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The City of Beatrice will move forward with constructing a natural gas-fired electric generation station to increase power capacity and sell any surplus. The city council's decision addresses projected power cost increases due to data center demand and past supply shortages.

The project, estimated at $400 million, will be financed through revenue bonds, ensuring it does not rely on taxpayer funds. Initial actions include establishing partnerships for power purchase agreements and seeking approvals from the Southwest Power Pool. Beatrice is working with Burns McDonnell and HDR Engineering, having already invested over $200,000 in preliminary studies.