FMPA Weekly | Aug. 6, 2012 | Member Edition

INDUSTRY NEWS

Senate Fails to Approve Cybersecurity Legislation

The U.S. Senate failed last Thursday to pass legislation to protect the U.S. electrical grid, water supplies and other critical industries from cyberattack and electronic espionage despite waings from top national security officials about the potential for devastating assaults on American computer networks. The Cybersecurity Act, introduced by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) was rejected on a 52-46 vote — 60 votes were required to move forward with the legislation. Both Republicans and Democrats said they are committed to approving a final bill when they retu in September from a month-long recess. But deep divisions between the two parties over the right approach to cybersecurity will make it difficult to forge a compromise.

EIA Expects 27 GW of Coal-fired Capacity to Retire Between 2012 and 2016

Plant owners and operators expect to retire almost 27 GW of capacity from 175 coal-fired generators between 2012 and 2016, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said July 27. In 2011, there were 1,387 coal-fired generators in the United States, totaling almost 318 GW. The 27 GW of retiring capacity amounts to 8.5% of total 2011 coal-fired capacity and is more than four times greater than retirements performed during the preceding five-year period. The capacity retirements expected to occur in 2012 will likely be the largest one-year amount in the nation’s history, EIA said. However, the record is expected to be short-lived as almost 10 GW of coal-fired capacity is expected to retire in 2015. Factors contributing to the increase in planned retirements include: 1) modest demand growth has led to declining use of smaller, older, less efficient coal plants, 2) relative fuel prices that favor natural gas, 3) the availability of highly efficient natural gas combined-cycle power plants that are currently not fully utilized, 4) aging coal-fired generators concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio River Valley and Southeast, 5) the cost of compliance with existing and anticipated federal environmental regulations, such as the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, and 6) the cost of compliance with existing and anticipated state laws and regulations, including renewable portfolio standards.

Short List of PSC Candidates Released

Eight candidates will be interviewed to fill an upcoming vacancy on the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC), according to a list released last Tuesday by a PSC nominating council. Commissioner Lisa Edgar, whose expiring term will create the vacancy Jan. 1, is among the candidates on the list. Also being considered are: 1) Ken Littlefield, a former Republican House member who was appointed by then-Gov. Jeb Bush to a PSC term that started in January 2007, 2) Joseph “Jose Colon of Kissimmee, a member of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and a retired assistant vice president for Manufacturers Hanover Trust, 3) Glenn Forrest of Orlando, a senior professional engineer for the St. Johns River Water Management District, 4) Daniel Louis of Jacksonville, a consultant and retired chief administrative law judge of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, 5) William Martin of Winter Park, who has worked as a senior fiscal analyst for the Orange County Board of County Commissioners, 6) Donald Polmann of Dunedin, the director of science and engineering for Tampa Bay Water, and 7) Luz Weinberg, an Aventura city commissioner and director of communications for Bouygues Civil Works Florida, the builder of the Port of Miami Access Tunnel.