By Associated Press
Published by 1011 NOW
Omaha Public Power District has signed a contract to build the state’s first solar power plant in eastern Nebraska, just south of Yutan.
The utility signed the contract last week to build an 81-megawatt solar farm on 500 acres of farmland in Saunders County, with construction to begin next year, the Omaha World-Herald reported. The contract was signed despite some opposition from some residents in the area, who fear it will become an eyesore and lower property values.
The project would be the largest solar farm in Nebraska and is the first step toward OPPD’s plan to provide 600 megawatts of solar power. The facility, dubbed Platteview Solar, would have the capacity to generate enough electricity to power 14,000 homes, OPPD said. But like other power plants, its actual output would fluctuate.