Officials say the high-voltage electrical transmission line that’s proposed to cut through 220 miles of Nebraska’s Sand Hills region is designed to have a positive impact on the entire state’s power infrastructure. Mark Becker, spokesman for Nebraska Public Power District, says the upgrade is needed, not because there isn’t enough power but because the current lines can’t carry what’s needed during times of high demand.
Some landowners in the Sand Hills region are upset over the plans to build a high-voltage electric line through the environmentally-fragile area.
Becker says the utility is planning to build sturdy piers in key locations that would eliminate the need to truck in large cranes or heavy cement trucks.
Becker says N-P-P-D is already working with the University of Nebraska to find the best ways to repair any damage that may happen during construction.
