FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
June 25, 2018
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LAST WEEK
ARP Credit Rating
Moody’s Investors Service affirmed a stable A2 credit rating last Friday for FMPA’s All-Requirements Project (ARP). The rating comes in advance of a planned offering of $60.37 million in ARP refunding revenue bonds. Moody’s pointed to the strong A-rating category weighted against the credit of the 13 active project participants, as well as the protection of bondholders and customers as the Vero Beach transaction is finalized. Moody’s analysis stated, “FMPA continues to provide well-established services to its members, including strong transmission system capability and resource adequacy, while maintain good liquidity.” The bonds are expected to close no later than July. Contact: Rich Popp
APPA Awards
Former FMPA General Counsel Fred Bryant was among four Florida public power leaders who were honored last Tuesday by the American Public Power Association (APPA) at the national conference in New Orleans. Fred received the James D. Donovan Individual Achievement Award for significant contributions to the electric utility industry and public power utilities. Other award recipients included Chris Gent, Kissimmee Utility Authority vice president of corporate communications; Michael Perri, Jr., Fort Pierce Utilities Authority Board member; and Amy Zubaly, Florida Municipal Electric Association executive director. Congratulations to all the deserving winners.
Board of Director Officer Nominations
FMPA’s Nominating Committee issued its recommendations last Wednesday for the Board of Directors officers for 2018-2019. The committee re-nominated Bill Conrad, Newberry, as Chairman; Barbara Quiñones, Homestead, as Vice Chairman; Larry Mattern, Kissimmee, as Treasurer; and Lynne Tejeda, Key West, as Secretary. Each officer is willing to serve if elected. The vote will take place July 18 at the annual meeting in Palm Beach. Nominations for Board officers also can be accepted from the floor during this meeting. Contact: Jacob Williams
Utility Call Center Support Services RFP
FMPA issued a request for proposals (RFP) last Wednesday for Utility Call Center Support Services. The RFP requests assistance responding to rollover customer service calls during business hours, after hours calls, responding to outage or emergency calls, dispatching utility staff, when appropriate, and providing value-added services, such as emergency notification and payment processing. The deadline for submittals is July 31. The RFP is available for download on FMPA.com. Contact: Sharon Samuels
Oleander Unit 5
Oleander Unit 5 completed a stack and capacity testing last Thursday to verify the megawatt output of the unit. FMPA has a power purchase agreement with Southern Company for output from the unit. Contact: David Schumann
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THIS WEEK
GE Technology Review
Representatives from General Electric (GE) meet Tuesday with FMPA’s power generation staff as well as plant managers from Cane Island Power Park and Treasure Coast Energy Center to discuss new technology for the 7FA fleet. The meeting will center on improvements to gas turbine turndown and flexibility. Contact: David Schumann
New Compressor Technology
David Schumann, Tim Jackson and plant managers from Cane Island Power Park and Treasure Coast Energy Center visit Florida Power and Light’s plant in Sanford on Wednesday to see a new compressor, which is a performance upgrade offered to increase output and efficiency. All three 7FA units at the Sanford plant have been updated to the new compressor.
Member City Visits
Luis Cruz travels to Fort Pierce on Wednesday to meet with Fort Pierce Utilities Authority’s cyber and IT teams to discuss technology solutions, communications and cyber challenges. The meeting will focus on improving mutual assistance in the technology space. Jacob Williams travels to Winter Park on Friday to meet with Director of Electric Utilities Dan D’Alessandro and other utility staff.
Utility Communicators Roundtable
FMPA and the Florida Municipal Electric Association host a roundtable for utility and city communicators Wednesday at 10 a.m. in FMPA’s Orlando office. The purpose of the roundtable is to discuss hurricane communications and other topics of interest to communication and marketing professionals at public power utilities. A conference call-in number and webcast is available for those not able to attend in person. Contact: Mark McCain
Florida Municipal Solar Project Committee
The inaugural meeting of the Florida Municipal Solar Project Committee is Thursday at 10 a.m. via WebEx. This meeting is for non-All-Requirements Project members participating in the solar project. The committee will select a chairperson and hear six information items: 1) committee charter, 2) power purchase agreement milestones and decision points, 3) promotional ideas and community outreach, 4) transmission studies and funding, 5) budget and funding, and 6) a meeting schedule. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Susan Schumann
Utility Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management RFP
FMPA is preparing to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for Utility Tree Trimming and Vegetation Management. The RFP will meet procurement requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and is expected to be issued the first week of July. Member utilities interested in participating in this collaborative bid should contact Sharon Samuels for a copy of the participation agreement.
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 June 24. Contact: Jim Arntz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Carol Chinn, who celebrates five years with FMPA on Sunday, July 1.
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COMING UP
Systems Control Roundtable
A Systems Control Roundtable will be held at FMPA’s Orlando office July 11 at 10 a.m. The roundtable is an opportunity for control center operators to discuss common issues, share best practices and provide support to fellow member utilities. The event is open to all system control personnel who are involved with daily system switching, trouble call dispatch and coordinated crew locations and field activities. Registration is free, and lunch will be provided. Contact: Mike McCleary
FMEA Annual Conference
Time is running out to register for the Florida Municipal Electric Association’s (FMEA) Annual Conference scheduled for July 17-19 at The Breakers in Palm Beach. The conference includes the annual FMPA Board of Directors luncheon and FMPA’s governing board meetings.
Policy Makers Liaisons Committee
FMPA’s Policy Makers Liaisons Committee will meet July 19 at 3 p.m. during the Annual Conference at The Breakers in Palm Beach. The committee will hold elections for a Chair and Vice Chair and conduct other business. A quorum is necessary for elections, so participation is encouraged. Contact: Mark McCain
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INDUSTRY NEWS
PSC Discusses Power Restoration
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) reviewed a draft report last Tuesday on preparing for future major storms. They also discussed undergrounding power lines and regular tree trimmings. The draft report, compiled by PSC staff, stated that hardening the electric system has helped reduce the length of power outages since the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. The report also stated that resilience and restoration must continue to improve to satisfy rising customer expectations. The PSC discussed asking the Florida Legislature to address utility right of way, perhaps allowing utilities to trim vegetation away from power lines despite city tree ordinances to the contrary. A final report will be presented to the commission in July.
APPA CEO: Utilities Need to Evolve with Trends
American Public Power Association (APPA) President and CEO Sue Kelly delivered a “State of Public Power” address last Monday at the association’s national conference in New Orleans. She said public power utilities need to pay more attention to global trends. She also encouraged utilities to model themselves after Amazon by providing customers with a convenient, one-stop shop for all electric needs. Kelly pointed out how this business model would make the industry more collaborative through the use of distribution grids. She highlighted the need for connectivity through technology. Kelly urged utilities to further utilize the data collected from smart meters to better serve customers. Kelly said utilities should tap into social media to raise awareness and better understand their customers. During the address, Kelly paid tribute to all the utilities who provided mutual aid during the 2017 hurricane season.
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FMPA Weekly is published by FMPA for employees and governing boards of FMPA member utilities. Questions or comments about this newsletter may be directed to Jeff Grainger or Lisa Rienhardt 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 learn more.
Have a question, comment or story idea for the newsletter? FMPA welcomes your feedback at any time. Contact: Jeff Grainger or Lisa Rienhardt