FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Sept. 5, 2017
LAST WEEK
Substation and Generating Station Maintenance
FMPA received six proposals last Thursday in response to the Invitation to Bid for Substation and Generating Station Maintenance. The Member Services team plans to issue an award by the end of September. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
THIS WEEK
Bartow Signing Ceremony
Officials from the City of Bartow and FMPA take part in a signing ceremony Wednesday for the power purchase agreement awarded to FMPA in June. Contact: Jacob Williams
FMPA, Vero Beach & FPL Meeting
Jacob Williams, Jody Finklea and Mark Larson will meet with representatives from Florida Power & Light (FPL) and Vero Beach on Thursday to continue discussing the process and schedule for selling Vero Beach’s electric utility.
Member City Visit
Jacob Williams travels to St. Cloud on Thursday for a meeting with Interim City Manager Bill Sturgeon, Senior Accountant Donna Cooley and Councilman Don Shroyer to discuss the proposed sale of Vero Beach’s electric utility.
ARP Telephonic Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee meets Thursday at 2 p.m. via conference call for the monthly All-Requirements Project Rate Workshop. The agenda includes: 1) natural gas markets update, 2) overview of August loads, 3) resource update for August, and 4) review of August ARP rate calculation. Contact: Jason Wolfe
Special Dates
Congratulations to Navid Nowakhtar, who celebrates one year with FMPA on Wednesday, Sept. 6.
Congratulations to Cairo Vanegas, who celebrates three years with FMPA on Friday, Sept. 8.
Congratulations to Ann Beckwith, who celebrates 16 years with FMPA on Sunday, Sept. 10.
COMING UP
Executive Committee Workshop
A workshop for FMPA’s Executive Committee has been scheduled for Sept. 20 at 2:30 p.m. in the Board room of FMPA’s Orlando office. On the agenda is a discussion about “reducing rates for members—drivers and next steps. Contact: Jacob Williams
Meter Tech Roundtable
FMPA will hold a Meter Tech Roundtable on Sept. 20 in Jacksonville. The roundtable is a forum to discuss topics such as policies, procedures, equipment, technology, safety, training, apprentice programs and more. The roundtable will be hosted by JEA and includes a tour of JEA’s metering operations. The event is open to anyone who has an interest in metering or meter-related topics. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided. https://fmpa.com/event/meter-tech-roundtable/>
Electric Utility System Operations
Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) will host an Electric Utility Systems Operations class on Oct. 3-5 at Nova Southeaste University in Orlando. The class is designed to give participants with no electrical background an understanding of electric utility operations and serves as a review for participants familiar with electrical systems. Key topics of discussion include: 1) generation, 2) energy consumption, 3) 3-phase systems and more. http://publicpower.com/utility-training-institute-electric-utility-system-operations-2/>
Linemen Roundtable
FMPA’s Linemen Roundtable is scheduled for Oct. 26 at Beaches Energy Services in Jacksonville Beach. The roundtable is open to all levels of utility line crew personnel and any utility staff member who has an interest in transmission and distribution related topics. The roundtable provides a forum for line crews to exchange ideas on operating practices, safety, training, tools, equipment and more. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided. https://fmpa.com/event/linemens-roundtable-october-26-2017/>
INDUSTRY NEWS
TECO Files Rate Increase Request
Customers of Tampa Electric Company (TECO) could see a one percent to two percent increase in electric bills beginning January 2018 if a recently filed rate increase request is approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). TECO residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month would pay $106, up from the current rate of $104.68. TECO said the increase is related to refunds provided to customers in 2017 because the utility collected too much money for fuel during the previous year. The refunds will end in 2018, resulting in the increases. The PSC will consider the request during an Oct. 25 hearing.
Duke Energy and Consumer Groups File Rate Settlement Agreement
Duke Energy Florida filed a settlement agreement last Tuesday at the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) seeking approval for a wide-ranging agreement reached with consumer groups. The settlement with the Office of Public Counsel, business groups and renewable-energy groups includes: 1) eliminating the possibility of building nuclear reactors in Levy County and Duke absorbing some of the unbilled costs, 2) agreeing to base-rate increases of $67 million per year from 2019 through 2021, or one percent to three percent per year, Duke said, 3) committing to build 175 MW in solar projects over four years and being able to seek base-rate increases for those facilities starting in 2019 as they begin operation, 4) recovering past fuel-cost under-recoveries over the next two years rather than all in 2018, and 5) allowing Duke a retu on equity of 10.5%. Duke and the other parties asked the PSC to hold a hearing on the settlement by Dec. 1 and approve it effective in January. Duke had requested in late-August an 8.5% rate increase in 2018, which means a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month would have paid $128.54. Duke officials said last week that the combination of ending the Levy nuclear project and spreading out the fuel cost recovery would reduce that amount by about $5 a month.
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
Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
http://www.fmpa.com>www.fmpa.com
Community Power. Statewide Strength. ®