Station 4: Demand for Energy

Dan Murphy wrote about, “The real costs of continued coal burning in North Omaha”, for the Audubon Society of Omaha on April 22, 2025.  He addresses: 

Demand for energy in Omaha has exploded since the city, state and OPPD collaborated to attract mega data centers and their high-tech jobs to the Metro. Initially, fly-over Omaha wasn’t even on the radar of tech giants Meta and Google. Then, OPPD marketed an irresistible package of special rates, relatively inexpensive land and a motivated work force. It worked, and Google and Meta moved quickly. The State Government credited OPPD’s efforts as the “linchpin” of a successful campaign to bring Silicon Valley to a silicon prairie.

Data centers require massive amounts of power to drive the creation and application of artificial intelligence.  So much energy, in fact, that, if OPPD were to shut off the North Omaha Station’s two coal-burning generators now, it could crash the entire area’s electricity system.

And Nebraska is not alone. The Washington Post reports that similar scenarios are playing out in Georgia, Utah and Wisconsin and notes that “The Nebraska story reveals in detail how the race by giant technology companies to gain the advantage in AI is conflicting with climate goals and potentially harming public health.”

Prayer of the Faithful: 

For our world, our nation, our state and our local community that we might wisely use our creativity and ingenuity for the common good, rather than for the enrichment of the few, we pray to the Lord.

We pray to the Lord… 

Lord Hear Our Prayer