LAWMAKERS TO SCHEDULE HEARINGS WITH PUBLIC POWER, NATURAL GAS COMPANIES FOLLOWING BLACKOUTS

LINCOLN- A pair of state lawmakers said Wednesday they plan to call on Nebraska’s largest public power districts and natural gas entities to testify before legislative committees following this week’s rolling blackouts. Thousands of Nebraskans briefly lost power this week during scheduled times as the Southwest Power Pool had difficulty meeting demand amid record-breaking low temperatures.

Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard, chair of the Natural Resources Committee, said the fact-finding hearing with the Nebraska Public Power District, the Omaha Public Power District and the Lincoln Electric System will help the Legislature better understand why they happened. Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, who leads the Urban Affairs Committee, also plans to hold a hearing with Black Hills Energy and the Metropolitan Utilities District, the two largest natural gas distributors in the state. 

“We’re in a weird dynamic where we have public and private (energy companies),” Wayne said. “So I want to know who operated more efficiently in serving their customers.”

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