Nebraska Public Power District Nears Completion of Storm Damage Repairs
FRIEND, Neb. – The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) is in the final stages of repairing damage caused by storms that struck August 9th near Friend and dorchester, utilizing a helicopter to expedite the process.
On Thursday, a helicopter transported large wooden structures to rebuild 41 damaged transmission structures. NPPD officials stated this aerial construction method – building components off-site and lowering them into pre-drilled holes – is the safest and most efficient approach.
While no customers are currently without power due to the downed line, NPPD spokesperson Grant Otten emphasized the importance of swift repairs. “It is crucial for the crews to get those restored in a safe and timely fashion, especially as you get into the winter months where we get blizzards,” Otten saeid. “You can have power lines damaged or customer outages; it’s critically important to get those lines back up.”
crews plan to continue using the helicopter for repairs on Friday, and the public is asked to observe from a safe distance and refrain from flying drones in the work area. NPPD has not yet resolute the total cost of the storm damage.