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 2001-2008 period, energy from wind power contributed 70.57 megawatts capacity, landfill gas contributed 5.6 megawatts, biomass contributed 1.08 megawatts, and solar contributed 0.0044 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.


Number of Units and Generating Capacity by
Energy Source and Year of Initial Operation
Nebraska, 1915 - 2008
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)
1915-1940
  Hydroelectric 11 NA 76.2 73.3 72.6
  Natural Gas 3 NA 3.4 3.3 3.3
  Petroleum 15 NA 5.8 5.4 5.5
  Total 29 NA 85.4 82.0 81.4
1941-1950
  Hydroelectric 5 NA 55.0 54.0 54.0
  Natural Gas 10 NA 14.3 12.3 12.9
  Petroleum 22 NA 9.6 8.4 8.4
  Total 37 NA 78.9 74.7 75.3
1951-1960
  Coal 4 NA 307.6 315.6 261.2
  Hydroelectric 2 NA 1.7 1.1 1.1
  Natural Gas 32 NA 184.7 184.7 185.8
  Petroleum 35 NA 32.1 27.4 27.8
  Total 73 NA 526.1 528.8 475.9
1961-1970
  Coal 5 NA 604.3 607.2 533.2
  Natural Gas 34 NA 127.0 120.3 122.2
  Petroleum 11 NA 19.1 17.9 17.9
  Total 50 NA 750.4 745.4 673.3
1971-1980
  Coal 3 NA 1,388.7 1,368.8 1,369.6
  Natural Gas 21 NA 291.7 282.8 297.2
  Petroleum 11 NA 361.7 320.0 366.9
  Uranium 2 NA 1,337.6 1,245.0 1,261.0
  Total 37 NA 3,379.7 3,216.6

3,294.7
1981-1990
  Biomass 5 NA 3.5 3.5 0.0
  Coal 3 NA 867.4 877.0 877.0
  Hydroelectric 1 NA 50.0 38.0 38.0
  Natural Gas 3 NA 14.0 13.5 14.1
  Petroleum 4 NA 3.6 3.2 3.2
  Total 16 NA 938.5 935.2 932.3
1991-2000
  Natural Gas 5 NA 109.8 96.1 107.3
  Petroleum 17 NA 255.5 231.1 255.6
  Wind 4 4 3.0 3.0 3.0
  Total 26 4 368.3 330.2 365.9
2001-2008
  Biomass 2 NA 1.0800 1.0770 1.0770
  Landfill Gas 7 NA 5.6000 5.6000 5.6000
  Natural Gas 13 NA 1,075.5000 903.9000 1,025.9000
  Petroleum 5 NA 7.5000 6.9000 6.9000
  Solar 2 NA 0.0044 0.0044 0.0044
  Wind 45 45 70.5700 24.1700 44.6700
  Total 74 45 1,160.2544 941.6514 1,084.1514

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 June 2, 2009.  Typically, there is one year between updates.

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