melt the thick ice on the Platte River in Omaha, Nebraska, in an attempt to prevent ice jams and severe flooding. Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club notes "This strikes us as a strange and dangerous move – one community is going to add coal ash to their water while many others are worried about how it will affect their water supplies." It is also argued that this use could continue as long as coal ash is not regulated by the EPA.

In Feb. 2011, Nebraska officials said they are again debating whether to spread coal ash, despite its contaminants, on the Platte River to help break up 20-inch-thick ice into small pieces to prevent ice jams and flooding. It would be the second straight year, and only the fifth winter in three decades, that Nebraska resorted to using coal dust on the river, said Al Berndt, assistant director for the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

Major coal mines
There are no coal mines in Nebraska.

Citizen groups
There are currently no known citizen groups working on coal issues in Nebraska.

Study questions coal-fired power plant job numbers
In a report released in late March 2011 by the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies in Chattanooga, Tennessee shows that coal-fired power plants often do not reach predicted counts of construction and permanent jobs.

The Center analyzed the largest coal-powered plants that became operational between 2005 and 2009. At those six locations -- in Iowa, Texas, Nebraska, South Carolina and Wisconsin -- analyses of employment data and labor retention rates showed that only the plant in Iowa had an increase in construction employment that matched the predicted level. The others did not reach the numbers predicted.

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Existing U.S. Coal Mines
 * Existing U.S. Coal Plants
 * US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2007
 * Coal plants cancelled in 2008
 * Profiles of other states (or click on the map)