OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – State Attorney General Mike Hilgers has dropped a lawsuit against Omaha Public Power District over its plans to refuel and retire electric generation units at its North Omaha Station.
In a release Tuesday, officials shared that Hilgers has filed a notice of a “voluntary dismissal” of the lawsuit. The decision comes after OPPD’s board voted 6-2 to delay the retirement of its coal-burning North Omaha plant last Thursday.
Hilgers says the vote maintains “critical generation online” at the plant. Hilgers filed the lawsuit on Oct. 9, saying that the steps OPPD was taking were unlawful.
“…In a time of rapidly increasing demand for electricity, OPPD’s proposal would have threatened grid reliability and created conditions where OPPD ratepayers would likely be subjected to higher costs,” the release reads.
With the board’s vote, operations will be extended for at least the next few years despite community concerns about environmental impacts.
In the meeting, a long line of speakers from North Omaha expressed concerns and displeasure with how OPPD handled the retirement process. A solid date has not yet been set, but board member Eric Williams anticipates a new retirement date sometime in 2028.
“We brought this lawsuit because public power providers should not achieve their self-imposed environmental goals by raising prices for Nebraska consumers. After last week’s vote, OPPD’s plans for the North Omaha Station now align with their twin mandates of affordability and reliability in delivering electricity to Nebraskans. Having accomplished our purpose on behalf of Nebraska consumers, our lawsuit may now be dismissed without prejudice—meaning it could be brought again if circumstances change.”
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