Nebraska’s Dependence on Imported Coal

In 2008, Nebraska imported all the coal used by its power plants from Wyoming, resulting in $198 million leaving the state. Coal provided 66.3% of the state's electricity mix that year. The document argues that Nebraska could reduce this dependence by investing in energy efficiency—noting that 2007 spending on efficiency programs was 200 times lower per capita than spending on net coal imports—and by leveraging its wind and bioenergy resources through a renewable electricity standard.

• In 2008, Nebraska imported 100% of the coal used by its power plants from Wyoming, costing the state $198 million.
• Coal was the primary source of electricity in Nebraska in 2008, accounting for 66.3% of the mix, while nuclear power provided 29.3%.
• Nebraska's investment in energy efficiency is significantly lower than its spending on coal imports; in 2007, ratepayer-funded efficiency programs cost 53 cents per person, which is 200 times less than the per capita spend on net coal imports.
• Nebraska possesses the technical capacity to generate more than 100 times its 2008 electricity requirements using renewable energy, specifically wind and bioenergy.
• Compared to other states, Nebraska ranks as the 6th most dependent on net imports as a share of total power use (67%) and the 18th highest spender on net imports per person ($111).

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2010). Nebraska’s Dependence on Imported Coal. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/UCS-BCBC-factsheet-Nebraska.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Nebraska’s Dependence on Imported Coal. 2010. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/UCS-BCBC-factsheet-Nebraska.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Nebraska’s Dependence on Imported Coal |date=May 2010 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/UCS-BCBC-factsheet-Nebraska.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2010nebraskas, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Nebraska’s Dependence on Imported Coal}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2010}, month = may, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/UCS-BCBC-factsheet-Nebraska.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }