OPPD updates board on technology upgrades & systems planning

Omaha Public Power District is making good progress with its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) initiative and associated technology upgrades. Director of Customer Experience and Operations Matt Hardebeck provided an update with the OPPD Board of Directors this week.

Since summer, OPPD has installed more than 11,300 new meters as part of the advanced metering infrastructure pilot program, which will provide more information to the utility about power outages as they happen, enabling us to respond more quickly and efficiently. The utility is installing meters in increments over the next couple of years and communicating with customers as the technology makes its way to their neighborhoods.

“AMI is transforming the way we serve our community. By giving customers daily insight into their energy use, offering tools for customers to improve efficiency, and providing real-time outage detection to OPPD, this technology helps people feel more informed, more in control, and more supported,” said Hardebeck. “It strengthens reliability, enhances safety, and allows us to respond faster than ever. AMI is more than an upgrade — it’s a commitment to delivering smarter, more responsive service for every home and business we serve.”

An upgraded app, MyOPPD, will be coming out soon. The utility will keep customers informed as the application becomes available for use.

Integrated Systems Planning

During this week’s board committee meetings, OPPD leaders shared planning work taking place to meet customer load demand in the future. The utility is required to submit a long-term plan to the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) every five years as part of a hydropower agreement. The next submission is due by the end of 2026.

Historically known as an Integrated Resource Plan, OPPD is now expanding the scope and transitioning it to an Integrated Systems Plan (ISP), as it will look at more than just resource needs and encompass overall system needs. This includes transmission and distribution needs, as well as potential grid modernization and customer solutions among other factors. This expanded view will guide system planning efforts over the next several years, ensuring we are ready to support growth and maintain reliability for our customers. The ISP will guide how we optimize our energy portfolio and evaluate potential additions over time.

OPPD is currently gathering data and completing load forecasts while monitoring resource, transmission, and distribution technologies. The district has contracted E3, an energy consulting firm, to integrate that data into models for long-term planning. We will be engaging customers on system planning work through a series of workshops beginning this spring. OPPD plans to submit a finalized ISP to WAPA by Dec. 31.

Board officer positions for 2026

The board also elected members who will serve in leadership roles in 2026. Matt Core is board chair, and Mary Spurgeon is vice chair. Amanda Bogner will serve as secretary. Craig Moody will serve as treasurer.

Directors also approved standing committee annual reports for 2025, indicating their approval of each committee’s performance with regards to accountabilities. Standing committee assignments will remain the same for the coming year, with Mary Spurgeon as Governance Committee chair, Craig Moody as Finance Committee chair, Sara Howard as Customer & Public Engagement Committee chair, Eric Williams as System Management & Nuclear Oversight Committee chair, and Amanda Bogner as Risk Committee chair.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the November 2025 Financial Report and the December 2025 meeting minutes.
• Confirmed this evening’s meeting agenda.

Next board meetings 

The next all-committee meeting will be held in person Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. at OPPD administrative offices, 1919 Aksarben Dr. in Omaha, and virtually via Webex. The meeting link and instructions will be available at OPPD.com/CommitteeAgenda, beginning at about 9:45 a.m.

The next monthly board meeting is Thursday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m., in person at the Legislative Chamber of the Omaha-Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam St., as well as virtually via Webex. The public can attend virtually via the meeting link and instructions at OPPD.com/BoardAgenda, beginning at 4:45 p.m.