FMPA Weekly | March 19, 2012 | Member Edition

FMPA Weekly

 


A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members

 


March 19, 2012

 


 

LAST WEEK

 


Peer Review Spot Check

As part of FMPA’s inteal compliance program, FMPA’s Regulatory Compliance Department began the process this week for Kissimmee Utility Authority’s (KUA) annual spot check. FMPA’s Compliance Department, along with volunteers from member cities, will audit KUA’s compliance with select North American Electric Reliability Corp. standards. Volunteers are needed to help with this spot check, as well as future spot checks. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Greg Welker.

 

FRCC Spring Compliance Workshop

Frank Gaffney, Cara Gowan and Greg Welker attended the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council’s Spring Compliance Workshop last Thursday in Tampa. Topics discussed included: 1) the North American Electric Reliability Corp.’s Find, Fix, Track and Report process, 2) upcoming reliability standard changes, 3) information that should be included when self-reporting reliability standards violations, and more.

 

APPA Legislative Rally
Nick Guarriello, Fred Bryant, Mark McCain and more than 30 representatives from 15 Florida municipal electric utilities attended the APPA Legislative Rally in Washington, D.C., last week. While in the nation’s capital, they met with 16 Senate and House offices over two days to discuss federal legislative issues related to electric utilities. Pictures from this year’s Rally and the Federal Legislative Issue Book are available on the Member Portal.

 


 

THIS WEEK

 


Member Relations Survey

FMPA’s Public Relations Department will be calling members of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, Business Model Working Group and Policy Makers Liaisons Committee this week to remind them to complete the 2012 Member Relations Survey. Everyone must be called because the survey responses are anonymous, so FMPA does not know who has completed the survey and who hasn’t. If you have already taken the survey and prefer to “opt out of the reminder phone call, please contact Diane Nelson as soon as possible. Responses to the survey are due by next Monday, so please take 10 minutes and complete the online survey as soon as possible. A link to the survey was included in an email from Nick Guarriello. Contact: Mark McCain

 


Green Cove Springs Solar Day

Green Cove Springs unveils a new solar photovoltaic system on Tuesday that is installed on the roof of the Electric Operations Complex. The system consists of 42 solar panels that will produce an average of 15,000 kWh per year and eliminate several metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Green Coves Springs—as well as the cities of Mount Dora, Newberry, Starke and St. Cloud—received funds for the project from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The solar generators will serve municipal facilities and provide an educational component about solar power. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 


Business Model Working Group

The All-Requirements Project’s Business Model Working Group meets Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Board room to discuss options to help smooth energy rates, including the GANT Plan. Once the BMWG has considered the options, the Group will make a recommendation to the Executive Committee. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 


Audit and Risk Oversight Committee

FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meets Thursday at 8 a.m. in the Board Room to discuss retaining Purvis Gray & Company as its exteal auditor for fiscal 2012. The full agenda package is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Rich Popp

 


ARP Executive Committee

The ARP Executive Committee meets Thursday at 9 a.m. in the Board room to discuss the approval of two amended and extended Florida Gas Transmission transportation contracts. The full agenda package is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 


FMPA Goveance Committee

FMPA’s Goveance Committee meets Thursday in the Board room at 10:30 a.m. or immediately following the Executive Committee meeting to continue its discussion on weighted voting. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 


St. Lucie, Stanton, Stanton II and Tri-City Participants

FMPA St. Lucie, Stanton, Stanton II and Tri-City Project Participants meet Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Board room to discuss financing options for the projects. Contact Nick Guarriello

 


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 March 18. Contact: Jim Atz

 


Special Dates

Congratulations to Michelle Pisarri, who celebrates seven years with FMPA on Wednesday, March 21.

 

Congratulations to Peter Moore, who celebrates eight years with FMPA on Thursday, March 22.

 


 

COMING UP

 


2012 Florida Lineman Competition

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) hosts the 12th Annual Florida Lineman Competition March 30 and March 31 in Gainesville. More than 100 lineworkers are expected to compete. Watch FMEA’s” rel=”nofollow”>http://publicpower.com/florida-lineman-competition/>FMEA’s website for more information.

 

FMPA to Visit ECG

FMPA is meeting with Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) April 26 and April 27 in Atlanta. The purpose of the meeting is for FMPA members to lea more about ECG and meet the people providing services through FMPA’s Alliance membership. ECG staff will present information on services including: 1) grid modeization, 2) meter maintenance, 3) HiperWeb, 4) engineering and more. The program will also include a tour of IEEE’s” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.ieeet-d.org/>IEEE’s website for more information. Contact: Chris Gowder

 


CAA Update Workshop

FMPA is hosting a Clean Air Act Workshop May 9 at 10 a.m. in the Board room. Bob Kappelmann of RLK Associates will discuss topics including: 1) Clean Air Act basics, 2) understanding the National Ambient Air Quality Standards revision process, 3) understanding the relationship between New Source Review and New Source Performance Standards, 4) EPA’s New Source Review enforcement policy, and 5) emerging Clean Air Act issues. Plant staff, utility managers, utility directors and city managers are encouraged to attend. The cost is $250 for FMPA members and $300 for non-FMPA members. Lunch will be provided. Members who are unable to attend in person can register to attend via webcast. The deadline to http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=41>register; is May 4. Contact: Mike Siefert

 


 

INDUSTRY NEWS

 


Florida PSC Approves Gulf Power Rates

The Florida Public Service Commission approved new base rates for Gulf Power last Monday that are higher than Gulf’s 2011 rates but lower than its current interim rate. The rate change is based on the Commission’s Feb. 27 decision that reduced Gulf Power’s $101.6 million revenue request by $37.5 million. With the approved increase to operating revenues of $64.1 million for 2012, coupled with a recent decrease in the fuel charge, the total monthly bill for customers using 1,000 kWh will increase by $3.86, from $122.67 to $126.53. Customers using 1,000 kWh per month currently pay $127.16, since Gulf Power’s approved interim increase on Sept. 22, 2011. The rate change is effective April 11.

 

FERC Accepts NERC’s Find, Fix, Track and Report Proposal

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) conditionally accepted a North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) proposal to streamline handling of possible violations of mandatory reliability standards that pose a minor risk to the bulk-power system. Under the Find, Fix, Track and Report (FFT) initiative, matters designated for FFT processing will be treated as possible violations that will not be subject to penalties but must be remedied and will be part of a utility’s compliance history. NERC will file monthly reports with FERC on the possible violations. FERC’s March 15 order sets several conditions related to identifying whether a possible violation qualifies for FFT treatment, documentation, accountability and deterrence. Only possible violations that pose a minimal risk to reliability are eligible for FFT treatment. An FFT matter will be considered closed 60 days after the monthly informational filing is submitted to FERC, unless there is good cause for a review.

 


 

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 Carina Miles 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 Carina Miles

 

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Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
http://www.fmpa.com />
Community Power. Statewide Strength. ®

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