FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
July 30, 2018
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LAST WEEK
Power Plant Maintenance
Cane Island Unit 3 was taken offline last Tuesday for short-notice maintenance. The outage lasted just five hours. Likewise, Treasure Coast Unit 1 was taken offline last Thursday for a short maintenance outage and came back online Friday morning. Contact: David Schumann
Interim Audit
An exit conference was held last Thursday with FMPA’s independent auditors, Purvis, Gray and Company, to discuss what procedures were performed and to review preliminary findings of the interim audit. The auditors will discuss the interim audit results with the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee at an entrance conference for the year-end audit. Contact: Jason Wolfe
Keys Energy’s 75th Anniversary
Jacob Williams traveled to Key West last Thursday to attend the 75th anniversary celebration for Keys Energy Services (KEYS). He met last Friday with Lynne Tejeda, KEYS’ General Manager and CEO.
General Fund Transfer Survey
There is still time for members to complete the annual survey of general fund transfers. The comparative data will show retail sales, total operating electric revenues and electric fund transfers for each respondent. Members are encouraged to complete the online survey for the most comprehensive results possible. Responses will be shared with participants once the survey is complete. Contact: Jason Wolfe
3 Phase Times
FMPA’s Power Resources Division published the June 2018 edition of 3 Phase Times last week. This monthly report provides information about the All-Requirements Project’s (ARP) system peak, hourly loads, resource fuel mix, natural gas usage, natural gas pricing and more performance information. The report shows peak demand in June was 1.2% higher than budget, and sales were 15% below forecast. The lower-than-forecasted sales were due to increased coal generation. Natural gas represented 81% of ARP’s total energy sources in June. FMPA sold 7% of its generation to the Florida Municipal Power Pool (FMPP). Pool sales helped offset ARP costs by 25 cents per MWh. The FMPP Average Monthly Gas Dispatch Price in June was $2.99 per MMBtu, which was 12 cents below budget. The equivalent availability factor of FMPA’s base-load units in June was 100%. For more information, download 3 Phase Times from the Portal. Contact: Frank Gaffney
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THIS WEEK
FERC Technical Conference
Carol Chinn is in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to attend a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Technical Conference. The purpose of the conference is to discuss policy issues related to reliability of the bulk-power system. Carol will speak on a panel representing the Transmission Access Policy Study Group to discuss advancing the reliability and resilience of the grid.
Member City Visits
Susan Schumann travels to Lake Worth on Monday, Homestead on Tuesday morning and Fort Pierce on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Florida Municipal Solar Project. Cairo Vanegas travels to Wauchula on Wednesday. Jacob Williams and Mike McCleary travel to Gainesville on Thursday.
Pilot Project for Single-Phase Reclosers
FMPA is seeking interested members to participate in a pilot project using single-phase reclosers to improve reliability. FMPA is planning to apply by Aug. 15 for a grant from the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Demonstration of Energy and Efficiency Development (DEED) program to help fund the pilot project. Interested members willing to commit some time and a little money to the demonstration project should contact Cairo Vanegas. FMPA will propose circuit selection criteria with the goal of selecting one feeder in multiple Member cities. FMPA will be the project manager and handle all phases of the project including procurement, training, engineering requirements, and deliverables to APPA.
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 July 29. Contact: Jim Arntz
Special Dates
Congratulations to Mike McCleary, who celebrates one year with FMPA on Tuesday, July 31.
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COMING UP
Substation Training Series
Time is running out to register for the next session of FMPA’s Substation Training series, which will be held Aug. 14-15 at Orlando Utilities Commission’s Engineering Building. The topic for this session is Substation Hazards and Controls. The hands-on course is designed to provide participants with in-depth instruction on substation-related topics and is tailored to the specific equipment of the attendees’ utilities. The cost is $900 per person for the two-day session. FMPA will invoice participating utilities after the course. Contact: Sharon Samuels
Crew Leader Roundtables
Utility crew leaders are invited to meet their regional counterparts by attending FMPA’s semi-annual crew leader roundtables in August. Registration is available at FMPA.com. Regional meetings will be held in: 1) Alachua on Aug. 15, 2) Havana on Aug. 16, 3) Homestead on Aug. 21, 4) Kissimmee on Aug. 22, and 5) Bartow on Aug. 23. Attendance is free, and lunch will be provided. Contact: Mike McCleary
Lineman Career Fair
Northwest Lineman College will hold a career fair Aug. 17 at its Edgewater, Florida, campus. Students attending the career fair are currently enrolled in the college’s 15-week Electrical Lineworker Program and will be looking for groundworker and apprentice opportunities in the electric utility industry. Cairo Vanegas will attend to promote careers in public power. Representatives from utilities seeking candidates for entry-level electrical workers who would like to attend in person or would like to have FMPA promote their job opportunities should contact Cairo.
