Missouri River Energy Services and MidAmerican Energy announced this week that they are abandoning the “Gregory County Pumped Storage” power project.

That plan would have built a large reservoir on the west bank of the Missouri River southwest of Platte, then released that water downhill through hydro generators when more power was needed.

Project opponent Lee Qualm of Platte says the move was a surprise….

The projected cost was about one billion dollars.

Qualm says the costs of the project would have outweighed the benefits….

The companies have already completed a number of surveys and public meetings connected to the project.