Rural energy independence goal of farmer’s company
Burt County, NE - In March, storm clouds over northeast Nebraska left a historic trail of destruction in its wake, leaving many in Burt County without power.
“It had such a force to it that it snapped utility line poles halfway up,” recalls Graham Christensen, a fifth-generation farmer who manages 800 corn and soybean acres about 60 miles outside the Omaha metro area. “It’s pretty unprecedented to have that widespread of a hit with that kind of damage. Poles just snapped, and the transmission lines just dangled, holding each other up. “
It was the most expensive storm in the Omaha Public Power District’s history. Outages were extensive and long-lasting, and some of Christensen’s neighbors were affected — but not his farm. When the storm hit, his own energy system kept his operation up and running.