Valmont Industries and OPPD Power with Purpose Partnership Strengthens the Community by Conserving Resources
OMAHA, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Valmont Industries, Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a global leader that provides vital infrastructure and advances agricultural productivity while driving innovation through technology, is partnering with Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) for its sustainability efforts as part of the district’s Power with Purpose (PwP) initiative.
PwP will add 400-600 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale solar and ~600 MW of natural gas generation, providing the needed generation capacity to power growing communities while also contributing to OPPD’s goal of net-zero carbon production by 2050.
“Valmont has made remarkable strides to minimize our environmental impact in Omaha and around the world while creating increasingly efficient and sustainable solutions for our customers,” says Valmont group president Infrastructure, Aaron Schapper. “Conserving resources and improving life is our tagline and purpose here at Valmont and it’s at the forefront of all we do. OPPD’s recognition for our efforts are gratifying and appreciated.”
OPPD and Valmont Utility, a Valmont company, are working together to build transmission lines to connect the Turtle Creek Station in Sarpy County and Standing Bear Lake Station in Douglas County to the electric grid. Valmont is engineering 263 total structures with more than 2,200 structural components to support these lines. This project showcases design ingenuity and innovation, as well as customized manufacturing to complement the surrounding environment.
“The solar and natural gas assets we’re building support OPPD’s unwavering mission to provide affordable, reliable and environmentally sensitive energy services to customers,” says Lisa Olson, vice president of Public Affairs for OPPD. “We’re proud to lead the way we power the future in this ever-changing and evolving energy landscape.”
“Valmont is no stranger to renewable energy as we’ve been developing reliable and sustainable infrastructure within the industry for over 40 years,” says Valmont Utility president Chris Colwell. “We offer industry-leading renewable energy solutions as part of our efforts to conserve resources in all aspects of our business. The OPPD project provides the ability to increase load growth, which requires grid resiliency for uninterrupted power. We are also addressing heightened demand for renewable energy sources and the need to support investments in the electrical grid. Through these efforts we are hardening the grid while softening climate impact through the strength of our utility structures.”
Schapper stated, “We continue to assess the environmental footprint of our manufacturing facilities, and I believe these actions reinforce our place as a leading provider for sustainable infrastructure and agriculture solutions as it relates to solar energy.”
Valmont has focused on sustainability for more than 75 years and elevated its efforts in recent years. For example, Valmont’s conservation efforts include reducing carbon emissions by more than 18,000 metric tons since 2018 and is currently beating their carbon emission target by 24%.
As part of the company’s carbon mitigation strategy, Valmont has continued to expand their global footprint providing renewable energy. Leveraging the strength of its worldwide presence, the company has added to its portfolio to provide solar energy through Valmont Solar and also through Ag Solar by Valley as a viable resource to power agricultural operations.
Read more about Power with Purpose at OPPDCommunityConnect.com and to learn more about the commitment to sustainability from Valmont, click here.
About Valmont Industries, Inc.
For over 75 years, Valmont® has been a global leader in creating vital infrastructure and advancing agricultural productivity. Today, we remain committed to doing more with less by innovating through technology. Learn more about how we’re Conserving Resources. Improving Life.® at valmont.com.
OPPD’s Mission
To provide affordable, reliable, and environmentally sensitive energy services to our customers.
For additional information on OPPD, please visit OPPD.com.
Contacts
Jennifer Kros-Dorfmeyer, Valmont Industries
Jennifer.Kros-Dorfmeyer@valmont.com
