BROWNVILLE- NPPD is taking over full operation of Nebraska's sole nuclear plant, ending a nearly 20-year relationship with an outside company that had helped set the once-struggling reactor on a sound course.

On Monday, the Nebraska Public Power District and Louisiana-based Entergy jointly announced that they would end their collaboration at Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville. NPPD owns the nuclear plant and Entergy has assisted in its management since 2003.

At that time, NPPD had been contemplating shutting down Cooper due to costs, and federal regulators had given Cooper the lowest grade a nuclear plant can have while remaining open.

Tom Kent, president, and CEO at NPPD said Columbus-based utility plans to continue operating Cooper and can do so skillfully.

"Over the past two decades, we have built up a tremendous amount of experience and skill within our ranks," he said.

NPPD plans to tap outside companies such as Entergy on an as-needed basis, he said.

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