FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Jan. 4, 2010
LAST WEEK
Fiscal 2009 Audit Report
FMPA’s financial audit report for fiscal 2009 was posted last week on the FMPA Member Portal. The financials will be reviewed by the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee on Jan. 27 and by the ARP Executive Committee and the Board of Directors on Jan. 27. Contact: Jim Atz
THIS WEEK
Communication Tool Kit
Resolve this year to reach out to the people in your community who can join or help the cause of public power. Public power has a great story to tell, and telling that story is an important way to build and maintain relationships with our stakeholders. FMPA’s Communication Tool Kit features a variety of tools that prominently feature the benefits of municipal electric utilities and joint action. The tools are suitable for local elected or appointed officials, utility employees and other members of the local community. The FMPA Member Portal features an online version of the Tool Kit, which includes electronic copies of many of the most popular tools. If you need additional copies of the tools or if FMPA can assist with your community relations in any way during the new year, please contact Diane Nelson.
NESC Summary of Change Proposals Workshop
The NESC Summary of Change Proposals webinar originally scheduled for this week has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon. Contact: Mike Siefert
Grant Application Workshop
FMPA hosts a grant application workshop Thursday in the Board room from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Employees will assist members with developing grant applications for various projects and with using FMPA’s application templates to apply for the State of Florida’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
Member Portal Spotlight: Setting Your Homepage
Don’t want to miss what’s new on the FMPA Member Portal? One of the best ways to catch all the news and updates posted throughout the week is to set the Member Portal as your browser’s homepage. To do this in Inteet Explorer or Firefox, open your browser, then go to the “Tools menu and select “Options in Firefox or “Inteet Options in Inteet Explorer. From there, you’ll be able to set the FMPA Member Portal as your homepage, so you won’t miss an update.
All-Requirements Project Load
A graph showing the All-Requirements Project hourly load for the month of December will be posted on the Member Portal later this week. Contact: Jim Atz
Service Anniversaries
Congratulations to Chris Gowder, who celebrates nine years with FMPA on Saturday, Jan. 9.
COMING UP
Conservation Program Quarterly Reports
All-Requirements Project members are reminded to retu their quarterly reports to document ARP Conservation Program efforts between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. Reports are due Jan. 15. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
INDUSTRY NEWS
New FERC Commissioner Confirmed
John Norris was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 24 to be the newest Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Norris, a Democrat, will fill the seat vacated by Joseph Kelliher earlier in 2009, leaving one remaining Democratic vacancy on the Commission. Norris most recently served as Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Norris’ utility experience includes serving as President of the Organization of Midwest Independent System Operator States and serving as a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
PSC Staff Report Recommends Lower Rate Increase for FPL
The staff of the Florida Public Service Commission released a report Dec. 23 recommending that Florida Power and Light (FPL) should be allowed to raise its base rate $357 million next year, rather than the $1.3 billion the company requested. The report recommends that FPL tap into its surplus funds and make dozens of other modifications to its operating budget. It also addresses how much FPL should be allowed to charge in advance for storm repairs and how much ratepayers should pay for executive salary packages. The staff proposal will be one of several factors the five-member Commission will consider when it votes on the rate case Jan. 13.
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 Skye Guthrie or Diane Nelson 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: Skye Guthrie or Diane Nelson