Opinion ID: 4272661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) refused a public records request1 from potential competitors for documents 1 See Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 84-712, 84-712.01, and 84-712.03 to 84-712.09 (Reissue 2014 & Cum. Supp. 2016). - 116 - Nebraska Supreme Court A dvance Sheets 299 Nebraska R eports AKSAMIT RESOURCE MGMT. v. NEBRASKA PUB. POWER DIST. Cite as 299 Neb. 114 showing cost and revenue information for each of its generation units, and the district court declined to issue a writ of mandamus to compel disclosure. The competitors’ appeal turns on the statutory exception for “proprietary or commercial information which if released would give advantage to business competitors and serve no public purpose.”2 Does the statute require public records useful to an energy policy debate to be released despite an advantage flowing to a competitor? The words chosen by the Legislature dictate that the answer must be “yes.” We cannot say the result is absurd. Accordingly, we reverse the district court’s order and direct issuance of an appropriate writ.