Opinion ID: 2067671
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: current distribution and billing system

Text: The current distribution system operates such that electric power produced by NPPD is transmitted by NPPD to the appellants for distribution by the appellants to their respective customers. NPPD then reads the appellants' meters monthly and submits the power bills for the appellants, as well as 20 other members of NEG & T, to NEG & T. NEG & T then bills the appellants for the power supplied by NPPD after adding dues and assessment charges for membership in NEG & T. The appellants and other members of NEG & T then send their payment checks to NEG & T. After deducting the amount charged for membership dues and assessments from each payment received, NEG & T then forwards a check to NPPD for payment of the power used by the appellants and other NEG & T members. During the last 10 years, the administration expense of NEG & T has been more than $3,000,000. During this 10-year period of time, Southern was assessed dues and assessments totaling $241,167, Elkhorn was assessed dues and assessments totaling $87,048, and Niobrara was assessed dues and assessments totaling $63,024. All of said dues and assessments were used by NEG & T in paying administration expenses. There are other rural public power districts within Nebraska, such as Norris Public Power District and Cedar-Knox County Rural Public Power District, which contract directly with NPPD for the purchase of all their wholesale power requirements under the same wholesale power rate schedules which are applicable to wholesale purchases made by NEG & T. By contracting directly with NPPD, these power districts avoid the dues and assessments charged to the appellants by NEG & T.