FMPA Weekly | Oct. 31, 2011 | Member Edition

 

FMPA Weekly

 

A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members

 

Oct. 31, 2011

 

 


 

LAST WEEK

 

Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee met last Wednesday to discuss with Tallahassee-based lobbyists Bill Peebles and Ron Brower potential state legislative issues related to electric utilities. The Committee also held a roundtable discussion for policy makers to talk about the most important electric issues in their communities. Contact: Mark McCain

 

Audit and Risk Oversight Committee

FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee met last Thursday and approved a risk inventory update. The full agenda package is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Rich Popp

 

St. Lucie Audit Results

FMPA’s Contract Compliance Audit Department announced last Thursday the results of a recent audit of monthly billings from Florida Power & Light to the minority owners of St. Lucie Unit 2. The auditors found $1.5 million in overbilling errors to FMPA’s St. Lucie Project participants and the Orlando Utilities Commission for calendar years 2009 and 2010. FPL agreed to all 12 of the audit findings and has refunded more than $1 million. The remaining $469,000 will be refunded on future monthly invoices. Contact: Rich Popp

 

Board of Directors and ARP Executive Committee

FMPA’s Board of Directors and the ARP Executive Committee met concurrently last Thursday to discuss the busbar and market analysis for the exiting nuclear opportunity. The Board of Directors also approved: 1) the St. Lucie audit report for calendar years 2009 and 2010, and 2) the Board officers’ recommendations and evaluations of General Manager and CEO and General Counsel. The ARP Executive Committee also approved extending a line of credit with Wells Fargo. The full agenda packages are available on the Member Portal. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 

ARP Conservation Program

The All-Requirements Project (ARP) released highlights last Wednesday of its members’ energy conservation effort in fiscal 2011. ARP participants spent $707,249 on energy saving measures, including: 1) repairs and rebates, 2) educational materials, and 3) give-a-ways. These energy-saving measures have the potential to save customers more than 4,410 MWh of energy each year and more than 32,000 MWh of energy over the life of the measure taken. Additionally, these measures reduced demand by an estimated 1,157 kW. Since 2008, the ARP Conservation Program has saved an estimated 10,300 MWh of energy each year and 71,000 MWh of energy over the life of the measures taken. Contact: Sharon Smeenk 

 

Florida Energy Summit

Ann Beckwith and Sharon Smeenk attended the Florida Energy Summit last week in Orlando where the discussion topics included renewable energy technologies, solar energy, the future of alteative vehicles and more.

 

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity

Susan Schumann attended an American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity meeting last Wednesday in Orlando to discuss coal and carbon issues that electric utilities in Florida are facing and to lea about strategies that utilities in Texas are using to promote clean coal. 

 

Stock Island Generating Facility

David Schumann and Tim Jackson traveled to Key West last week to meet with Keys Energy Services staff and to plan the 2012 maintenance and outage schedule for the Stock Island generating facility. 

 

Peer Review Spot Check

As part of FMPA’s Inteal Compliance Program, FMPA held a peer review spot check of FMPA’s compliance with10 NERC standards by representatives from Kissimmee Utility Authority, New Smya Beach Utilities Commission and the Florida Municipal Power Pool. Greg Welker facilitated the peer review team. The findings of the peer review were generally favorable. FMPA will implement the recommendations received from the peer review.

 


 

THIS WEEK

 

Treasure Coast Unit 1 Outage

Treasure Coast Energy Center Unit 1 is scheduled to retu to commercial operation this week after being offline since Oct. 8 for a planned fall outage. The outage activities included the first major improvements to the unit since it began commercial operation June 1, 2008, plus a new exhaust hood was installed on the steam turbine as a warranty repair. As part of the existing Contractual Services Agreement with GE, the gas turbine compressor was upgraded to increase reliability and efficiency. The combustion turbine underwent a hot-gas path inspection to replace parts exposed to high temperatures from gases discharged during the combustion process. The connection ring blocking and ties on both the gas turbine and steam turbine generators were replaced to reduce vibration, eliminate erosion of the protective coating and maintain proper spacing in the generator. Parts taken off the unit were inspected and found to be in excellent condition. These parts will be refurbished and retued to inventory for future use. Contact: David Schumann 

 

Member City Visits

Bud Boudreaux and Fred Bryant travel to Homestead on Wednesday to meet with Electric Utility Director Barbara Quinones and Assistant Director Ken Konkol. Bud and Fred also travel to Key West on Wednesday to meet with Keys Energy Service’s Chairman Lou Heandez. On Thursday, Bud and Fred will tour the Stock Island generating facility and meet with Utility Board members Barry Barroso, Jr., Charles Bradford, Jr. and Mona Clark. 

