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Butler Public Power District, 1331 N. Fourth St. in David City.

Following an hours-long power outage at the Village of Brainard earlier this summer, representatives of the Butler Public Power District spoke to village board members about how to prevent it in the future.

BPPD General Manager Mark Kirby said on June 13, there was an issue in a transformer at the village’s substation that resulted in a five-hour outage in Brainard. As of the Brainard Village Board’s Aug. 15 meeting, the cause of the power failure was unknown, Kirby said.

Kirby spoke about how BPPD could provide power, or feed, to the village off of a distribution system located outside of town in the event of another issue. There are other substations in the Butler County area; they could “back feed” from them to Brainard.

There is a distribution system at a substation located southeast of Loma, an unincorporated community in Butler County.

“Eventually, someday we can take that line, and we could bring it up here to the south side of town and tie in,” Kirby said. “The problem is that right now, the distribution voltage here in Brainard does not match us out in the rural.”

Additionally, Kirby added, there is the possibility of them and Nebraska Public Power District bringing in a “mobile sub” in the event of a power outage. He noted this was done a few years ago when BPPD had to shut off the main substation for work.

According to Kirby, that would not be an easy process. It’s one that Butler Public Power has undergone since realigning with NPPD several years ago, he added. New transformers would need to be purchased.

“That's how we did it,” Kirby said. “We slowly changed them out and put in dual voltage transformers that would serve the current voltage you are today. And then you can switch them over and serve the future voltage in years to come.”

The switch would also require BPPD’s investment as they would need to upgrade some lines going to the village.

Kirby added that BPPD completes monthly inspections of the substations and takes oil samples from the transformers every other year.

“If we want to try to help serve Brainard in a better way moving forward, we’ve got to start looking at changing the distribution voltage in town to match ours out in the country,” Kirby said.

Board members mentioned that there are several transformers in the village – most likely over 40 – and the price of transformers also keeps increasing. There are also large delays in receiving the equipment.

Kirby noted that his recommendation would be to add in a budget item for transformers and start building that fund and buying transformers as the village is able.

In other business, the board heard results from the village’s economic development council’s survey sent to residents.

Kevin Behne of the council presented the results, noting there was a 15% return rate.

The main concern listed on the majority of the surveys returned was the lack of a grocery store/convenience store in Brainard. That issue had been mentioned in previous surveys and researched, Behne said.

“We did extra research in 2012. And we sent out a second survey back then asking people, if they wanted to invest,” Behne said. “(If) we had people that were going to put money behind their comments, we would have taken the next step them, but there was no interest at that point. So unless somebody wants to invest in it, we look at this as a moot point.”

The next bullet points mentioned were lack of daycare and affordable housing. East Butler Public Schools have helped with the first issue with its expansion of daycare this school year, Behne noted.

“We recognize that while citizens would like a grocery store, day care and more affordable housing, these are issues that need to be developed by individuals or groups that are willing to take the risks associated with these kinds of businesses,” Behne said.

Behne said the other concerns the village can work on are the conditions of the sidewalks; water, sewer and electric infrastructure; developing a welcome/information packet for new residents that lists community events; and promote existing businesses.

“Council discussed whether the village could offer incentives to encourage new construction,” Behne said. “One possible idea was to waive some of the hookup fees – sewer, water, electric for new construction, or some type of incentive to open up a new housing development.”

Behne noted that copies of the survey are available at local businesses and at the Brainard village hall. The next time the survey will be sent out, he added, it will be available online to hopefully draw in the younger generation.

Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Banner-Press. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net.

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Butler Public Power District, 1331 N. Fourth St. in David City.

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