FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Dec. 16, 2019
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LAST WEEK
ARP Rate Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee held a rate workshop last Tuesday to review the November All-Requirements Project loads, costs and rates. Participant energy sales were consistent with the budget, and gas costs were 18% below budget, benefitting ARP costs for November. The November average billed demand and energy cost to participants was $58.33 per MWh, which was the ninth lowest monthly billed cost since FMPA initiated the monthly rate adjustment mechanism in March 2006. The billed costs for each of the past four months have all been among the 10 lowest-cost months. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jason Wolfe
ARP Restructuring Workshop
The ARP Executive Committee held a workshop last Wednesday at FMPA’s Orlando office to discuss restructuring options for the All-Requirements Project. Members provided input on potential restructuring priorities. The next steps are to schedule additional workshops in the first quarter of 2020 and work toward a decision on approaches by August 2020. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Finance Committee
FMPA’s Finance Committee met last Wednesday and approved two action items: 1) bond counsel recommendation, and 2) 2020 meeting calendar. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Linda Howard
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors met last Thursday and approved five action items: 1) fiscal 2020 management goals, 2) meeting schedule for calendar year 2020, 3) resolution 2019-B12 establishing the Solar II Project, 4) St. Lucie audit report, and 5) selection of bond counsel. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Solar II Project Ceremony
Solar II Project participants joined FMPA and Origis Energy after the Board of Directors meeting last Thursday for a brief ceremony to commemorate creation of the project. The Solar II Project will add 149 MW of solar energy to the Florida Municipal Solar Project. A picture from the ceremony and more information about the project’s expansion is available on FMPA’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact: Susan Schumann
ARP Executive Committee
The ARP Executive Committee met last Thursday and approved six action items: 1) fiscal 2020 management goals, 2) meeting schedule for calendar year 2020, 3) ARP Solar II participation, 4) Green Cove Springs contract rate of delivery amount, 5) selection of bond counsel, and 6) Homestead power purchase agreement. The full agenda package is available on the Portal. Contact: Jacob Williams
Cane Island Unit 3 Operating Record
FMPA presented a plaque last Thursday to Jay Butters and Larry Mattern of Kissimmee Utility Authority recognizing a record operating run at Cane Island Unit 3 of 194-continuous days. The staff at Cane Island was lauded for the outstanding operating run, ending Nov. 2 with a planned maintenance outage, that surpassed a previous record set in 2005 of 163-continuous days. The excellent operating record of FMPA’s base-load units helps keep power costs low. Contact: David Schumann
Mike Poucher Retires
Mike Poucher from Ocala Electric Utility announced his retirement last week. Mike has served on FMPA’s Executive Committee since 2015. Thank you, Mike, for many years of dedicated service to public power.
Charitable Giving
FMPA team members donated time, goods and money throughout 2019 to make life brighter for their neighbors in need. Team members organized frequent fundraisers and other activities throughout the year, including: 1) granting the holiday wishes for 70 children from Children’s Home Society, 2) raising $19,879 to support charities, including Heart of Florida United Way, the Russell Home for Atypical Children and Children’s Home Society, 3) collecting non-perishable food items to support the Russell Home year-round, 4) donating school supplies for underprivileged children, and 5) performing maintenance work on residential housing at Aspire Health Partners in Orlando. Contact: Sharon Adams
Wastewater, Valves and Fittings Bid Award
The wastewater, valves and fittings bid has been awarded to Ferguson Waterworks. The bid award is effective Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2025. This was FMPA’s first bid for wastewater pipes, valves and fittings. Contact: Sharon Samuels
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THIS WEEK
Member City Visit
Ann Beckwith and Navid Nowakhtar travel to Clewiston on Monday to discuss a preliminary financial model and rate analyses.
Planned Maintenance Outages
Cane Island Unit 2 is scheduled to come back online Monday after a planned maintenance outage. The unit at Treasure Coast Energy Center is scheduled to come back online Dec. 23. Contact: David Schumann
FCG Meetings
Susan Schumann travels to Tallahassee on Monday and Tuesday for the FCG Legislative Task Force and Environmental Committee meetings.
CAPE Training
Emmanuel Hernandez, Angel Rivera-Lopez and Carl Turner travel to Lake Worth Beach on Tuesday to train the utility’s engineers in the Computer Aided Protection Engineer software, which simulates transmission protection systems.
Cybersecurity Services RFP
FMPA issued an interest memo to members last week for its first cybersecurity services request for proposals. Members interested in participating in the bid should contact Sharon Samuels by Wednesday with interest and other aspects of cybersecurity to be considered for the upcoming bid.
SERC Assistance Program
Carter Manucy travels to Gainesville on Wednesday and Thursday to support SERC Reliability Corporation’s assistance program visit to Gainesville Regional Utilities. The program provides guidance to a utility’s compliance department and answers relevant industry questions. Carter will act as the Assistance Industry Subject Matter Expert for the visit. All registered utilities in the SERC region are invited to participate in the program. More information is available on SERC’s website.
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COMING UP
Holiday Office Closure
FMPA’s offices will be closed Dec. 24-25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. Best wishes to all for a safe and happy holiday.
Florida Lineman Competition
Registration is open for the 2020 Florida Lineman Competition to be held March 13-14 in Tallahassee. The event hosted by city of Tallahassee features journeyman and apprentice competitions, as well as training classes and sessions to practice essential skills in a safe environment. Competition information and registration is available on the Florida Municipal Electric Association’s website.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho from Ocala Announces Intent to Retirement from Congress
U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho announced last Tuesday that he will retire from Congress once his fourth term ends Jan. 7, 2021. Yoho set a four-term limit for himself when he was initially elected to Congress, promising not to become a career politician. Yoho has seven public power utilities in his district. He represents municipal utilities in Alachua, Gainesville, Green Cove Springs, JEA, Newberry, Ocala and Starke. Four candidates, including two Republicans and two Democrats, have already filed to run for the seat. Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn is among those interested.
PSC Approves Lower Electric Rates for TECO
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved a reduction in rates last Tuesday for Tampa Electric Company (TECO) to reflect $4.96 million in savings from Florida’s 2019 temporary state corporate income tax rate reduction. This credit, combined with other recent PSC-approved rate changes, will decrease the total monthly bill for TECO’s residential customers by $3.20 effective in January for those using 1,000 kilowatt-hours. Earlier this year, the PSC approved TECO’s use of $91 million from the federal 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act savings to cover restoration costs for recent tropical storms and hurricanes. TECO customers will see a one-time, tax-credit refund of $9.06 on January bills as a result of the true-up from the federal tax law change after TECO’s hurricane restoration costs. In September 2019, the Florida Department of Revenue announced that the Florida corporate income tax rate was reduced from 5.5% to 4.458% effective retroactively from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2021.
National Report Urges Action to Protect Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Attacks
The National Infrastructure Advisory Council published a draft report last week stating that cyber threats to critical infrastructure pose a threat to national security and urged President Trump to act. The report recommended that Trump create a Critical Infrastructure Command Center to share classified threat information with government agencies and companies likely to be targeted. It also urged the president to issue an executive order creating the Federal Cybersecurity Commission, a group tasked with mitigating potential cyber risks or attacks on critical infrastructure. The report was requested by the National Security Council after reviewing a worldwide threat assessment that concluded three countries have the ability to launch cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure.
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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 Melisa Inanc or Rachel Ilardi 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: Melisa Inanc or Rachel Ilardi
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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
Community Power. Statewide Strength. ®
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