FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
June 29, 2009
LAST WEEK
Strategic Planning Workshop
The Board of Directors and ARP Executive Committee met for a Strategic Planning Workshop last Thursday and reviewed a list of action items to implement FMPA’s strategic plan. The action items will be presented for the Board of Directors’ and the ARP Executive Committee’s approval at the FMPA-FMEA Annual Conference.
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee met last Thursday and approved action items, including: 1) terminating all interest rate swaps from the Taylor Energy Center project at a time when there is no termination cost, 2) agreements with R.W. Beck for a 10-year transmission plan and a study to evaluate improving the voltage stability import limit into the Keys, 3) an engagement letter with Swap Financial LLC, and 4) funds for outside legal counsel to evaluate the Levy County nuclear project. The Committee voted to approve a short-list of providers for a potential solar photovoltaic project at ARP cities, but the Committee voted to suspend negotiation of a contract for the project until after the members decide whether to participate in the Levy County nuclear project. No action was taken on an item related to a line of credit, and the Committee tabled consideration of an operating policy for running units out of economics.
ARP Business Model Working Group
The ARP Business Model Working Group met last Thursday and elected KUA’s Larry Matte as Chair. The Working Group’s next meeting will be July 31 at FMPA from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Biomass Financing
Janet Davis, Tom Reedy, Michele Jackson and Sharon Smeenk met with representatives from Citigroup and Max West Environmental Systems via conference call last Tuesday to discuss financing options to maximize investment tax credits for the Ocala biomass project.
APPA Energy Efficiency Resource Central
Sharon Smeenk and Diane Nelson attended a conference call last Friday with utility partners of American Public Power Association’s Energy Efficiency Resource Central (EERC) program. Participants discussed energy conservation and other demand-side management programs in their states and provided feedback on future needs that could be met by EERC. For more information on EERC and its resources, FMPA’s” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.fmpa.com/html/member_services/pdf/Mineral_Oil_Dielectric_Fluid_Workshop.pdf>FMPA’s Web site. Contact: Mike Siefert
Independence Day
FMPA’s offices will be closed Friday, July 3 to celebrate Independence Day.
PowerPoint Templates
FMPA’s Public Relations Department will kick-off work this week on developing two new PowerPoint slide templates. The project also includes developing a secondary color palette based on FMPA’s current color palette, creating simple diagrams that would be used for informational graphs in presentations and creating guidelines for use of the templates. Contact: Mark McCain
All-Requirements Project Load
The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Member Portal. The graph is updated through June 28. Contact: Jim Atz
COMING UP
ARP Rate Workshop
The All-Requirements Project’s monthly telephonic rate workshop has been scheduled for July 8 at 2 p.m. The workshop will provide updates on natural gas markets and liquidity, review loads, costs and rate calculations for the month of June, and present estimated rate ranges for July through September. Contact: Jim Atz
Right to Know Workshop Cancelled
FMPA’s workshop on the Employees “Right to Know Standard, originally scheduled for July 15, has been cancelled due to lack of participation. Contact: Mike Siefert
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
Mark your calendars; FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee will meet July 23 at FMPA to interview short-listed natural gas hedging and natural gas storage firms. The meeting is tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact: Richard Montgomery
FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference
The 2009 contact” rel=”nofollow”>https://fs6.formsite.com/fmea/form479319412/secure_index.html>contact FMEA to register today.
INDUSTRY NEWS
U.S. House Passes Climate Bill
The United States House of Representatives passed a broad climate change and energy bill last Friday with a mostly party line vote of 219 to 212. The bill would establish a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% by 2050. The American Public Power Association reports that the bill was substantially improved through the committee process and subsequent negotiations, but the Association continues to have conces about the lack of adequate cost-control measures to protect consumers. Meanwhile, in the Senate, committee chairmen were reportedly instructed to have their pieces of climate change legislation passed to the Senate floor by Sept. 18. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is expected to use the House bill as its starting point and to begin hearings in late-July.
FPL to Increase Base Rates 31%
Florida Power and Light (FPL) has petitioned the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase its base rates by 31% to offset rising expenses and flat sales. The utility has not increased its base rate since 1985. The base rate increase would raise customer bills 11% to $119 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. There will be nine public “customer meetings on the proposal and a final decision will be make by the PSC later this year.
Progress Energy Names New President and CEO
Progress Energy Florida named Vincent M. Dolan to succeed Jeffrey Lyash as president and chief executive financial officer, effective July 6. Dolan has been with Progress Energy since 1986, serving most recently as vice president of exteal relations. Lyash has been named executive vice president for corporate development, and will relocate to North Carolina for his new assignment.
FMPA Weekly is published by FMPA for employees and goveing boards of FMPA member utilities. Questions or comments about this newsletter may be directed to Diane Nelson or Beth Pangbo in FMPA’s Public Relations Department.
Want more background on the names and terms used in this newsletter? Check out FMPA’s new Glossary, which features some of the most frequently mentioned committees, companies, places and terms, or contact the person named in each FMPA story to lea more. (Click here for the Staff Directory).
Have a question, comment or story idea for the newsletter? FMPA welcomes your feedback at any time. Contact Diane Nelson.