FMPA Weekly | May 9, 2016 | Member Edition

FMPA Weekly

 

A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members

 

May 9, 2016

 

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LAST WEEK

 

Letter to Vero Beach

General Manger and CEO Nick Guarriello sent a letter last Monday to Vero Beach City Manager Jim O’Connor reiterating FMPA’s support to work with the city if it wishes to investigate options for exiting the All-Requirements Project and selling its entitlement shares in other FMPA power supply projects. An attachment to the letter outlined legal and contractual requirements that would need to be satisfied. At the Vero Beach City Council meeting last Monday, the Council unanimously approved a motion advocated by Indian River County to authorize the city’s outside counsel to join in discussion with Vero Beach, FMPA, Indian River County and others to pursue the sale of the Vero Beach Electric Utility.

 

Roof Replacement

The Facilities Department met last week with contractors who will replace the roof at FMPA’s Orlando office. Work is scheduled to start Monday, May 16 and is expected to take three weeks. All of the work will be performed at night or on weekends, except for the initial delivery of materials, to minimize disruption to FMPA business. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 

Power Plant Inspections

Representatives from FMPA’s property insurance provider, FM Global, visited the Treasure Coast Energy Center last Wednesday and Cane Island Power Park the previous week to inspect structures and safety systems. Their report has not been issued yet, but no immediate plant safety issues were identified. FM Global will visit the Stock Island Generating Facility in July. Contact: Rich Popp

 

Grantfinder.com Subscription

The Member Services Department purchased a subscription last week to Grantfinder.com to assist members in identifying potential funding sources. The service was purchased after several members requested assistance with grants and the service options were discussed with the Member Services Advisory Committee. The Committee approved purchasing the subscription for one year and then re-evaluating the value to members at the end of the term. Member Services will send out periodic emails with grant opportunities that that could be of interest to members. If you would like to receive these emails, contact Sharon Smeenk.

 

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THIS WEEK

 

ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop

The ARP Executive Committee meets Monday at 2 p.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project Rate Workshop. The agenda includes: 1) natural gas markets update, 2) liquidity update, 3) an overview of April operations, loads, costs and rate calculations, and 4) estimated rate ranges for May and June. Contact: Jim Arntz

 

7F Users Conference

David Schumann and Tim Jackson will attend the 7F Users Conference in Orlando this week. The forum brings together owners and operators of 7F gas turbines to lea about new technologies and best practices. This technology is used in three major All-Requirements Project generating units, including Cane Island Units 3 and 4 and Treasure Coast Unit 1.

 

Solar Workshops

FMPA has scheduled two workshops this month to discuss surveying retail customers about a potential solar photovoltaic project. Interested FMPA members are encouraged to attend one of two workshops. The first workshop will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. The second workshop will be May 18 at 2 p.m. At both workshops, participants will be asked to provide input on: 1) survey purpose and objectives, 2) potential survey components, and 3) intended uses for the survey results. Contact: Michele Jackson

 

All-Requirements Project Weekly Load Statistics

The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Portal. The graph is updated through May 8. Contact: Jim Arntz

 

Special Dates

Congratulations to Vickey Bidwell, who celebrates eight years with FMPA on Saturday, May 14.

Congratulations to Konrad Lisiewicz, who celebrates 10 years with FMPA on Sunday, May 15.

 

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COMING UP

 

Management Development Program

The second module of Series II of the Management Development Program will be held Tuesday and Wednesday next week at FMPA’s Orlando office. Discussion topics will include building effective teams and teamwork and leading positive change. Each series consists of three, two-day modules, which are held each month for three consecutive months. Contact: Sharon Smeenk

 

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors will meet May 19 in the Board room at FMPA’s Orlando office. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 

ARP Executive Committee

The ARP Executive Committee will meet May 19 in the Board room at FMPA’s Orlando office immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 

Florida Public Power Utility Ambassador Training

The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) will hold Florida Public Power Utility Ambassador training on May 19 at 10 a.m. at Orlando Utilities Commission. The training is intended to give public power utility employees an understanding of the different types of electric utilities and the importance of building strong, positive relationships with customers. Registration is available through FMEA’s website.

 

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INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Candidates Apply for PSC

Eleven people applied by last Tuesday’s deadline to fill a vacancy on the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). Three-term Commissioner Lisa Edgar had said she would not seek reappointment to her $131,000-a-year position when it expires at the end of this year. She said she plans to pursue other career opportunities. Among the 11 candidates is Palm Harbor resident Jeffrey Bragg, whom Gov. Rick Scott recently sought to appoint as state insurance commissioner. Other applicants include a staff member in Scott’s office and a Gainesville city commissioner. The Public Service Commission Nominating Council will short-list the candidates, and Scott will make an appointment later this year. Appointments to the five-member PSC are four-year terms and are subject to Senate confirmation.

 

FPL Asks for More Pre-Licensing Costs

Florida Power & Light (FPL) has asked the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) for permission to charge customers another $22 million toward pre-licensing costs for two proposed nuclear units at the Turkey Point Power Plant. The plant site in Homestead currently hosts two operating nuclear units. By the end of 2016, FPL customers will have paid $281 million toward development of the proposed units. Retail customers using 1,000 kWh per month are currently paying 34 cents a month in advanced nuclear cost recovery. The PSC will hear the request this fall. Several groups have challenged the license application and the advanced cost recovery.

 

Survey: Wildlife Common Cause of Outages

Wildlife near power equipment is the most common cause of power outages at public power utilities across the country, according to a survey by the American Public Power Association. Squirrels are the most common animal to cause outages, the survey said. They often mistake utility poles for trees and can be drawn to the heat from electric lines during cold weather. Of the utilities surveyed, 86% say they use squirrel guards on their equipment. Failure of overhead equipment was the second most common cause, according to the survey.

 

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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 Jeff Grainger 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: Jeff Grainger.

 

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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

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