FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
July 19, 2010
LAST WEEK
Cane Island Unit 4
Steve Carroll and representatives from Kissimmee Utility Authority and Zachry met last Thursday to manage an important milestone in the construction process of Cane Island Unit 4. The initial backfeed of electricity to Unit 4’s combustion turbine and steam turbine 230-kilovolt collector bus is finalized and awaiting additional testing. The backfeed provides electricity prior to starting the plant to power auxiliaries and to start the turbine.
Crystal River Unit 3 Update
The second concrete placement at the Crystal River Unit 3 nuclear plant was successfully completed last Monday and preparations continue for the third concrete placement. The concrete placement module is now 8% complete. Contact: David Schumann
New Employee
Please welcome FMPA’s new Accountant II, Gary Fisk, who joined the FMPA staff as a full-time employee last Monday. Gary previously served FMPA as a temporary employee. Gary has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the State University of New York at Binghamton and a master’s degree in finance and business administration from Webster University.
THIS WEEK
FMPA-FMEA Annual Conference
The 2010 visit” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.publicpower.com/ac.shtml>visit the Conference website.
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee meets Thursday at 3 p.m. during the FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference in Naples. The Committee will elect officers and approve a meeting schedule for 2010-2011. Participants will also hear a report from FMPA General Manager and CEO Nick Guarriello, conduct a roundtable on current electric issues facing their cities and review FMPA’s new Travel Expense Reimbursement Policy. The full agenda package for this meeting can be viewed on the Member Portal.
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meets Friday at 8 a.m. during the FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference in Naples. The Committee will discuss information items including: 1) an update on Public Gas Partners, 2) a review of regulatory risks from FMPA’s risk inventory, 3) an update on the Florida Gas Utility audit, and 4) risk management policy reviews related to natural gas, fuel oil and origination policies. The full agenda package for this meeting can be viewed on the Member Portal.
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors meets Friday at 9 a.m. during the FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference in Naples or immediately following the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meeting. The Board will consider action items including: 1) the approval of Agency allocation and project budgets for fiscal year 2011, 2) a revision to the FMPA Risk Management Policy, and 3) nomination and election of Board of Directors officers for 2010-2011. The full agenda package for this meeting can be viewed on the Member Portal.
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee meets Friday at 9:30 a.m. during the FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference in Naples or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. The Committee will consider action items including: 1) approval of the amended All-Requirements Project budget for fiscal years 2011 and 2012, 2) approval of a Resolution of Appreciation for Nancy F. Gemskie, 3) a revision to the FMPA Power Supply and Resource Planning Policy, 4) a revision to the FMPA Risk Management Policy, 5) approval of a change order for the Cane Island Unit 4 engineer, procure, construction contract, and 6) election of Executive Committee officers for 2010-2011. The full agenda package for this meeting can be viewed on the Member Portal.
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 July 18. Contact: Jim Atz
Service Anniversaries
Congratulations to Tom Reedy, who celebrates 15 years with FMPA on Sunday, July 25.
COMING UP
APPA Summer Education Institute
Today is the deadline to make discounted hotel reservations for the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Register” rel=”nofollow”>http://fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=24>Register online by Sept. 10. Contact: Mike Siefert
Professional Development Hours for Engineers
FMPA is interested in partnering with the University of Florida’s Center for Training, Research and Education for Environmental Occupations to host a training session on rules and laws for Florida engineers. The course would provide professional development hours for professional engineers. Members interested in attending should contact Mike Siefert.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Crist Names Latest Picks for PSC
Gov. Charlie Crist named state Rep. Ron Brisé from Miami and Jacksonville Councilman Arthur Graham to the Public Service Commission last Wednesday. The two men replace David Klement and Benjamin “Steve Stevens, who were not confirmed by the Senate earlier this year. Brisé, a business consultant, is a former official with IPIP Telecommunications, a company that sells phone cards to customers in developing nations. Graham, an environmental consultant, is a former executive at Georgia Pacific, who worked in waste energy sales. As a city councilman, he oversaw the city-owned utility. Both men will start as soon as they are swo in. Several of the applicants Crist rejected for the two seats have applied to replace Nancy Argenziano and Nathan Skop, two of the goveor’s appointees who were rejected for reappointment last month.
Financial Reform Bill Clears Congress
The U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive financial reform bill last Thursday that includes an exemption for end-users, such as utilities, from mandatory clearing of over-the-counter derivatives transactions, according to APPA’s Public Power Daily. Lawmakers have taken steps to address conces that the language on end-user exemption could be interpreted as giving the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) authority to set margin requirements (payments required to hedge) for end-users. Key Senators sent a letter to House members saying Congress intended that end-users should not be required to post margin. The bill also addresses possible CFTC regulation of financial products currently regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), such as financial transmission rights in markets run by regional transmission organizations. The legislation protects FERC’s jurisdiction over these products, a provision sought by energy groups, including APPA. The bill also establishes a standard of care—rather than a fiduciary duty—for swaps dealers who deal with special entities, such as municipal govements. President Obama said he would sign the bill.
Senate May Take Up Climate Change Bill Focusing on Electricity Industry
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said last week he wants the Senate to take up an energy and climate change bill in July that includes caps on “pollution from the utility industry. Several bills placing caps on greenhouse gases from utilities only have surfaced, including one by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman. Bingaman’s bill would cap carbon dioxide emissions from electric utilities at 3% below 2005 levels by 2012, 17% by 2020 and 42% by 2030. The bill includes a price collar for emission allowances, with an auction reserve floor price of $10 per ton for 2012 and a ceiling of $25 per ton for 2012. Bingaman’s draft also pre-empts the Clean Air Act regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources until 2018. Some Congressional watchers view Reid’s schedule skeptically because time is running short before Congress’ recess in August and energy does not seem to be on the Administration’s priority list before the break.
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 Lance Larsson 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 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: Lance Larsson or Diane Nelson