FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Oct. 24, 2016
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LAST WEEK
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors met last Thursday and approved: 1) additional funding from the Agency’s Development Fund for a joint-action solar PV project, and 2) the Market Research Task Force’s recommendation of a firm to conduct retail customer surveys for a utility-scale solar PV project. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Solar PV Project
The Board of Directors approved up to an additional $100,000 from the Agency’s Development Fund last Thursday for development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) project. With the funds, staff will develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) for engineering services to hire a consultant with expertise in the solar power industry. The Board of Directors also approved the hiring of Great Blue Research last Thursday to conduct a survey of retail customers about solar power on behalf of 13 cities that expressed interest in participating in the project. The Market Research Task Force recommended Great Blue over seven research firms that responded to an RFP. Contact: Michele Jackson
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee met last Thursday and approved: 1) Wells Fargo Credit Agreement for a Line of Credit, and 2) the appointment of Jacob Williams as FMPA’s representative to the Public Gas Partners’ Board of Directors. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
3 Phase Times
FMPA’s Power Resources Division published the September 2016 edition of 3 Phase Times. This monthly report provides information about the All-Requirements Project’s (ARP) system peak, hourly loads, resource fuel mix, natural gas usage, natural gas pricing and more performance information. The report shows that natural gas represented 74.9% of ARP’s total energy sources in September. ARP sold 54,711 MWh to the Florida Municipal Power Pool (FMPP) at an average price of $23.47 per MWh, which was lower than the estimated short-term forecast of 94,687 MWh. The FMPP Average Monthly Gas Dispatch Price in September was $3.19 per MMBtu, which is 17 cents lower than August’s average. For more information, download 3 Phase Times from the Portal. Contact: Frank Gaffney
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THIS WEEK
Public Notification of Pollution Incidents
FMPA staff and the communication professional at utilities that operate All-Requirements Project owned generation meet Tuesday at 11 a.m. via conference call to discuss the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s proposed rule regarding public notification of pollution incidents. The purpose of the meeting is to coordinate on details of the notification procedure for each plant site. Contact: Mark McCain
Market Research Task Force
The Market Research Task Force meets Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the First Floor conference room of FMPA’s Orlando office for a kick-off meeting with Great Blue Research, the firm selected to conduct market research for the solar PV project. The meeting agenda includes: 1) an overview of the survey project and process, 2) a review of survey objectives, 3) a discussion of an outline for the survey questions, 4) providing customer data for the survey sample, 5) a process and schedule for customer notification, 6) a process and schedule for a test sample, 7) identifying interest in the optional services, and 8) a discussion of the preferred report format and schedule. The full agenda is available on the Portal. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
FRCC Board of Directors
Jacob Williams and Frank Gaffney travel to Tampa on Thursday for the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council’s Board of Directors meeting and retreat.
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 Oct. 23. Contact: Jim Arntz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Terry Bus, who celebrates eight years with FMPA on Saturday, Oct. 29
Congratulations to Ed Nunez, who celebrates nine years with FMPA on Saturday, Oct. 29
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COMING UP
November Governing Board Meetings
The FMPA Board of Directors and the ARP Executive Committee will meet via conference call on Nov. 17. The Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m., and the Executive Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. or immediately following the Board. Contact: Jacob Williams
Energy Auditors Roundtable
FMPA’s Energy Auditors Roundtable will be held Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. in Tallahassee’s City Hall. The roundtable provides a forum for participants to discuss work procedures, policies, practices and other topics of interest. The roundtable is open to any utility staff member who has an interest in energy audit topics. Registration is free, and lunch will be provided. Contact: Sharon Samuels
Purchasing Roundtable
Registration is now available for FMPA’s Purchasing Roundtable on Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. in FMPA’s Orlando office. The roundtable provides a forum for purchasing personnel to discuss work procedures, policies, practices, industry changes and other topics of interest. The roundtable is free and open to any utility staff member who has an interest in procurement topics. Contact: Sharon Samuels
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Delay Rejected in FPL Rate Hearing
The chair of the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) decided last Thursday to deny a request to delay a hearing on Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) base-rate increase. The senior-advocacy group AARP last week requested a two-week delay for the hearing scheduled to begin this Thursday. Chairman Julie Brown issued a two-page order stating, in part, “Having reviewed the pleadings of the parties, and given the very limited scope of the evidentiary hearing scheduled for Oct. 27, the current schedule does provide an adequate opportunity for all parties to review the settlement agreement and prepare for the hearing. Parties to the settlement—including FPL, the Office of Public Counsel, South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association, and Florida Retail Federation—have agreed to base-rate increases of $400 million effective Jan. 1, followed by increases of $211 million in 2018 and $200 million in 2019. The settlement reduced FPL’s original $1.34 billion request by $529 million, or nearly 40%. AARP did not agree to the settlement, saying that the revised rate increase still would be harmful to residential ratepayers. Loxahatchee, Fla., residents Alexandria and Daniel Larson, who have also intervened in the case, also oppose the settlement.
Consumers for Smart Solar Has Raised $22.1 Million to Pass Amendment 1
Florida Power & Light (FPL) contributed another $560,000 to help pass a state constitutional amendment related to solar energy, according to a newly filed finance report. The money went to the group Consumers for Smart Solar, which is spearheading a campaign to pass what is known as Amendment 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot. In all, FPL has contributed $6.055 million to Consumers for Smart Solar since July 2015, according to a state Division of Elections database. Duke Energy has reportedly contributed $5.7 million, Tampa Electric Co. has provided $3 million and Gulf Power has given $2.1 million. Since forming in July 2015, Consumers for Smart Solar has raised $22.1 million and spent about $20.6 million. The ballot initiative would add to the Florida Constitution existing rules about the use of solar energy by private property owners. Supporters argue it would offer consumer protections. But part of the proposal has drawn opposition from groups, such as the Southe Alliance for Clean Energy, which contend that the initiative is designed to protect the financial interests of major utilities.
Homestead Celebrates 100 Years of Community Power
Homestead Public Services Energy is celebrating 100 years of providing reliable electric service to its community this week. A celebration will be held Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Attendees can tour the power plant and enjoy free cotton candy, snow cones, kids’ activities, electrical safety demonstrations and more.
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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 or Nikki Bloomfield 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.
Have a question, comment or story idea for the newsletter? FMPA welcomes your feedback at any time. Contact: Jeff Grainger or Nikki Bloomfield.
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