LINCOLN - Senators gave first-round approval on Thursday to a bill requiring the developers behind large-scale electric battery projects to partner with the state’s public power system.

Sen. Tom Brandt’s bill (LB1010) requires privately developed energy storage resources, or ESRs, to undergo review and approval by the Nebraska Power Review Board before construction can begin on those facilities.It also requires battery operators to enter into long-term agreements with public power providers outlining the purchase and release of energy, which Brandt said will give developers a steady stream of income while protecting public assets. The bill also requires companies to ensure the batteries can safely integrate into Nebraska’s electrical grid and prohibits them from selling electricity at retail or operating their own distribution systems.

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