FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Nov. 7, 2016
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LAST WEEK
Cane Island Unit 4
Cane Island Unit 4 came back online last Friday after completing a scheduled maintenance outage. Contact: David Schumann
Wells Fargo Line of Credit
FMPA closed last Tuesday on a three-year, $25 million line of credit with Wells Fargo. The resolution approving the line was approved by the Executive Committee in October. The new credit arrangement is expected to save $25,000 annually for the All-Requirements Project. Contact: Mark Larson
Fiscal 2016 Audit
Purvis Gray & Company, FMPA’s exteal auditor, began work last week at FMPA’s Orlando office on the fiscal 2016 audit. The auditors plan to be at FMPA’s office for two weeks to three weeks. The results will be presented to the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee in January. The committee will review the results and make recommendations to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for approval. Contact: Rick Minch
Solar PV Project Kick-off Meeting
FMPA staff members working on the development of a solar photovoltaic (PV) project met last week to discuss project development schedules, as well as the scope of work for Black & Veatch. Black & Veatch’s role will include support for the development of an RFP for a solar PV system and evaluation of bids. Contact: Michele Jackson
AMI System Evaluation
Cairo Vanegas from FMPA’s Systems Operation department travelled to Kings Mountain, N.C. last week with representatives from Newberry’s utility department and the Florida Municipal Electric Association to observe the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system in Kings Mountain. The group was evaluating the potential value of a similar AMI system to Newberry and other FMPA members.
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THIS WEEK
APPA Customer Connections Conference
Ryan Dumas will be in Nashville, Tenn., through Wednesday attending the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Customer Connections Conference. The conference is APPA’s annual meeting for professionals in customer service, energy services, key accounts and public communications.
FMPA-ECG Safety Training Program
Participants in the FMPA-ECG Safety Training Program meet Wednesday at 10 a.m. via conference call. This annual meeting is held to review program activities, solicit participant feedback and discuss program plans moving forward. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee meets Wednesday 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 October operations, loads, costs and rate calculations, and 4) estimated rate ranges for November and December. Contact: Jim Arntz
Solar PV Survey
Comments on a draft survey about solar energy are due this Wednesday to Sharon Smeenk for cities that are participating in FMPA’s solar project. The Market Research Task Force will meet Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. via conference call to finalize the survey and submit their customer information to GreatBlue Research.
FRCC Compliance Workshop
FMPA’s Compliance Department will attend the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) Compliance Workshop in Tampa on Wednesday and Thursday. The meeting is held twice a year to discuss reliability compliance standards for the bulk power system. Contact: Carol Chinn
Member City Visit
Jacob Williams and Frank Gaffney travel to Mount Dora and New Smya Beach on Thursday for member city visits.
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 Nov. 6. Contact: Jim Arntz
Special Dates
Congratulations to David Schumann, who celebrates 14 years with FMPA on Friday, Nov. 11.
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COMING UP
Energy Auditors Roundtable
Monday is the last day to register for FMPA’s Energy Auditors Roundtable on Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. in Tallahassee City Hall. The roundtable is a forum 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. Participation is free and lunch will be provided. Contact: Sharon Samuels
November Goveing Board Meetings
FMPA’s Board of Directors and the ARP Executive Committee will meet via conference call on Nov. 17. The Board of Directors meeting begins at 9 a.m., and the Executive Committee starts at 9:30 a.m., or immediately following the Board of Directors. Contact: Jacob Williams
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INDUSTRY NEWS
FMEA Honors Municipal Electric Utilities
Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) recognized 15 municipal electric utilities last week with Building Strong Communities Awards at the Energy Connections Conference. The utilities were recognized for their commitment to improving the quality of life in their community. Recipients of the 2016 awards included: Beaches Energy Services, City of Bushnell, Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, Gainesville Regional Utilities, Town of Havana, Keys Energy Services, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Lakeland Electric, City of Leesburg, City of Newberry, Utilities Commission of New Smya Beach, Ocala Electric Utility, Orlando Utilities Commission, City of Tallahassee and the City of Winter Park.
Florida’s Investor-Owned Utilities Agree to Moratorium on New Fuel Hedges
The Florida Public Service Commission approved an agreement last Wednesday that calls for a temporary moratorium on new fuel hedges for investor-owned utilities through 2017. Hedging is a risk management practice to manage the volatility of natural gas prices. The state Office of Public Counsel, which represents consumers, and business groups have complained that hedging has led to losses for utility customers. The agreement was filed last month by Duke Energy Florida, Gulf Power, Tampa Electric Company, Office of Public Counsel, Florida Retail Federation and Florida Industrial Power Users Group. Florida Power & Light agreed in a separate rate case to stop hedging and has said it would go along with the agreement reached by the other utilities.
Energy Rate Decreases Approved for TECO, Gulf Power in 2017
The Florida Public Service Commission approved energy rate decreases last Wednesday for Tampa Electric Company and Gulf Power effective in January 2017. Residential customers of Tampa Electric that use 1,000 kilowatt hours per month will see a one percent decrease to $104.68 from the current $106.22. Gulf Power’s residential customers will see a three percent decrease from $148.64 to $144.01. Gulf Power, however, has proposed a base-rate increase that could take effect later in 2017.
New President Announced for Duke Energy Florida
A new president for Duke Energy Florida was announced last Wednesday. Current President Alex Glenn will move to a position with the utility in Charlotte, N.C., and Harry Sideris, 46, senior vice president of environmental, health and safety for Duke, will take over as president in Florida effective Jan. 1. Glenn, 51, will become senior vice president of state and federal regulatory legal support for the North Carolina-based company. Sideris joined Progress Energy in 1996 and became vice president of power generation for Duke’s operations in the weste portions of North Carolina and South Carolina in 2012 after a merger of Progress and Duke.
FPL Receives Final Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Nuclear Project
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff concluded last Wednesday that there are no environmental impacts to preclude issuing licenses for Florida Power & Light (FPL) to build two proposed nuclear units at the utility’s existing Turkey Point nuclear power plant south of Miami. The NRC developed the Turkey Point project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement jointly with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Issuing the statement is part of the overall Turkey Point licensing review. The NRC staff continues to work on other aspects of FPL’s combined operating licenses for the reactors, all of which must be completed before the NRC can reach a final decision on the Turkey Point application.
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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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Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
http://www.fmpa.com<br />
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