Generating Units and Capacity by
Energy Source and Year of Initial Operation in
Nebraska

From 1919 to 1960, an increasing number of new units were brought on line each period.  A record of 73 units started up in the period of 1951-1960.  With half as many new units (37) than 1951-1960, the 1971-1980 period had the biggest increase in capacity (3,379.7 megawatts).  Nuclear power accounted for almost half of the capacity added that period.  In the 1981-1990 period, energy from biomass contributed 3.5 megawatts capacity.  Of the 368.3 megawatts capacity added in the 1991-2000 period, 3.0 megawatts were from wind power.  In the 2001-2007 period, energy from wind power contributed 70.57 megawatts capacity, landfill gas contributed 5.6 megawatts, and biomass contributed 1.08 megawatts.

Also see the Units and Capacity by Energy Source report for generating units listed by energy source and the Generating Units report for generating units listed by company.

A Note About Nameplate Capacity

Summer capacity and winter capacity is sometimes greater than nameplate capacity.  The nameplate gives the capacity rating of the generator when it operates at certain temperatures, pressures, and power factors.  With some modifications and with some margins that are built into generators, it is possible to exceed its nameplate.  It is not uncommon for a generator to exceed its nameplate.  The nameplate is usually not replaced and, in this case, the summer and winter capacity is often much higher than the nameplate value.  Normally, you expect summer and winter capacity to be below nameplate capacity and in most cases they are.

Generating Capacity by
Energy Source and Year of Initial Operation
Nebraska, 1919-2007

Number of Units and Generating Capacity by
Energy Source and Year of Initial Operation
Nebraska, 1919-2007
Period
Inclusive of
Year of
Initial Operation		 Primary
Energy Source		 Number
of Units		 Number of
Wind Turbines		 Generator
Nameplate
Capacity
[Megawatts (MW)]		 Net Summer
Capacity
(MW)		 Net Winter
Capacity
(MW)
1919-1940
  Hydroelectric 11 NA 76.200 73.300 72.600
  Natural Gas 3 NA 3.400 3.300 3.300
  Petroleum 15 NA 5.800 5.400 5.500
  Total 29 NA 85.400 82.000 81.400
1941-1950
  Hydroelectric 5 NA 55.000 54.000 54.000
  Natural Gas 10 NA 14.300 12.300 12.900
  Petroleum 22 NA 9.600 8.400 8.400
  Total 37 NA 78.900 74.700 75.300
1951-1960
  Coal 4 NA 307.600 315.600 261.200
  Hydroelectric 2 NA 1.700 1.100 1.100
  Natural Gas 32 NA 184.700 184.700 185.800
  Petroleum 35 NA 32.100 27.400 27.800
  Total 73 NA 526.100 528.800 475.900
1961-1970
  Coal 5 NA 604.300 607.200 533.200
  Natural Gas 34 NA 127.000 120.300 122.200
  Petroleum 11 NA 19.100 17.900 17.900
  Total 50 NA 750.400 745.400 673.300
1971-1980
  Coal 3 NA 1,388.700 1,368.800 1,369.600
  Natural Gas 21 NA 291.700 282.800 297.200
  Petroleum 11 NA 361.700 320.000 366.900
  Uranium 2 NA 1,337.600 1,245.000 1,261.000
  Total 37 NA 3,379.700 3,216.600

3,294.700
1981-1990
  Biomass 5 NA 3.500 3.500 0.000
  Coal 3 NA 867.400 877.000 877.000
  Hydroelectric 1 NA 50.000 38.000 38.000
  Natural Gas 3 NA 14.000 13.500 14.100
  Petroleum 4 NA 3.600 3.200 3.200
  Total 16 NA 938.500 935.200 932.300
1991-2000
  Natural Gas 5 NA 109.800 96.100 107.300
  Petroleum 17 NA 255.500 231.100 255.600
  Wind 4 4 3.000 3.000 3.000
  Total 26 4 368.300 330.200 365.900
2001-2007
  Biomass 2 NA 1.080 1.077 1.077
  Landfill Gas 7 NA 5.600 5.600 5.600
  Natural Gas 13 NA 1,143.700 946.890 1,045.240
  Petroleum 5 NA 7.500 6.900 6.900
  Wind 45 45 70.570 70.570 70.570
  Total 72 45 1,228.450 1,031.037 1,129.387

Sources:  Electric Power Annual, Inventory of Electric Utility Power Plants in the United States, and Inventory of Nonutility Electric Power Plants in the United States.  Energy Information Administration, Washington, DC.  Nebraska Energy Office, Lincoln, NE.

Note:  NA indicates not applicable.

The table and graph were updated on February 27, 2008.  Typically, there is one year between updates.

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