FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Sept. 12, 2017
LAST WEEK
Text Alert System
FMPA implemented a new text alert system last week to notify Board members of important information during an emergency. The first test messages were sent last Wednesday at 10 p.m. If Board members did not receive the messages or want to be added to the text service, they can join by texting “FMPABoard to 797979. In the body of the text, please include your name. Contact: Mark McCain
Hurricane Irma Preparation
FMPA prepared for Hurricane Irma last week by trucking in demineralized water to the Stock Island Generating Facility, topped off tanks at power plants and battened down the hatches at its units throughout Florida. Treasure Coast Energy Center was shut down Sunday to protect plant personnel and equipment from strong winds. FMPA purchased firm transmission service from Florida Power & Light as a contingency to provide power to member cities on the east side of the state. Contact: Frank Gaffney
Hurricane Irma Recovery
Neither Cane Island Power Park nor Treasure Cost Energy Center suffered any major damage as a result of Hurricane Irma. Both were made available on Monday. Stock Island Generating Facility is also available, and crews with Keys Energy Services are assessing damage to the transmission system. FMPA is assisting member cities in the restoration efforts following Hurricane Irma. About 65% of the state was without power at the peak and 250 high voltage transmission lines were out. Statewide estimates show that it could be a week or more before power is restored to the entire state. More than 30,000 resources from both inside and outside of Florida began restoration work on Tuesday. Contact: Jacob Williams
Social Media
FMPA was active on social media before, during and after Hurricane Irma. Information was posted about FMPA’s operations and news was shared from municipal utilities around the state. Follow FMPA on https://www.facebook.com/FloridaMunicipalPowerAgency/>
St. Lucie Unit 1
St. Lucie Unit 1 had to be taken offline Monday because of suspected salt water contamination. The St. Lucie Project will receive half of its normal output under the reliability exchange agreement as result of the shutdown. Contact: Frank Gaffney
Bartow Signing Ceremony
Officials from the City of Bartow and FMPA took part in a signing ceremony last Wednesday for the power purchase agreement awarded to FMPA in June. Beginning Jan. 1, FMPA will supply 20 MW or more of peaking capacity to Bartow through 2020. Orlando Utilities Commission will supply Bartow’s base-load power needs of approximately 40 MW. In 2021 and 2022, FMPA will supply all of Bartow’s power requirements. Contact: Jacob Williams
Excellence as a Supervisor II
The first module of Series II of FMPA’s Excellence as a Supervisor training, previously scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, has been canceled due to the uncertainties associated with Hurricane Irma. The module has been rescheduled for Sept. 26 and 27 at FMPA’s Orlando office. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
THIS WEEK
Orlando Office
FMPA’s Orlando office is without power as of Tuesday due to Hurricane Irma. We do not know when power will be restored. Many FMPA staff members are without power and Inteet service at their homes. Emergency staff members are making every effort to be available by cell phone and work remotely utilizing FMPA’s back-up computer system at its disaster recovery facility, which is operational. Contact: Jacob Williams
Member City Visits
Jacob Williams is scheduled to visit Lake Worth and Fort Meade on Tuesday and Kissimmee on Wednesday to discuss the proposed sale of Vero Beach’s electric utility. Frank Gaffney is scheduled to join Jacob in Lake Worth.
Rating Agency Meetings
Jacob Williams, Jody Finklea and Mark Larson are scheduled to travel to New York on Thursday and Friday to discuss the proposed sale of Vero Beach’s electric utility with representatives from Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investor Services and TD Bank.
Special Dates
Congratulations to Jacob Williams, who celebrates one year with FMPA on Tuesday, Sept. 12.
Congratulations to Kurian Varghese, who celebrates three years with FMPA on Friday, Sept. 15.
COMING UP
Executive Committee Workshop
A workshop for FMPA’s Executive Committee will be held 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
Goveing Boards
FMPA’s goveing boards will meet Sept. 21 in FMPA’s Orlando office. The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Board of Directors at 9:30 a.m. and the Executive Committee at 10 a.m. Contact: Jacob Williams
Power Line Design and Staking Certification Program
Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) will host level one of the Power Line Design and Staking Certification series on Oct. 17-20 at Nova Southeaste University in Orlando. The class is designed to teach engineers, stakers, joueyman lineman, line construction personnel and lineworkers the basic engineering of overhead, single-phase lines. http://publicpower.com/utility-training-institute-power-line-design-and-staking-certification-program-level-1/>
INDUSTRY NEWS
Hurricane Irma Strikes Florida
Hurricane Irma reached the lower Florida Keys early last Sunday. The eye of the Category 4 storm made landfall on Cudjoe Key at 9:10 a.m. with top sustained winds of 130 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. The National Weather Service estimated that a 10-foot storm surge hit Cudjoe Key. Around 3:30 p.m., Irma made its second landfall at Marco Island as a Category 3 storm that was nearly 400 miles wide. As of Monday at noon, approximately 65% of Floridians were without electricity, or 6.5 million customer meters out of 10 million in Florida. Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged people to be patient since it will take time to rebuild the widespread damage to electric system. Gov. Scott, the Department of Energy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are calling this the largest pre-planned response to a disaster in U.S. history. There are more than 30,000 electric crews ready to support Florida. More than 1,000 municipal crews are coming from outside Florida to support the 1,000 municipal crews in the state.
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on FERC Nominees
Nominees to fill two seats on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) appeared at a hearing last Thursday before the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee. Kevin McIntyre, President Trump’s nominee for chairman, and Richard Glick answer questions from committee members. An interesting moment in an otherwise routine hearing came when a senator from Wyoming asked the nominees about coal’s critical role in electricity reliability and resilience. McIntyre said coal has played an important role supplying base-load power, but FERC’s role is not to choose fuels. He said FERC will take “a hard look at this very important question and determine where FERC’s role is. Glick agreed. No objections about the nominees were voiced by committee members. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the committee chair, hopes to vote on the nominations as soon as possible.
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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 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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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. ®
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