FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
April 1, 2013
LAST WEEK
Conservation and Renewable Energy Advisory Committee
FMPA’s Conservation and Renewable Energy Advisory Committee met last Thursday via conference call and approved renewing the All-Requirements Project’s Conservation Program for fiscal 2014. The Committee decided and will recommend to the Executive Committee to fund the program at $750,000, the same amount as fiscal 2013. Contact: Michele Jackson
Cane Island Unit 4
Cane Island Unit 4 was taken offline last Friday for a weeklong scheduled maintenance outage. Contact: David Schumann
THIS WEEK
FMEA Legislative Rally
Fred Bryant, Jody Finklea and Mark McCain attend the Florida Municipal Electric Association’s Legislative Rally on Monday and Tuesday in Tallahassee. Participants will meet with state legislators to discuss the most important electric issues in their communities.
Ten-Year Site Plan
FMPA’s System Planning Department on Monday files the Agency’s Ten-Year Site Plan with the Florida Public Service Commission. The plan describes FMPA’s estimated power generating needs for the next 10 years and identifies the location and type of any proposed near-term generation capacity and transmission additions. The full plan is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Michele Jackson
All-Requirements Project March Load Statistics
The All-Requirements Project’s peak for March was 1,013 MW, which occurred March 4 between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The project’s load factor for March was 58%. Load factor is a ratio of actual energy (MWh) used during the period versus what would have been consumed if demand was at peak for the entire period. A higher load factor indicates more effective system utilization and results in lower average costs. The month’s peak was 116% of the budgeted peak, and energy was 100% of the budget. A graph showing the All-Requirements Project hourly load for March is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Jim Atz
COMING UP
ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee will meet April 8 at 2 p.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project rate workshop. Contact: Jim Atz
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
The Policy Makers Liaisons Committee will meet April 17 in Gainesville to tour the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center biomass power plant. Lunch will be served at noon. The meeting and tour begins at 1 p.m. RSVP to Sue Utley so that FMPA has an accurate count for lunch and the transportation needed to tour the plant. Contact: Mark McCain
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors will meet April 18 at 10 a.m. at Bushnell City Hall. Contact: Nick Guarriello
ARP Executive Committee
The All-Requirements Project Executive Committee will meet April 18 at Bushnell City Hall at 10:30 a.m. or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello
Hazardous Waste Workshop
FMPA will host a Hazardous Waste Workshop on May 9 at 9 a.m. in the Board room. State and federal regulations require that strict management and disposal procedures be followed when handling hazardous waste materials such as solvents, cleaners, paints and fluorescent light bulbs. Daniel Stoehr of Daniels Training Services will discuss state and federal regulations and methods for managing these materials. Discussion topics will include: hazardous waste, used oil, waste storage, labeling and disposal training requirements, and emergency response procedures. The cost is $225, and http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=53>registration; is required. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
INDUSTRY NEWS
House Subcommittee Hears Bill to Repeal Nuclear Cost Recovery
The Florida House Energy and Utilities Subcommittee held a hearing last Wednesday with representatives from Florida Power & Light (FPL) and Progress Energy to discuss a 2006 law that allows power companies to charge customers for expenses related to the development of new nuclear power plants. Opponents of the law argue that customers can be charged and not reimbursed if power companies decide not to build the plants. Former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission member Peter Bradford suggested that while there has been an overestimation of the cost of construction of nuclear plants, the state should revamp rather than ditch the law. Among his suggestions would be to cap how much customers are charged and to allow the utilities to phase in the pre-operation rate increases after construction work has begun. Currently, Progress Energy and FPL customers pay approximately $2 per month to recover nuclear plant development expenses. The proposed bill would repeal the nuclear cost recovery law.
Florida Utilities Receive APPA’s Reliability Award
Ninety public power utilities, including five from Florida, received APPA’s Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation last week for providing customers with the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority and Lakeland Electric received the diamond-level designation and Homestead Energy Services, Kissimmee Utility Authority and Tallahassee Electric Utility received the platinum-level designation. The RP3 award requires demonstration of proficiency in four key disciplines: reliability, safety, work force development and system improvement. The 90 utilities who eaed the RP3 award this year join 94 utilities who eaed the designation in 2012, including three from Florida. The designation lasts for two years. Starting with the next round of applicants, the RP3 designation will last for three years. A list of all winners is http://www.publicpower.org/RP3/Utilities/content.cfm?ItemNumber=34550>posted; on APPA’s website.
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 Allison Briggs 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 Allison Briggs
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
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