FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Aug. 28, 2017
LAST WEEK
Bartow Contract
FMPA’s Executive Committee and Bartow City Commission last week approved the power purchase agreement awarded to FMPA in June. Beginning Jan. 1, FMPA will supply 20 MW or more of peaking electricity to Bartow through 2020. Orlando Utilities Commission will supply the base load of approximately 40 MW. In 2021 and 2022, FMPA will supply all of Bartow’s power. This contract is an opportunity for FMPA to optimize its generation resources as part of the Agency’s strategic plan to lower electric costs and keep rates affordable for its customer-owners. Contact: Frank Gaffney
Bryant to Retire
FMPA’s General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer Fred Bryant announced last Thursday his plan to retire effective January 2018. Fred has served as General Counsel since the Agency’s inception in 1978. The Board of Directors will discuss a plan to fill the General Counsel position at the Board’s next scheduled meeting in September.
Disposal of PCB Materials Bid
FMPA is in the process of issuing a new bid for Decommission and Disposal of PCB Fluid and Contaminated Equipment & Materials. All members are invited to participate. Participation in this bid will save money through collaborative bidding as well as saving the time associated with the administrative process. More information on the bid is available in an email sent from Sharon Samuels last Tuesday. Those interested in participating should email Sharon by Friday.
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee (AROC) met last Thursday and approved: 1) revision to the power supply and resource planning risk management policy, 2) revision to the origination risk management policy, 3) revision to the contract risk management policy, and 4) annual review and assessment of the AROC Charter. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Rich Popp
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors met last Thursday and approved: 1) resolution 2017-B2 amendment to fiscal 2017 budget for the Stanton Project, 2) resolution 2017-B3 amendment to fiscal 2017 budget for the Stanton II Project, 3) resolution 2017-B4 amendment to fiscal 2017 budget for the Tri-City Project, 4) resolution 2017-B5 amendment to fiscal 2017 budget for the St. Lucie Project, and 5) evaluations of the General Manager and CEO as well as the General Counsel. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee met last Thursday and approved: 1) City of Bartow power purchase agreement, 2) economic development rate for high energy-intensive new business, 3) revision to the power supply and resource planning risk management policy, 4) revision to the origination risk management policy, and 5) revision to the contract risk management policy. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Award of Appreciation
Tom Richards, FMPA’s Executive Consultant, received an award of appreciation last Thursday for his service to FMPA. Tom had been involved with FMPA for 26 years, including serving as secretary of the Board of Directors, chairman of FMPA’s All-Requirements Project and Executive Committee, and a founding member of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee. His final Board meeting as Executive Consultant was last Thursday. Contact: Mark McCain
Grant Opportunities
Sharon Smeenk emailed a list of potential grant opportunities last Friday to interested FMPA members. The Member Services Department has a subscription to https://grantfinder.com/>
THIS WEEK
Enterprise Florida Meeting
Jacob Williams will meet with Tim Vanderhoof, senior vice president of business development for Enterprise Florida, on Tuesday to discuss FMPA and the ways in which municipal utilities can engage in economic development efforts. They will also discuss FMPA’s two economic development incentive rates.
Plant Managers Meeting
Jacob Williams, Carol Chinn, Frank Gaffney, David Schumann and Tim Jackson will meet in Orlando on Tuesday with managers from Cane Island Power Park, Stock Island Generating Facility and Treasure Coast Energy Center to discuss plant operations and share best practices.
Solar PV Project Meetings
Frank Gaffney and Michele Jackson will hold meetings this week with five All-Requirements Project members that have expressed interest in acquiring solar energy. At the meetings, they will review power purchase agreement pricing information from staff’s recent price discovery activity. These meetings are a part of FMPA’s joint-action solar project, which aims to help utilities incorporate solar into their generation resource mix by developing a utility-scale solar project that fits member needs.
Introductory Visits
Mike McCleary travels to Bushnell, Kissimmee and Winter Park this week to continue his introductory meetings with FMPA’s members. Mike has been asked to meet with line supervisory personnel for the cities to get their perspective on needs and opportunities. He wants to meet with all FMPA member utilities and plans to use insights from those meetings to develop a plan for expanding services in operational and technical areas. Members who have not yet scheduled meetings are encouraged to email Mike.
FMPA Weekly Readership Survey
The deadline to complete the https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XCP9G7Z>
Substation and Generating Station Maintenance Bid
The deadline to respond to the https://fmpa.com/invitation-to-bid-substation-maintenance/>
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 Aug. 27. Contact: Jim Atz
COMING UP
Labor Day
FMPA’s offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day. Have a safe and happy holiday!
ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee will meet Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project Rate Workshop. Contact: Jason Wolfe
IT Community Roundtable
FMPA will host an Information Technology (IT) Community Roundtable on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. at FMPA’s Orlando office. The roundtable provides an opportunity for IT staff to meet with peers from other member utilities to exchange ideas and experiences on current issues. Discussion topics include email usage, computer security, technical product help and more. Attendance is free and open to IT personnel on all levels. Lunch will be provided. https://fmpa.com/event/it-community-roundtable-3/>
INDUSTRY NEWS
Appeals Court Orders Second Look at Sabal Trail
A federal appeals court last Tuesday ordered the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to prepare another environmental impact statement related to the Sabal Trail pipeline, which transports natural gas to power plants operated by Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy Florida. FERC last released an environmental impact statement on the pipeline in December 2015, but the appeals court said the statement did not consider greenhouse gas emissions that would result from the plants’ usage of the gas carried by the pipeline. A spokesperson for Sabal Trail Transmission, LLC said that the ruling will not affect the pipeline’s operation, which is already in service.
Duke Files for Rate Increase
Duke Energy Florida filed a request last Thursday with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase rates by about 8.5% effective January 2018. If approved, residential customers using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month would see bills increase $7.14 to a total of $128.54. Duke said the increase is needed due primarily to an under-recovery of fuel costs in 2017. The PSC will hold hearings on the company’s fuel costs and other related expenses beginning Oct. 25.
Sempra Energy to Acquire Texas Utility
Sempra Energy, a Califoia-based energy services holding company, announced Aug. 20 a deal to purchase Texas-based Oncor Electric Delivery for $9.45 billion in cash. Sempra’s offer topped Berkshire Hathaway’s $9 billion bid made in July. The offer also follows the Public Utility Commission of Texas’ (PUCT) denial on June 29 of NextEra Energy’s motion to re-consider an $18.7 billion offer to acquire Oncor. NextEra is the parent company of Florida Power & Light. Sempra’s proposed acquisition will need approval from PUCT.
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 Holly Cammisa 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 Holly Cammisa
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Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
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