By Allison Peck
Nebraska’s Data Center Task Force will take up electricity costs, rural community concerns and economic development coordination when it meets October 20 in Columbus, as data center development becomes an increasingly prominent issue in local communities and election debates.
The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Central Time at Nebraska Public Power District headquarters, 1414 15th Street.
According to the agenda, members will hear a presentation from the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment on information received for the state’s LB 1010 report. Berkshire Hathaway Energy will also present on ratepayer protections and benefits.
Additional discussions will focus on stakeholder relationships and rural community integration, along with coordination of economic development efforts.
The task force was established by Gov. Jim Pillen through Executive Order 26-17 and is overseen by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment. Its purpose is to evaluate how data centers could affect Nebraska’s water resources, electric power grids and local infrastructure. The group is also tasked with helping county officials identify appropriate zoning guidelines and policy frameworks for managing future development.
Pillen announced the task force in August as the state considers how to balance the economic opportunities associated with data centers against concerns about natural resources and infrastructure. The governor’s executive order also ended access to state tax incentives through the ImagiNE Nebraska Act for data center projects while the state evaluates its approach to the industry.
Data centers are large facilities that house computer servers and other equipment used to store information and power digital services, including artificial intelligence. Their development can bring investment and construction activity, but the facilities can also require substantial amounts of electricity, water and land.
Those competing considerations have fueled debate across Nebraska. In eastern Nebraska, proposed data center developments around Murdock have drawn opposition from residents concerned about farmland, water supplies and potential effects on electricity costs. The issue has brought together residents and groups with differing political perspectives, illustrating how data center development is becoming a subject of broader public debate.
The questions are also relevant to local elections, as candidates and voters weigh the potential economic benefits of large developments against concerns about resource use, community planning and who ultimately pays for infrastructure. The discussions are not limited to whether data centers should be built, but also what protections and requirements should be in place if projects move forward.
Nebraska has already taken legislative action on the issue. LB 1010, the Large Load Customer Regulation Act, gives public power entities authority to establish specific rates for large electricity customers and requires those customers to fund infrastructure upgrades. State officials have also pointed to LB 1261, which allows large electricity users to arrange their own power generation under specified conditions.
The task force brings together representatives from the energy, business, construction, water and local government sectors, including Lincoln County Commissioner Micaela Wuehler and Sarpy County Commissioner Angi Burmeister. Its work is intended to inform decisions about managing data center growth and protecting Nebraska’s resources while considering economic development opportunities.
The October 20 agenda also includes approval of the September 22 meeting minutes and scheduling for the next meeting, planned for November 19 in Lincoln. A 20-minute public comment period is scheduled before adjournment.
More information, including meeting materials and task force resources, is available through the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment’s Data Center Task Force webpage.