FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
March 28, 2011
LAST WEEK
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee met last Wednesday and approved action items including: 1) a risk review and recommendation to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors conceing revisions to the accounting and inteal controls risk management policy, 2) interest rate swap counterparty diversification exception, 3) risk review and recommendation to the Executive Committee for FST revised buy and sell signals, and 4) risk review and recommendation to the Executive Committee for the FMPA open access transmission tariff. The full agenda package can be reviewed on the Member Portal.
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors met last Thursday and discussed: 1) the status of strategic plan action items, 2) an update on St. Lucie and Stanton II project financings, 3) annual debt reports, and 4) revisions to the accounting and inteal controls risk management policy. The full agenda package can be reviewed on the Member Portal.
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee met last Thursday in the Board room and approved action items including: 1) approval of additional legal fees and costs for the Lake Worth dispute, 2) FMPA becoming a transmission services provider, and 3) a one-month trial period for FST buy and sell signals. The FST buy and sell signals will be revised at the next Executive Committee meeting on Apr. 8. The full agenda package can be reviewed on the Member Portal.
Solar Demonstration Exceeds Power Production
FMPA marked the first anniversary of a solar demonstration project in Key West last Saturday. The 26 kilowatt (AC) solar photovoltaic system, which is jointly owned by FMPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and maintained by Keys Energy Services, exceeded projected output by more than four percent in its first year of operation. The system has already offset more than 88,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, equivalent to eliminating almost one million 60-watt light bulbs or more than 4,500 gallons of gasoline. To view the solar installation’s interactive real-time monitoring system, visit http://www.keysecosolar.com/>www.keysecosolar.com;.
Three Phase Times
FMPA’s Power Resources Division published the latest issue of Three Phase Times last week on the Member Portal. It includes information on the All-Requirements Project’s (ARP) system peak, hourly load comparisons, resource fuel mix, natural gas usage by resource, Cane Island Unit 4 project milestones and budget, natural gas market pricing and other performance information for ARP. Contact: Tom Reedy
THIS WEEK
FMEA Legislative Rally
Mark McCain visits Tallahassee on Monday and Tuesday to attend the Florida Municipal Electric Association’s (FMEA) 2011 Legislative Rally. The rally is an opportune time for local officials to communicate with state legislators on electric utility issues. The 2011 Legislative Session began March 8. The last day of the regular session, if the Legislature completes its work in 60 days, is May 6. For more information about the rally, visit FMEA’s” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.publicpower.com/flc.shtml>FMEA’s website.
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 March 27. Contact: Jim Atz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Rick Minch, who celebrates one year with FMPA on Tuesday, March 29.
COMING UP
Lineman’s Roundtable
FMPA will hold its semi-annual Lineman’s Roundtable on April 14 in Leesburg. The roundtable provides a forum for line crews to exchange ideas on operating practices, safety, training, tools and equipment. Contact: Sharon Samuels
Safety Training Steering Committee
FMPA hosts a Safety Training Steering Committee meeting April 21 in the Board room to discuss training opportunities through FMPA’s new alliance with Electric Cities of Georgia. Contact: Mike Siefert
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee will meet April 27 at 2 p.m. at Cane Island Power Park. Committee members will hold a business meeting and tour Cane Island, including Unit 4, which is nearing the end of construction and preparing for commercial operation. An agenda package will be emailed to members one week before the meeting. Contact: Mark McCain
INDUSTRY NEWS
Senate Committee Seeks Input on Clean Energy Standard
The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is seeking comments on a paper that lays out key questions and design elements of a clean energy standard. President Obama has proposed a standard of 80% clean energy by 2035, and the committee now faces questions about what the general policy goals are for the electric sector. Six basic questions have been posed about design elements of the standard including: 1) what should the threshold size be for utilities to be subject to a standard? 2) what resources should qualify as clean energy? 3) how should the crediting system and timetables be designed? 4) how would a clean energy standard affect the deployment of technologies? 5) how should alteative compliance payments be addressed? and 6) how would the standard interact with other policies? Instructions and deadlines for submitting comments are available on the committee’s http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=IssueItems.View&IssueItem_ID=7b61e406-3e17-4927-b3f4-d909394d46de>website;.
Six Florida Utilities Receive APPA Safety Award
More than 100 public power utilities were presented awards for outstanding safety practices March 21 at the American Public Power Association’s Engineering and Operations Technical Conference in Nashville, Tenn. Prior to considering utilities for an award, APPA reviews three years worth of data, grouping winners by worker-hours of exposure. Six FMPA members received the award in 2011, including city of Chattahoochee, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Lakeland Electric, city of Leesburg, Ocala Utility Services and city of Starke.
Five Florida Utilities Win APPA’s Reliable Public Power Provider Designation
Eighty-two public power utilities received the American Public Power Association’s Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation March 21 at the Engineering and Operations Technical Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The RP3 award recognizes utilities that provide customers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service. Five Florida utilities received the designation in 2011, including city of Tallahassee Electric Utility, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Homestead Energy Services, Kissimmee Utility Authority and Lakeland Electric.
KUA Lineman Team Places in Top Five at Public Power Rodeo
Congratulations to Dustin Kelley, David Wolfe, Steve Bray and Chris Ketner of Kissimmee Utility Authority for placing in the overall top five for joueyman events at the 11th annual Public Power Rodeo in Nashville, Tenn.
FMPA Weekly is published by FMPA’s Public Relations Department for all employees of the Agency. Questions or comments about this newsletter may be directed to Ryan Dumas or Lance Larsson.
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