the Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Thursday, February 9, 2006 6:00 pm
Bill Fehrman, president and CEO of Nebraska Public Power District, resigned Friday to accept a position as senior vice president with MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., based in Des Moines, Iowa.
Fehrman will be responsible for the integration of PacifiCorp into the MidAmerican organization, a position effective April 1.
Fehrman joined NPPD in 1981 and has been CEO since Jan.1, 2003. One of the key accomplishments of his tenure was bringing Cooper Nuclear Station near Brownville back into good standing with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Cooper had been cited for safety violations by the federal agency and had management problems. Fehrman and the NPPD board worked to change the culture of the plant, including hiring a management firm to oversee operations and improve plant performance.
"There is never a good time to leave, and it was a very difficult decision. However, knowing that NPPD's performance has never been better makes me feel good about the district's future," Fehrman said in a news release.
NPPD is the state’s largest electric utility, with a chartered territory including all or parts of 91 of Nebraska's 93 counties. Based in Columbus, the utility serves an estimated 1 million Nebraskans with retail or wholesale electric power and energy-related products and services.
"I am ready for a new challenge, and helping MidAmerican integrate a major utility such as PacifiCorp, with operations in six states, into the MidAmerican family of companies is an exciting opportunity for me."
Said NPPD chairman Wayne Boyd: "Bill has been a very strong and focused leader who has worked relentlessly to improve the performance of NPPD, especially in the area of safety, while building positive relationships with employees and customers — we will miss him and wish him well in his new position.
Boyd said the 11-member NPPD board would immediately begin to search for a replacement beginning with a review of internal candidates.