Utility Information

Electricity
Ogallala is provided retail electric service by the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD). The Ogallala distribution has a 34.5 kV ring bus to which two 34.5/4.16 kV substations and three 34.5/12.5 kV substations are connected. The ring bus can be fed from three sources of power. Two sources include Western Area Power Association (WAPA) 115/34.5 kV substations located just south of Ogallala and north and west of Brule. The third source is a 34.5 kV line to NPPD’s 230/115/34.5 kV substation located just south of Ogallala. The power complex, located south of Ogallala, consists of a 115/34.5 kV substation owned by Tri-State G & T, and a 230/115/34.5 kV substation owned by NPPD. This complex is tied into the statewide grid system by means of 115,000 volt and 345,000 volt transmission lines.

The 50 MW Kingsley Hydro generation plant, completed in 1984 and located just a few miles northeast of Ogallala, is connected to the NPPD 115,000 volt grid. Kingsley Hydro can independently feed the city of Ogallala and surrounding areas in case of a major storm outage. 

Natural Gas
Natural gas is supplied to Ogallala by Source Gas, through 12-inch and 16-inch transmission pipelines with an operating pressure of approximately 800 to 1,000 pounds per square inch.  Source Gas is also the distributor of natural gas within the community, serving approximately 1,900 residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

Natural gas is available for residential and commercial uses. Availability of natural gas for industrial uses is subject to individual situations. As specific requirements of an industrial prospect become available, information on gas service availability and applicable rates can be obtained from Source Gas Service Center at (800) 563-0012. 

Water
The municipal water system in Ogallala is supplied by eight wells, which have an average depth of 250 feet. The system, serving the entire city, has a combined pumping capacity of 8,082 gallons per minute. The overhead storage capacity is 1,200,000 gallons. The average daily demand is 1,000,000 gallons, and the historic peak daily demand is 3,500,000 gallons. The system has a maximum capacity of 12,838,080 gallons per day.

The static pressure is 40–85 pounds per square inch and the residual pressure varies. Groundwater is available for industrial uses. The water table fluctuates seasonally. The quality of the water in Ogallala does not necessitate a water treatment plant, however, fluoride is added. The color of the water is clear and the hardness, in parts per million, is 180. The average tap water temperature varies from 54 degrees in the winter to 56 degrees in the summer.

Sewerage
Ogallala has a municipal sanitary sewerage system and a storm sewer system. The trickling filter/ activated sludge sewerage treatment plant was built in 1985 and updated in 2001. The plant has a daily capacity of 1.5 million gallons, an average daily flow of 0.5 million gallons, and a historic peak daily discharge of 1.0 million gallons. No connection fee is charged for new service.

Solid Waste Disposal
Privately owned and operated waste removal services are available. The privately owned landfill, fifth largest in Nebraska, is located 14 miles from Ogallala and has a remaining lifespan of 20 years.

Recycling
US Recycling, located in Ogallala, accepts aluminum, plastic bottles, magazines, colored paper, cardboard, scrap iron, and junk cars. The recycling drop-off area is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.