NPPD is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner. We are dedicated to protecting environmental quality while meeting the energy needs of Nebraska. We recognize that how we interact with the environment is importance to you. It is to us, too. That’s why we continuously explore ways to minimize the environmental footprint in all aspects of NPPD’s activities.

Building responsibly:

The landscape of the Sandhills is truly unique, which is why NPPD’s engineering team and environmental experts work together to determine low-impact methods to construct the transmission line.

• NPPD is committed to employing modern construction techniques when building the line and take precautions around river crossings, creeks, and wetlands.
• NPPD will minimize traffic and use low-ground-pressure vehicles to minimize impact and will provide full, long-term restoration of access paths/overland travel routes. Annual inspection and maintenance are done by helicopter or ATV and light trucks.
• Installing bird flight diverters is one-way NPPD is committed to protecting birds. NPPD will mark 123 miles of the R-Project’s 226 miles of transmission lines with the diverters.

How structure types support stewardship:

NPPD will use a combination of steel poles, lattice towers and H-frames for the R-Project. The steel poles will typically be used on sections of the project that have relatively good access or are near established roads and cultivated fields.

Lattice towers will be installed on sections of the project that have limited access. Lattice towers minimize impacts to fragile soils due to construction options. For example, the main upper portion of a lattice tower can be erected with a helicopter, which means only a small crane will be needed for the legs, and helical pier foundations can be used instead of concrete foundations.

H-frames will be used near the Thomas County Airport to support height restrictions required by the FAA. The H-frames will have a compact design and provide for shorter spans and overall shorter structure heights in this relatively small area of the project. The H-frames will be comprised of tubular steel and will be placed on helical pier foundations, similar to the lattice towers.