FMPA Weekly
A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members
Sept. 27, 2010
LAST WEEK
Member Services Advisory Committee
FMPA’s Member Services Advisory Committee met last Wednesday and approved a motion to recommend associate membership in Electric Cities of Georgia to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Contact: Mike Siefert
Audit and Risk Oversight Committee
FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee (AROC) met last Wednesday and approved action items including: 1) a risk inventory update, 2) a risk review and recommended revisions to natural gas and fuel oil risk management policy, 3) a risk review and recommendation of an information technology risk management policy, 4) continuing McNeary for insurance consulting, and 5) risk review and recommendation of Keys Energy Services TARP agreement. A risk review and recommendation of the city of Quincy power sales agreement was tabled until the next AROC meeting scheduled for Oct. 27. Contact: Rich Popp
Board of Directors
FMPA’s Board of Directors met last Thursday and approved action items including: 1) a St. Lucie budget amendment, 2) a resolution for St. Lucie Project bonds, and 3) a retirement health savings account for the General Manager and General Counsel.
ARP Executive Committee
FMPA’s ARP Executive Committee met last Thursday and approved action items including: 1) training for FMPA’s goveing board members, 2) a revision to FMPA’s natural gas and fuel oil risk management policy, 3) a strategy and action plan for the 2010 Integrated Resource Plan, 4) additional funding for outside legal counsel related to the Lake Worth gas transportation issue, and 5) a Cane Island Unit 4 contract modification. The Executive Committee meets next on Oct. 28.
Goveance Training
FMPA’s Strategic Plan Action Item 5.3.1 calls for FMPA to provide annual training for its goveing board members. The ARP Executive Committee voted last Thursday to schedule the training in 2010. The training program will focus on a review of fiduciary and policy responsibilities, a discussion of how boards can operate with maximum effectiveness, a brief review of FMPA’s strategic plan, and an introduction to a board assessment process. Both the Executive Committee and Board of Directors are invited to attend the one-day training session scheduled for Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at FMPA’s Orlando office. Contact: Nick Guarriello or Mark McCain
Three Phase Times
FMPA’s Power Resources Division published the latest issue of Three Phase Times last week on the Member Portal. The newsletter includes information on the All-Requirements Project’s (ARP) system peak, hourly load comparisons, resource fuel mix, natural gas usage by resource, Cane Island Unit 4 project milestones and budget, natural gas market pricing and other performance information for ARP. Contact: Tom Reedy
HedgeSite
FMPA’s Energy Supply and Fuels Deparment published the latest issue of HedgeSite on the Member Portal last week. The newsletter contains updates on FMPA’s natural gas hedges, storage and physical gas supply, as well as industry updates, information on investor-owned utilities’ fuel costs and FMPA’s historical load trends. Contact: Richard Montgomery
CR3 Status
The concrete placement at Crystal River Unit 3 is now 51% complete, according to officials at Progress Energy Florida. Concrete placement continues at the 186-foot to 201-foot elevation. Rebar work continues at the 201-foot to 240-foot elevation.
THIS WEEK
Health Benefits, Labor and Employment Law Workshop
FMPA hosts a workshop on Health Benefits, Labor and Employment Law on Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at FMPA’s Orlando office. The workshop is designed for all utility personnel who need to understand and implement the comprehensive health insurance reforms that President Obama signed into law last March. Contact: Mike Siefert
ECAP Development Team
Participants in the Electricity Conservation Advisory Program (ECAP) meet Wednesday via conference call to discuss the updated calculation methodology and exchange updates on other action items necessary to create ECAP. The objective of ECAP is to communicate with retail customers during times of peak energy usage to encourage customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption. Interested cities are welcome to join the development effort. Contact: Mark McCain
ARP Business Model Working Group
The All-Requirements Project Business Model Working Group (BMWG) meets Thursday in the Board room at 10 a.m. The BMWG will discuss: 1) NERC criteria for demand side management, 2) a BMWG activities status report, and 3) alteative fixed cost allocators and capacity demand charges for the ARP.
Logo Apparel
Thursday is the deadline to order FMPA logo apparel. The Agency provides complimentary logo embroidery on two apparel items purchased per employee or Board member each fiscal year. Those who are interested should review the catalog on FMPA’s Member Portal and contact Sara Barron to place an order by the close of business Thursday.
DSM Task Force
Participants in FMPA’s Demand Side Management Task Force meet Friday at 9 a.m. via conference call to review and discuss a draft reporting form. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
New Fiscal Year Begins Friday
Friday is the first day of the new fiscal year. Accounting will begin closing the books on fiscal 2010 and preparing for the year-end audit. FMPA’s new travel expense reimbursement policy for All-Requirements members takes effect with the start of the new fiscal year. Highlights of the fiscal 2011 budget include an $81,775 reduction in the Agency’s budget. FMPA’s payroll and benefits budget was reduced by nearly $550,000 by removing funding for eight vacant staff positions, the budget for temporary employee services was removed saving $50,000, and the budget for travel, training and meetings was reduced by 20% or nearly $125,000. These reductions are offset, in part, by two significant Information Technology projects to document regulatory compliance with standards from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and support real-time, load data requests from All-Requirements members. The fiscal 2011 budget can be downloaded from the Member Portal.
ARP Conservation Program
FMPA’s All-Requirements Project Conservation Program is updating its reporting process for fiscal 2011 to improve data collection and energy savings estimates. Changes to the reporting process include: 1) a revised rebate form templates to collect additional data from recipients, 2) a revised quarterly report form including additional data inputs, 3) the inclusion of energy savings estimates to track conservation progress, and 4) a new reporting procedure that asks All-Requirements Project participants to track and report all energy efficiency program activity, regardless of the source of funding. Contact: Sharon Smeenk
All-Requirements Project Load
The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Member Portal. The graph is updated through Sept. 26. Contact: Jim Atz
Service Anniversaries
Congratulations to Michele Jackson, who celebrates two years with FMPA on Thursday, Sept. 30.
Congratulations to Fred Bryant, who celebrates 12 years with FMPA on Friday, Oct. 1, although he has been FMPA’s general counsel since the Agency’s inception in 1978.
Congratulations to Tim Jackson, who celebrates three years with FMPA on Friday, Oct. 1.
COMING UP
APPA Legislative Rally
The American Public Power Association (APPA) has scheduled its annual Legislative Rally for Feb. 28 to March 3, 2011, in Washington D.C. APPA’s Rally is the annual opportunity for members of the public power community to participate in the federal legislative process. Attendees will be briefed on important legislative issues and meet with congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. FMPA has budgeted funds to pay the travel expenses for 14 members to attend the Rally. Mark McCain will send an e-mail to FMPA’s members on Monday with more information about the Rally, and the first 14 to respond to his e-mail will be included in the travel reimbursement program.
Public Power Week
Municipal electric utilities across the nation celebrate Public Power Week from Oct. 3 through Oct. 9. What is your utility doing to celebrate? Public power has a great story to tell, and communicating that story during this time is an important way to build and maintain relationships with our communities. Free promotional material including logos, web resources and other tools are available on