VALENTINE, Neb. - The Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) is considering 16 communities across the state as possible sites for a new state-of-the-art nuclear power reactor, and Valentine is on the list.

On Tuesday, NPPD officials held an open house in Valentine to share information and gather public feedback. Similar events are planned in all 16 communities before the list is narrowed down to two to four potential locations around the end of the year.

“There’s a lot of misinformation that’s out there. We just want to be able to come in and provide the facts,” said Dan Buman, special assistant to the site vice president at Cooper Nuclear Station.

NPPD officials say consultants are evaluating several factors in selecting a location, including power transmission capabilities, population, and water availability.

“Some of these have a very small water footprint,” Buman said. “If the business case is that you’re going to be using a small amount of power, maybe it makes sense. Otherwise, if you’re looking at 300 megawatts or something of that nature, you probably need more water sources.”

In Valentine, the biggest concerns from residents centered on potential impacts to the Sandhills and possible contamination of the Ogallala Aquifer.

“Cooper Nuclear Station has been operating for 50 years. We monitor the groundwater there. We don’t see anything of that sort there,” Buman said. “But in the abundance of caution, we would end up wanting to sit there and look at it, and say, ‘Maybe this is a better location if we don’t have to end up worrying about that.’”

While some residents expressed concerns, others saw the potential for economic growth.

“For example, at our Cooper Nuclear Station in Brownville, we have electricians, nuclear welding-type positions, and engineers — but we also have folks who work in H.R. and communications,” said NPPD Economic Development Manager Nicole Sedlacek. “There is a level of excitement around this new technology, so that’s been really encouraging.”

The open houses are part of NPPD’s ongoing feasibility study, which is expected to move into its next phase at the end of this year or beginning of next year.