 

Year-End Audit
FMPA’s independent auditors from Purvis, Gray & Co. will begin the fiscal 2011 audit on Tuesday. The auditors will be at FMPA’s office for approximately three weeks. Contact: Rick Minch

 

All-Requirements Project Weekly Load Statistics

The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Member Portal. The graph is updated through Oct. 30. Contact: Jim Atz

 

Special Date  

Congratulations to Ellen Clark, who celebrates four years with FMPA on Sunday, Nov. 6.

 

 


 

COMING UP

 

Underground Distribution Certification
The Underground Distribution Certification program is scheduled for Nov. 8 through Nov. 10 in Adele, Ga. Program information is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Mike Siefert

 

ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop

The APR Executive Committee will meet Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project rate workshop. The agenda includes: 1) an update on natural gas markets and liquidity, 2) an overview of October loads, costs and rate calculations, and 3) estimated rates for November through January. Contact: Jim Atz

 

Lineman’s Roundtable
FMPA’s semi-annual Lineman’s Roundtable is Nov. 9 at Ocala Utility Services’ Operations Center. http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=37>Registration; is requested and lunch will be provided. Contact: Sharon Samuels

 

APPA Smart Grid, Safety and NERC Compliance Symposium
The American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Smart Grid Summit is Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 at the Orlando Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Featured speakers will include cyber security expert Annabelle Lee and Smart Grid Interoperability Panel representative Stephen Muchlinski. The two will discuss the status of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations, interoperability standards and other proposed cyber security regulations. In conjunction with the Smart Grid Summit, APPA will hold a National Electrical Safety Code Training on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 and a NERC Compliance Plan Development Workshop on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17. Information on all three events is available on
registrationhttp://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=38>registration; is requested. Contact: Sharon Samuels

 

Excellence as a Supervisor

FMPA will host the first training module for Excellence as a Supervisor on Jan. 31, 2012, through Feb. 2, 1012, in the Board room. The program offered by Electric Cities of Georgia includes a total of six, two-day training modules. The modules are divided into two series with three modules in each series. Participants can register for Series I, Series II or both. The remaining modules will be held throughout 2012. More information is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Mike Siefert.

 

 


 

 NDUSTRY NEWS 

PSC Approves Nuclear Cost Recovery for FPL and Progress Energy

Pointing to a law encouraging more nuclear power, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) agreed last Monday to allow Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida to collect approximately $282 million in 2012 for proposed nuclear projects and additions to existing nuclear plants. FPL received the $196 million it requested for costs associated with construction of its proposed nuclear power plants, Turkey Point Units 6 and 7, and adding capacity to its existing St. Lucie and Turkey Point units. The Commission reduced Progress Energy’s request from $141 million to $86 million for costs associated with construction of its planned Levy Units 1 and 2 and adding capacity to its existing Crystal River Unit 3. FPL residential customers who use 1,000 kWh a month will pay $2.20 in nuclear costs next year, up from the current 33 cents. Progress Energy customers will see the amount they pay each month for nuclear projects reduced. This year, a resident who uses 1,000 kWh pays $5.53 a month, which will go down to $2.93 in 2012. The utilities said that adding nuclear power will ultimately save money for consumers because such projects reduce the long-term reliance on buying coal and natural gas to fuel power plants.

 

Keys Utility Board Appoints Chairman and Vice Chairman

The Utility Board of the City of Key West re-appointed Lou Heandez last Wednesday to serve as Chairman and appointed Peter Batty to serve as Vice Chairman. Heandez has served on the Utility Board since 1997, and Batty has served since 2005. The Board also re-appointed Keys Energy Services’ General Manager & CEO Lynne Tejeda as Secretary of the Board.

 


 

 

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 Ryan Dumas or Ashley Henderscheid This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 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: Ryan Dumas or Ashley Henderscheid

 

 


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