- Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers filed a lawsuit to keep OPPD’s North Omaha plant running on coal.
- Neighbors say coal pollution continues to harm their health and community.
- OPPD delayed a key vote as it reviews the lawsuit and long-term energy plans.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Melissa Wright at the North Omaha Power Plant—where neighbors are still questioning whether OPPD will keep its promise to shut the plant down, especially after a new lawsuit filed by Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers seeks to force the utility to keep burning coal.
The North Omaha Station is slated to end coal operations in 2026.
“It’s a community issue — it’s also a neighbor and health issue,” said Charlene Potter, who has lived in North Omaha for more than 40 years.
Potter says the plant’s impact is personal and visible in daily life.
“It makes it hard for me to breathe when I go outside. I’m not the only one — some of my close neighbors have allergies just like I do and can’t be outside,” she said.
But Attorney General Hilgers argues that shutting down the plant will raise energy costs and hurt reliability for Nebraska customers.
“You know, the attorney general filed a frivolous lawsuit — it could be easily fought, and he doesn’t have a good track record of winning in court,” said State Senator Terrell McKinney, who represents North Omaha.
McKinney says OPPD needs to keep its word.
“They made this commitment in 2014 to begin the transition. They’ve had enough time to deliberate — they’ve delayed the process over the years,” he said.
A vote to move forward with installing new natural gas burners at Units 4 and 5—part of the plant’s transition plan—was pulled from Thursday’s OPPD board agenda. The utility says it’s taking additional time to review recent developments and ensure its plans align with long-term energy goals.
OPPD declined to comment on the lawsuit or neighbor concerns, citing pending litigation.
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