Norris Public Power District and Today’s Power, Inc. Breaks Ground on Six New Solar Sites

Beatrice, ne — On Friday, February 17, 2023, Norris Public Power District (Norris) and Today’s Power, Inc. (TPI) broke ground for six new solar sites. Power produced by the solar arrays will be Norris’ initial implementation of utility scale renewable energy and provide rate stability to Norris customers. The six solar sites, of up to ten acres each, will be located in five of the six counties the District serves.

Today’s Power, Inc. of North Little Rock, Arkansas was selected through a competitive bidding process by Norris and two other Nebraska public power districts. Norris was joined by Howard Greeley Rural Public Power District, headquartered in St. Paul, and Polk County Rural Public Power District, headquartered in Stromsburg, to deliver power to the public power districts through 25-year power purchase agreements with two five-year extension options. TPI is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance of the solar sites.

Bruce Vitosh, General Manager and CEO of Norris, said, “We are pleased to engage with Today’s Power, Inc. for a renewable energy solution that provides value to our customers without sacrificing reliability and affordability. Norris has evaluated utility scale renewable energy for a number of years, as allowed in our wholesale power contract with Nebraska Public Power District, and ultimately discovered an economically viable opportunity by working together with other public power districts.”

Each solar site will generate up to one megawatt of power consisting of over 2,000 solar panels per site. Work on some of the solar sites is expected to commence in the spring of 2023. For the term of the power purchase agreements, the public power districts will purchase electricity generated by the solar arrays at low fixed cost rates.

“We thank Norris Public Power District and its General Manager and CEO, Bruce Vitosh, in allowing Today’s Power, Inc. to provide six utility scale solar projects within the Norris Public Power District service territory. As a result of working with the various public power districts in Nebraska, Today’s Power, Inc. has been able to provide competitive pricing and timely installations at each of the sites located within the state.” said TPI CEO and President, Derek Dyson.