Cedar-Knox has been keeping the lights on for 85 years, now

HARTINGTON — The Cedar-Knox Public Power District is charged up to mark a major milestone.

The Hartington-based public power district is getting ready to celebrate its 85th anniversary in 2022 with its customers.

Mike Lammers has worked for Cedar-Knox PPD for 28 years, including the last five as its general manager.

“Most conversations on anniversaries would say it’s hard to believe it’s been 85 years on something, but with being here for 28 years and knowing our great history, it is not hard to accept that it has been that long,” Lammers said.

“We have a long history in public power that has had many great employees at Cedar-Knox responsible for building the great company and system we have today,” he said. “To remain safe, affordable and reliable is not easy to do in today’s environment, let alone for 85 years.”

Cedar-Knox PPD is inviting people to celebrate its anniversary at customer appreciation open houses in Coleridge, Crofton, Hartington, Wausa and Wynot.

The open houses will be held Oct. 17 at the Wausa Fire Hall, Oct. 18 at Donna’s Diner in Wynot, Oct. 19 at the Crofton Senior Citizen Center, Oct. 20 at the Coleridge Community Building and Oct. 21 at the Cedar-Knox PPD office in Hartington.

“October is not only our 85th anniversary, but is also Public Power Month, so we decided rather than asking everyone to try to come to our office, we would go out in the district to our area communities and host a customer appreciation in areas closer to them,” Lammers said.

The elecric vehicles will be available for demonstrations or even ride- or drive-alongs if requested.

Cedar-Knox PPD will have staff members available during the open houses to answer any questions attendees may have on public power and related topics.

The public power district has 27 full-time employees and one part-time college intern.

“This is a chance to meet some of our staff at each location and ask any questions within the industry or about Cedar-Knox they may have,” Lammers said. “They will also receive an annivesary gift to celebrate 85 years, as well as a chance for additional giveaways and prizes.”

He explained why it is important for Cedar-Knox PPD to show appreciation for its customers.

“As a public power district, we are owned and operated by our customers,” Lammers said. “Through publicly elected directors, we directly provide local representation to serve our customers’ best interest.

“This is done without having to pay shareholders or investors, thus, any margins we may accumulate go back into our rates and infrastructure to ensure we remain dependable and economical to our customers,” he said.

He shared the history of how Cedar-Knox PPD began, starting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt signing Executive Order 7037 on May 11, 1935, that established the Rural Electrification Administration.

The Rural Electrification Act passed in 1936 and a county-wide meeting was held in November of that year in Cedar County.

“A small group held some meetings to elect chairmen to a board of directors, and started operations for a project,” Lammers said. “Due to the heavy snow in 1936-1937, the project was delayed.

“In the meantime, eastern Knox County interest grew in the project and then the two counties decided to combine efforts to submit an application,” he said.

On Oct. 23, 1937, the state of Nebraska’s Department of Roads and Irrigation approved the creation of the Cedar-Knox County Rural Public Power District.

“Eighty-five years has seen many changes, from all the power quality advancements, technology improvements and the new equipment and line materials that all help achieve our goals,” Lammers said.

However, he noted Cedar-Knox PPD’s three pillars of safety, affordability and reliability are still in effect today, coupled with quality directors and employees who came, went and are on staff today to ensure it still places customer service first to its members.

“Our industry is in a historic time right now with the evolution of new technologies, but we still want to be there to make sure we deliver an economical and dependable product to them,” Lammers said.

Cedar-Knox PPD’s service area covers all of Cedar County, the eastern half of Knox County and small parts of Dixon, Pierce and Wayne counties.

The public power district has more than 7,575 meters serving the rural areas around and the communities of Belden, Bow Valley, Coleridge, Crofton, Fordyce, Laurel (wholesale), Lindy, Magnet, Menominee, St. Helena, St. James, South Yankton, Wausa and Wynot.

Cedar-Knox PPD is responsible for delivery of distribution power throughout its district.

“We are in an all-requirement contract with NPPD; that means we buy our power from them and distribute it to our customers at as low cost as we can while remaining reliable,” Lammers said.

Nebraska being the only all-public power state allows Cedar-Knox PPD to maintain some of the lowest-costing power in the United States.

He explained public power means homes and businesses run on electricity that is provided by a not-for-profit, publicly owned utility.

“Its core mission is to serve local citizens, and providing that local control allows us to find the balance of cost-effective delivery between reliable and affordable,” Lammers said of a public power district.

He plays an important part in that core mission as the general manager of Cedar-Knox PPD.

“I enjoy serving in the GM position as I have great directors and employees that work in an industry that all treat one another like family, ” Lammers said. “As someone who was born and raised in the area, I have truly seen examples almost daily of how great of an area we live in.”

For more information, people may call Cedar-Knox PPD, which is headquartered at 56272 Highway 84 in Hartington, at 402-254-6291 or visit cedarknoxppd.com. The public power district also has a Facebook page.