- Residents say another delay harms community health and breaks long-standing promises.
- OPPD cites rising energy demand and reliability concerns for reconsidering the 2026 deadline.
- Sen. McKinney says an indefinite delay may force legislative action to hold OPPD accountable.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Neighbors say they’re worried OPPD may once again delay its long-promised transition away from coal — a move they argue would harm public health and stall progress for an already overburdened community. And tonight, those concerns echoed loudly ahead of a December vote.
For years, community members and advocacy groups have pushed for the coal units here to fully convert to natural gas. T. Michael Williams with the NAACP says the neighborhood has waited long enough.
“It’s like a punch in the gun— it’s like a slap in the face,” Williams said.He says the health of North Omaha’s children should be at the center of every decision the utility makes.
“We think about the children because they're the most innocent… and they hold the most promise.”
Growing Frustration at the Board Meeting
Dozens showed up Thursday night in solidarity, reacting to OPPD’s announcement that the transition could be pushed back again. Williams, speaking alongside other longtime residents, said the news felt like yet another setback for a community that has lived with coal pollution for decades.
Last week, OPPD told me rising energy demand is driving the reconsideration — warning that converting too soon could threaten reliable and affordable power.
State Lawmaker Signals Legislative Action
State Senator Terrell McKinney, who represents North Omaha and has spearheaded the transition effort, says an indefinite delay would force the conversation to move to the Legislature.
“We’ll just have to find ways to get it back on the agenda — to get them to make that commitment and keep that commitment.”The North Omaha Power Station began its shift from coal to natural gas in 2016. In 2023, the utility set a firm deadline of 2026. Now, that timeline could stretch to 2030 — something McKinney says deeply undermines trust.
“It shows there's going to be no level of trust going forward… and you're proposing a resolution with no transition date. How can we trust you'll do right — or care about our community?”
A Call for Accountability
Residents like Williams say the community has endured enough.
“It’s been long enough. There’s been enough coal poured into our community.”The OPPD board is expected to vote on the transition next month — a decision advocates say will signal whether the utility stands by its commitments, or walks them back.
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