FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Jan. 9, 2012
LAST WEEK
Business Model Working Group
The All-Requirements Project’s Business Model Working Group met last Thursday to continue its discussion on Moody’s downgrade of the All-Requirements Project’s credit rating and potential options that may improve the project’s credit rating. The consensus of the Working Group was to focus on topics that will help All-Requirements achieve its strategic goal of being the lowest cost wholesale provider, and since the Project’s financial position is improving, it is not necessary to focus on each individual rating comment. Contact: Nick Guarriello
Treasure Coast Energy Center
FMPA’s Treasure Coast Energy Center (TCEC) was the fourth cleanest gas-fired, combined-cycle generating plant in the nation during 2010, according to NOx emissions rates compiled by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency. According to the Operating Performance Rankings in the December 2011 issue of Energy Light & Power, TCEC had a NOx rate of 0.0055 lbs. per mmBTU. The cleanest plant, Mountain Power Co. in Califoia, had a NOx rate of 0.0049 lbs. per mmBTU. The Electric” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display/4158273877/articles/electric-light-power/volume-89/issue-6/features/operating-performance-rankings-2010-top-20-power-plants.html>Electric Light & Power’s website. Contact: David Schumann
Cane Island Power Park
Cane Island Unit 4 and Unit 1 set new unit output records last Thursday on one of Central Florida’s coldest days. Unit 4, the newest unit at Cane Island, generated 347.2 MW, surpassing its previous record of 342 MW. Unit 1, the oldest unit at Cane Island, generated 44 MW, surpassing its previous high of 43.7 MW. Unit 1 is a peaking unit that is typically dispatched at times of peak demand. Each unit was able to generate more megawatts than its design capacity due to the cold temperatures and dense air. Contact: David Schumann
Key West Transmission Line Improvements
Contractors are on schedule with phase one of the Dynamic VAR Compensation System. This system will help increase the capacity of the 120-mile transmission line that spans the length of the Florida Keys. Underground and foundation work continued last week at the Big Pine Substation. Most of the engineering, procurement and construction engineering is complete, and equipment for the Stock Island Plant Substation and Big Pine Substation has begun arriving. A jobsite walk around is scheduled for Jan. 17 and Jan. 18. Contact: Frank Gaffney
THIS WEEK
Member City Visit
Nick Guarriello, Bud Boudreaux and Dan O’Hagan travel to Bushnell on Monday to attend the City Council meeting. Nick will speak with the Council about appointing a member to the Policy Makers Liaisons Committee and the opportunity to make an All-Requirements 101 presentation to the Council at a future meeting. Dan will discuss the net metering policy.
Welcome Carina Miles
Please welcome Carina Miles, who joins FMPA on Monday as the new public relations inte. Carina is a student at the University of Central Florida where she is majoring in advertising/public relations with a sociology minor. We’re happy to have Carina as a member of the FMPA team.
ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee meets Tuesday at 10 a.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project rate workshop. The agenda includes: 1) an update on natural gas markets, FST and liquidity, 2) an overview of December operations, loads, costs and rate calculations, and 3) estimated rates for January through March. Contact: Jim Atz
Compliance Training Workshop
FMPA will hold a two-day compliance workshop Tuesday from noon to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Board room. Subject-matter experts in planning, protection and facility ratings, as well as compliance staff will discuss: 1) recent events that have had an adverse impact on reliability, 2) penalties that utilities are receiving, 3) FRCC settlements, 4) data retention, 5) new standards and more. Contact: Frank Gaffney
APPA Legislative Rally
Mark McCain and Ryan Dumas will hold a kick-off conference call on Tuesday with Barry Moline and Amy Zubaly from the Florida Municipal Electric Association and FMPA’s lobbyists Michael Nolan and Ron Brower to begin planning for the annual legislative rally in Washington, D.C. The rally hosted by the American Public Power Association (APPA) will be held March 12 to March 14. Anyone who plans to attend the rally should make their travel plans and register with APPA as soon as possible.
ARP Quarterly Conservation Program Report
All-Requirements Project members are reminded to submit a quarterly report documenting conservation program efforts for the period Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2011. Reports are due by Jan. 15. The Quarterly Report Form is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
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 Jan. 8. Contact: Jim Atz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Chris Gowder, who celebrates 10 years with FMPA on Monday, Jan. 9.
COMING UP
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
FMPA’s offices will be closed Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee meets Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. in FMPA’s Orlando office. Contact: Mark McCain
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meets Jan. 19 at 8 a.m. in the Board room. Contact: Rich Popp
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors will hold a special-called meeting Jan. 19 at 9 a.m. in the Board room. Contact: Nick Guarriello
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee meets Jan. 19 in the Board room at 9:30 a.m. or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello
Excellence as a Supervisor
Twelve people from FMPA member cities, including Alachua, Homestead and Kissimmee Utility Authority, are signed up for the Excellence as a Supervisor training Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 in FMPA’s Board room. Additional registrants are welcome. The program, offered by Electric Cities of Georgia, includes a total of six, two-day training modules that will be held throughout 2012. Contact: Mike Siefert
INDUSTRY NEWS
Federal Appeals Court Delays Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
A controversial regulation aimed at reducing power plant emissions in 27 states, including Florida, has been put on hold by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in July 2011, would require utilities in 27 states to reduce power plant emissions that contribute to ozone pollution and fine particle pollution. The rule was to take effect on Jan. 1. More than a dozen electric power companies, municipal power plant operators and states had sought to delay the rule. Their request was approved Dec. 30, 2011. The cross-state rule will remain on hold while a three-judge panel reviews it. During the stay, the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which was issued in 2005 but struck down by a federal court in 2008, will be in effect. Parties in the matter have until Jan. 17 to suggest plans for filing briefs in the case. The court said it expects to hear oral arguments in April.
DOE Launches Initiative to Better Protect Electric Grid from Cyber Attacks
As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to enhance the security and reliability of the nation’s electrical grid, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced last Thursday an initiative to further protect the electrical grid from cyber attacks. The Electric Sector Cybersecurity Risk Management Maturity Project, led by the Department of Energy in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, will leverage the insight of private industry and public sector experts to build on existing cybersecurity measures and strategies to create a more comprehensive and consistent approach to protecting the nation’s energy delivery system. This new initiative will develop a maturity model that allows utility companies and grid operators to measure their current capabilities and analyze gaps in their cyber defenses. More than a dozen electric utilities and grid operators are expected to participate in the pilot program to test the maturity model, assess its effectiveness and validate results. A risk management maturity model is expected to be made available to the electric sector later this summer.
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 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
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
http://www.fmpa.com
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