ARP Solar Committee
The All-Requirements Project’s Solar Participants Advisory Committee meets Aug. 23 at 8 a.m. at FMPA’s Orlando office. Contact: Susan Schumann
FMPA Governing Board Meetings
FMPA’s governing boards are scheduled to meet Aug. 23 in the Orlando office. The meetings are a week later than normal to avoid conflicting with the Florida League of Cities’ annual conference. The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Board of Directors at 9 a.m. and the Executive Committee at 9:30 a.m. Contact: Jacob Williams
Frontline Training Course
FMPA hosts a course from the Frontline Utility Leadership series Sept. 12-13 at FMPA’s Orlando office. The two-day session will focus on human performance. The training is designed to develop well-qualified and highly effective utility leaders. Registration is available online. FMPA and Florida Municipal Electric Association members receive a discount by entering the code FMPA18 at checkout. Contact: Sharon Samuels
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Four Groups Protest Sale of Vero’s Electric Utility
Four protests were filed with the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) challenging the sale of Vero Beach’s electric utility to Florida Power & Light (FPL) and requesting the PSC hold a hearing. The PSC announced it will hold a two-day hearing Oct. 10-11, so the Vero Beach sale will not close Oct. 1 as anticipated. Protests were filed by The Civic Association of Indian River County, Florida Industrial Power Users Group (FIPUG) and two Vero Beach residents, Brian Heady and Michael Moran. The filing from FIPUG questioned the PSC’s order issued July 2 approving FPL’s petition to charge FPL rates to former city of Vero Beach (COVB) customers and approval of FPL’s accounting treatment for the transaction. In the commission’s decision, it authorized all FPL ratepayers to pay for FPL’s acquisition of Vero Beach, specifically, a $116.2 million premium that FPL paid above book value for the Vero Beach utility system. FIPUG’s petition states, “FIPUG respectfully submits that FPL shareholders or COVB ratepayers rather than FPL’s ratepayers should fund this acquisition adjustment premium.”
Supreme Court to Decide Who Pays for Turkey Point Environmental Clean-Up
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) filed a brief last Monday urging the Florida Supreme Court to uphold a decision that allows Florida Power & Light (FPL) to recover money from customers to pay for an environmental clean-up project at the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station. The project is intended to address a saltwater plume that moved from the plant’s cooling-canal system into nearby groundwater. Court filings show the clean-up costs could total $206 million over 10 years. The Office of Public Counsel is asking the high court to overturn the PSC’s decision allowing the cost to be recovered from customers. The PSC cited a state law that allows electric utilities to pass costs to customers for expenses related to environmental regulations, but the public counsel says the charges are due to noncompliance with regulations. The Supreme Court has not set a date to hear the case.
New Smyrna Beach Utility Selects Next CEO
The Utilities Commission of New Smyrna Beach last week selected Joseph Bunch as the utility’s next CEO to replace Ray Mitchum, who is retiring. Bunch currently serves as director of utility performance for Exelon Utilities in the Baltimore, Maryland, area. He is tentatively scheduled to start Nov. 1, although the commission still must approve the hire and details of the transition.
FMEA Elects New Officers
The Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) Board of Directors elected new officers last week at its annual meeting in Palm Beach. The new officers are President Joel Ivy from Lakeland Electric, President-elect Mike Poucher from Ocala Electric Utility, Vice President Allen Putnam from Beaches Energy Services, and Secretary-Treasurer James Braddock from Wauchula.
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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
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Florida Municipal Power Agency
8553 Commodity Circle
Orlando, FL 32819-9002
Tel 407 355-7767
Fax 407 355-5794
www.fmpa.com
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