FMPA Weekly | May 6, 2013 | Member Edition

 

 

FMPA Weekly

 

A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members

 

May 6, 2013

 


 

LAST WEEK

 

Cane Island Power Park

A special protection system (SPS) at Cane Island Power Park was brought online April 25 ahead of schedule and under budget. The SPS protects the electric transmission line from Cane Island to Intercession City from overloads by opening generator breakers to reduce attached generation capacity when the current exceeds the emergency rating of the line. The project was completed in partnership with Black & Veatch and Kissimmee Utility Authority. A SPS was installed in January 2012 to protect the transmission line from Cane Island to the Taft substation. Contact: Frank Gaffney

 



Fiscal 2012 Annual Report Printing
FMPA’s fiscal 2012 Annual Report is complete and was printed last Thursday. The report, titled “Good Energy, will be mailed to members later this month. Contact: Mark McCain


 


All-Requirements Project April Load Statistics

The All-Requirements Project’s peak for April was 962 MW, which occurred April 19 between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. The project’s load factor for April was 67%. 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 105% of the budgeted peak, and energy was 102% of the budget. A graph showing the All-Requirements Project hourly load for April is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Jim Atz

 


 

THIS WEEK

 

Rating Agency Updates

FMPA meets Monday via conference call with representatives from Fitch Ratings and on Wednesday with representatives from Moody’s Investors Service to discuss the state of the Agency and its power supply projects. Contact: Mark Larson

 


Hazardous Waste Workshop

The Hazardous Waste Workshop originally scheduled for Thursday is canceled. FMPA hopes to schedule a similar course for later this year. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 


Lineman’s Roundtable

FMPA’s semi-annual Lineman’s Roundtable is Thursday at 10 a.m. at Fort Pierce Utilities Authority’s Energy Services Center. The roundtable provides a forum for line crews to exchange ideas on operating practices, safety, training, tools, equipment and other common issues. Contact: Sharon Samuels

 


ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop

The ARP Executive Committee meets Thursday 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, FST and liquidity, 2) an overview of April operations, loads, costs and rate calculations, and 3) estimated rates for May through July. Contact: Jim Atz

 

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 May 5. Contact: Jim Atz

 

Special Dates 

Congratulations to Lindsay Lister, who celebrates seven years with FMPA on Wednesday, May 8.

 

Congratulations to Diane Nelson, who celebrates 12 years with FMPA on Thursday, May 9.

 

Congratulations to Chris Smart, who celebrates three years with FMPA on Friday, May 10.

 

Congratulations to Julie Clark, who celebrates five years with FMPA on Sunday, May 12.

 


 

COMING UP

 

Hurricane Response Workshops

Hurricane season is less than a month away. FMPA and the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) are offering two workshops on May 15 at Nova Southeaste University in Orlando to help members prepare. A representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will hold a free applicant’s briefing from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to discuss FEMA’s disaster assistance reimbursement process. Immediately following the briefing, FMEA will host a hands-on workshop from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. where an instructor will facilitate a mock disaster response to a fictional hurricane strike. The cost of the response workshop is $90 and includes lunch. Participants can register for one or both sessions on FMEA’s http://publicpower.com/uti-managing-hurricane-response-for-public-power-utilities/>website;. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 


Audit and Risk Oversight Committee

The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee will meet May 16 at 8:30 a.m. in the Board room. Contact: Rich Popp

 

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors will hold a special-called meeting May 16 in the Board room at 9:30 a.m. or immediately following the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 

ARP Executive Committee 

The All-Requirements Project Executive Committee will meet May 16 in the Board room at 10 a.m. or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello 

 

Nominating Committee 

The Nominating Committee will meet May 16 in the Board room at 12:30 p.m. or immediately following the ARP Executive Committee meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 


Human Resources Roundtable

FMPA will host a Human Resources Roundtable on May 22 at 10 a.m. in the first floor conference room. The roundtable provides a forum for participants to discuss topics such as benefits, recruiting, employee retention, training, policies and more. Lunch will be provided, and http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=54>registration; is requested. Participation in the roundtable via teleconference will be available for those unable to attend in person. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 

Energy Auditor Roundtable

Thursday is the last day to register for the Energy Auditor Roundtable at Jacksonville Beach City Hall on May 23 at 10 a.m. This semi-annual roundtable provides a forum for participants to discuss topics such as work procedures, equipment and materials, site-specific issues and industry changes. Lunch will be provided. Contact: Sharon Samuels

 


 

INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Florida Legislative Session Concludes on Positive Note for Public Power

The Florida Legislature concluded its 2013 regular session last Friday on a bipartisan note, taking advantage of a resurgent economy to overwhelmingly pass the largest budget in its history and giving pay raises to state workers for the first time in seven years. As the session adjoued Sine Die at 7:16 p.m., three bills supported by municipal electric utilities had passed: 1) providing a public records exemption for specified proprietary confidential business information held by an electric utility during its due diligence review of an electric project (SB 714/HB 649), 2) classifying coal ash byproducts to be non-hazardous and identifying allowable uses and standards for storage (SB 682/HB 659), and 3) increasing the penalties for the theft of utility services (SB 338/HB 191). The first two bills are on their way to the goveor for his signature, and the third bill already has been signed by Gov. Scott. In other legislative activity, a widely opposed bill that would have subjected municipal utilities to regulation by the Florida Public Service Commission did not advance. Momentum developed late in the session for a bill changing existing statutes that allow for advanced cost recovery of nuclear and integrated gasification combined cycle power plants. The cost recovery bill (SB 1472/HB 7167) passed both chambers and is on its way to the goveor for his consideration. This bill affects investor-owned utilities, so municipals had no position on the measure.

 


 

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

 


 

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Tel 407 355-7767
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