By Matt Fritz, Niobrara Electric Membership Corp. general manager

    I am sure you are wondering, how do public power and mutual aid tie together?  Why are both important?  How do both affect Nebraska and every person living here?  Let’s break this down and start with public power. 
    Public power is the main economic driver for the state.  In this day and age, electricity touches just about everything a person needs, from charging their cell phone to heating their homes to running a business and everything in between.  Nebraska is the only state in the country that is 100% public power.  Public power is owned by everyone in the state, and it is a model that has worked for over 80+ years.  Why does it work, you ask? Well, it is all about local control.  The State of Nebraska is divided into districts, and within those districts, the residents elect a board of directors, which is their voice on rates and policy.  Local public power boards have full rate-making authority, which is the main reason Nebraska ranks in the top 10 nationally for the lowest electricity rates.  Public power is not for profit, which means we don’t have investors.  Our investors are those we serve.
    Mutual aid is an organized partnership between all public power districts in the state, coordinated by Nebraska Rural Electric Association (NREA), of which all public power districts are members.  This partnership answers the call when natural disasters happen.  I am sure most of you reading this have been through a summer thunderstorm, tornado, winter blizzard, or an ice storm; you understand the damage these can cause to the electrical grid.  When disasters like this happen, linemen from across the state and sometimes other states answer the call with equipment, material, and manpower.  Why? Because we all work for you, our owners.  It is truly an amazing sight to see.  Being a former lineman who has experienced many of these, it is amazing how public power shows up for each other.  Mutual aid isn’t about an opportunity to make money; it’s a duty to serve every rate payer in Nebraska.  
    Public power is a great model that has worked for many years and puts the control in the hands of the people.  Because of this control, we get to enjoy the benefits of low-cost, reliable electricity for everyone.  When the next natural disaster strikes, we all have an army of linemen standing ready to answer the call.  It’s the public power way, neighbors helping neighbors.