FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
July 13, 2015
LAST WEEK
Distribution Reliability Annual Report
FMPA’s Distribution Reliability Measurement Program published the annual Distribution Reliability Report for 2014. The report compares the reliability indices of the 24 participating municipal utilities to the indices of Florida’s investor-owned utilities. In 2014, the Florida Municipal Utilities Group outperformed other utilities in the state for the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index for the 11th consecutive year. Based on the L-Bar reported for the investor-owned utilities, the average length of outages for the participating municipal electric utilities was shorter than four of the five investor-owned utilities.The average duration of interruptions on the distribution system for participating municipal electric utilities was the third best. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
Supreme Court Ruling on MATS Rule Has Little Impact on FMPA
The Supreme Court’s decision to remand the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule will not impact FMPA-owned generation. The rule, which would limit mercury and other air emissions from power plants, affects coal units, but Stanton Unit 1 and Stanton Unit 2 are already in compliance. The court determined that EPA did not properly consider the costs that the standards would impose on the electric utility industry and remanded the rule back to the D.C. Circuit Court for further proceedings. It is unknown how the Circuit Court will proceed. It could vacate the rule or require EPA to address costs. Contact: Michele Jackson
THIS WEEK
Interim Audit
FMPA’s independent auditors, Purvis Gray and Company, will be at FMPA’s Orlando office beginning Monday to conduct the interim audit. The audit helps prepare for FMPA’s annual financial audit, which takes place after the close of the fiscal year. The auditors will review financial information for the Agency and FMPA’s power supply projects. Contact: Rick Minch
St. Lucie Audit
FMPA’s Contract Compliance Auditors travel to Juno Beach, Fla., on Monday to complete an audit of billings from Florida Power & Light to FMPA’s St. Lucie Project. The auditors plan to be in the field for two weeks reviewing billings for calendar years 2013 and 2014. Contact:
Liyuan Woeer
General Funds Transfer Survey
FMPA will launch its annual survey of general fund transfer policies this week to FMPA members with a new online version of the popular survey. The comparative data will show retail sales, total operating electric revenues and electric fund transfers for participating cities. The survey was originally conducted in 2011 with All-Requirements Project participants, but it was expanded in 2012 to include all FMPA members. Responses are due by July 31. Results will be shared with survey respondents. Contact: Michele Jackson
Disaster Recovery Plan
Luis Cruz is in Tallahassee, Fla., on Thursday and Atlanta, Ga., on Friday to tour datacenters for an alteate processing site that can be utilized to continue critical Agency operations in the event of a hurricane or other large disaster. FMPA has a disaster recovery plan that includes an agreement with Datasite, which is located in Orlando. The Florida Auditor General recommended in its operational audit of the Agency that FMPA consider an alteate site that is sufficiently geographically distant from Orlando to minimize risk. FMPA plans to present its recommendation to the Board of Directors at its August meeting.
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 July 12. Contact: Jim Atz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Gary Fisk, who celebrated five years with FMPA on Sunday, July 12.
Congratulations to Sharon Samuels, who celebrates 17 years with FMPA on Monday, July 13.
COMING UP
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee will meet July 23 at 3 p.m. during the Florida Municipal Electric Association’s (FMEA) Annual Conference in Palm Beach, Fla. Contact: Mark McCain
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors will meet July 24 at 9 a.m. in Palm Beach following the FMEA Annual Conference. Contact: Nick Guarriello
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee will meet July 24 at 9:30 a.m. or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. The meeting will be held in Palm Beach in connection with the FMEA Annual Conference. Contact: Nick Guarriello
INDUSTRY NEWS
FPL Proposes $1.2 Billion Okeechobee Natural-Gas Plant
Florida Power & Light (FPL) plans to build a 1,600 MW natural-gas plant in northeaste Okeechobee County that would cost $1.2 billion and come online in mid-2019. The company said it plans to begin the regulatory-approval process in the coming months. The project will need to be approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Public Service Commission and other county, state and federal govement agencies. The proposed plant is part of other system improvements, including three solar power plants that FPL will build before the end of 2016.
FERC Approves FPL Purchase of Coal-Fired Power Plant
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) purchase of the Cedar Bay Generating Plant from CBAS Power Holdings LLC. FERC said in its 18-page order that the proposed deal would not have an adverse effect on competition. FPL announced in March that it planned to buy the coal-fired power plant for $520.5 million and then close the facility at the end of 2016. FPL entered into a long-term contract in 1988 to purchase power from the plant, but the utility said it can now generate electricity at a lower cost. The proposed deal also needs approval from the Florida Public Service Commission, which is scheduled to hold a hearing July 28.
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 Nathalia Romano 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 Nathalia Romano
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
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