FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
March 12, 2018
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LAST WEEK
Municipal Solar Project
The Bartow City Commission, Lake Worth City Commission and Ocala City Council approved resolutions last week that will enable the cities to participate in the municipal solar project. Contact: Jacob Williams
AMI Workshop
Approximately 50 people attended the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) workshop last Tuesday at FMPA’s Orlando office. The purpose of the meeting was to share information and consider opportunities for working together to assist cities with AMI implementation. The presentation materials along with contact information for the presenters are posted on the Portal. Contact: Mike McCleary
Board of Directors Appointments
Three member cities appointed new representatives to serve on FMPA’s Board of Directors. Vero Beach appointed Councilwoman Laura Moss to serve as the city’s representative. City Manager Jim O’Connor will now serve as the alteate representative. Bushnell appointed Interim City Manager Jody Young to serve as its representative. Utility Director David Mulholland will serve as the city’s alteate representative. Winter Park appointed Director of Electric Utilities Daniel D’Alessandro as its representative. Senior Electrical Engineer Michael Passarella will serve as the city’s alteate representative. Contact: Jacob Williams
Business Planning and Budget Committee
Steve Langley, the deputy electric utility director for Mount Dora was appointed last week as a non-ARP Member of the Business Planning and Budget Committee. Jody Young, Bushnell’s interim city manager was appointed as an ARP member.
Florida Lineman Competition
Electric utility lineworkers from Tallahassee and Jacksonville eaed a trip to participate in a national lineworkers’ competition courtesy of FMPA as part of their prize for winning the annual Florida Lineman Competition held last Friday and Saturday in Kissimmee. Judges selected Justin Johnson of the City of Tallahassee as the top apprentice, and the winning joueyman team from JEA included Robert Hess, Brian Gregg and Greg Johnson. Johnson will receive $1,000 and the JEA team will receive $3,000 to pay for travel expenses to participate in a national competition. Join us in congratulating the winners and all the participants.
All-Requirements Project February Load Statistics
The All-Requirements Project’s non-Contract Rate of Delivery peak for the month of February was 881 MW, which occurred Feb. 21 between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. The project’s load factor for February was 67%. Load factor is a ratio of actual energy (MWh) used during the period versus what would have been consumed if demand was at peak for the entire period. A higher load factor indicates more effective system utilization and results in lower average costs. The monthly peak was 87% of the budgeted peak, and energy was 102% of the budget. A graph showing the All-Requirements Project monthly load for February is available on the Portal. Contact: Jim Arntz
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THIS WEEK
Municipal Solar Project Votes
Three FMPA cities are scheduled to vote Monday on participation in FMPA’s municipal solar project. Jacob Williams and Frank Gaffney are scheduled to visit Winter Park, Chris Gowder is scheduled to travel to Alachua and Dan O’Hagan is scheduled to travel to Wauchula and for the votes.
Stock Island Generating Facility
Tim Jackson meets with Stock Island Generating Facility Plant Manager Joe Weldon on Tuesday to provide an orientation of FMPA’s plant operations and to train Joe on the Generation Availability Data System.
Cost Competitiveness Workshop
FMPA’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Policy Makers Liaisons Committee will hold a workshop on cost competitiveness Wednesday at FMPA’s Orlando office. Lunch will be provided at 11:30 a.m., and the workshop will begin at 12:15 p.m. Following the workshop, participants can tour the Cane Island Power Park and observe maintenance work being done on Unit 4 as part of a planned outage. Contact: Jacob Williams
Municipal Disclosure Workshop
FMPA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee will hold a municipal disclosure workshop on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in the Board room. The purpose of the workshop is for goveing body training on municipal disclosure rules and policies and procedures. Both Board and Executive Committee members and alteate representatives are encouraged to participate. A dial-in option will be provided for those unable to attend in person. Contact: Jacob Williams
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors meets Thursday in the Board room at 9 a.m., or immediately following the municipal disclosure workshop. The Board will consider action items, including: 1) transfer and assignment of Vero Beach’s Stanton Project power entitlement share to the All-Requirements Project (ARP) and related contract amendments, 2) transfer and assignment of Vero Beach’s Stanton II Project power entitlement share to the ARP and related contract amendments, 3) transfer and assignment of Vero Beach’s St. Lucie Project power entitlement share to the ARP and related contract amendments, 4) general release and total discharge of Vero Beach from FMPA and provide for interlocal agreement-related filing, 5) a resolution to form FMPA’s solar project, 6) approval of human resources policy, and 7) engaging Dunlap & Associates, Inc. and PFM Financial Advisors LLC as FMPA’s financial advisors. The agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee meets Thursday in the Board room at 10 a.m., or immediately following the Board of Directors meeting. The Committee will consider action items, including: 1) Fort Meade Contract Rate of Delivery adjustment/supplemental power and ancillary services agreement, 2) Vero Beach’s power entitlement shares transfer agreements, 3) renewable energy power purchase agreement; the All-Requirements Project participation agreement; the solar project energy exchange agreements; the solar purchase agreement between FMPA’s All-Requirements Project and Alachua; and written consent permitting Bartow to purchase power from the solar project, 4) amendments to the ARP contract rate schedule B-1, and 5) financial advisor agreements. The agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
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 March 11. Contact: Jim Arntz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Karen Culpepper, who celebrates 15 years with FMPA on Saturday, March 17.
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COMING UP
GIS Roundtable
FMPA will host a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) roundtable on March 22 at FMPA’s Orlando office. The roundtable provides a forum for GIS staff from member utilities to exchange information, share best practices and network with peers. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be provided. Registration is available on FMPA.com. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Forum
FMPA and the Florida Municipal Electric Association will co-host a Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Forum on May 8 at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando. The event will include legislative and statewide updates, mutual aid best practices and other presentations. The cost is $75 per person and includes a light breakfast and lunch. The registration deadline is April 30. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
Lineman Roundtable
Save the date for FMPA’s next Lineman Roundtable scheduled for May 15 in New Smya Beach. The meeting is open to all levels of line crew personnel as well as any utility staff member. The roundtable provides a forum for lineworkers to exchange ideas on operating practices, safety, training, tools, equipment and more. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
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INDUSTRY NEWS
JEA Seeks Permit to Begin Demo of Power Plant
JEA filed plans with the city to begin demolition work at the St. Johns River Power Park in Jacksonville. The plant was shut down in January after JEA and Florida Power & Light received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to decommission the coal-fired plant. Both utilities say they can more efficiently serve their customers with natural gas-fired plants. JEA officials said the contractor will soon begin removing the packing from inside the cooling towers, and the towers are scheduled to come down in July. After the towers are to down, the site will be remediated and retued to industrial standards.
Sabal Trail Pipeline Targeted on Social Media
Russian agents used social media in an attempt to disrupt U.S. energy markets by stirring up protests against the Sabal Trail Pipeline and other pipelines, fossil fuels, climate change and other divisive issues, according to a Congressional report release last month. Sabal Trail runs through Florida, and Florida Power & Light is its primary customer. The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology said the same Russian entity indicted by a federal grand jury last month for tampering with U.S. elections is also responsible for this social media campaign. The report notes that between 2015 and 2017, there were an estimated 9,097 Russian posts or tweets regarding U.S energy policy or an energy event on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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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 Mason Troche 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 Mason Troche