FMPA Weekly | May 7, 2012 | Member Edition

FMPA Weekly

 

A weekly e-newsletter for FMPA members

 

May 7, 2012

 

 

LAST WEEK

 

ARP Meters and RTUs Upgrade

Juan Bailey recently completed the upgrade of 30 meters and 10 remote terminal units (RTU) installed in All-Requirements Project (ARP) member cities. The equipment was obsolete and no longer supported by the manufacturers. The new meters provide a multitude of programmable capabilities and match the standardized equipment used by Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy. The new RTUs are field programmable and also meet industry standards. They were rebuilt using new hardware and the existing enclosures. The upgrades were completed over a three-year period. By reusing the existing RTU enclosures and with assistance from member cities’ utility personnel during installation, the ARP saved approximately $50,000. Contact: Joe McKinney

 

All-Requirements Project April Load Statistics

The All-Requirements Project’s peak for April was 1,001 MW, which occurred April 4 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The project’s load factor for April was 64%. 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 month’s peak was 103% of the budgeted peak, and energy was 99% of the budget. A graph showing the All-Requirements Project hourly load for the month of April is available on the Member Portal. Contact: Jim Atz

 

 

THIS WEEK

 

Welcome Jane Stewart

Please welcome Jane Stewart, who joins FMPA on Monday as the new public relations inte. Jane is a student at the University of Central Florida where she is majoring in advertising/public relations. We’re happy to have Jane as a member of the FMPA team.

 

Member City Visits

Bud Boudreaux travels to Starke on Monday and to Mount Dora on Wednesday for member city visits. Nick Guarriello and Bud travel to Green Cove Springs on Thursday.

 

IEEE Conference

Chris Gowder, Md Haque, Jim Hay, John Lee and Susan Schumann are attending the 2012 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power & Energy Society Transmission and Distribution Conference and Expo Monday through Thursday at the Orange County Convention Center. The conference will include technical presentations, tutorials and panel sessions on topics including: 1) smart grid, 2) generation and transmission planning, 3) enhancing power system efficiency and more. Walk-up registration is available at the conference. Visit FMPA’s” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/news/meeting-calendar/156>FMPA’s meeting calendar. Contact: Mark Larson

 

Turkey Point Units 6 and 7 Update

Florida Power & Light meets with Florida’s municipal electric utilities on Friday at 10 a.m. in the Board room to discuss the status of Turkey Point Units 6 and 7. This is the third year in a row that FPL has held a project update discussion at FMPA. Contact: Michele Jackson

 

All-Requirements Project Weekly Load Statistics

The weekly update of the All-Requirements Project historical load graph has been posted on the Member Portal. The graph is updated through May 6. Contact: Jim Atz

 

Special Dates

Congratulations to Lindsay Lister, who celebrates six years with FMPA on Tuesday, May 8.

 

Congratulations to Diane Nelson, who celebrates 11 years with FMPA on Wednesday, May 9.

 

Congratulations to Chris Smart, who celebrates two years with FMPA on Thursday, May 10.

 

Congratulations to Julie Clark, who celebrates four years with FMPA on Saturday, May 12.

 

 

COMING UP

 

Audit and Risk Oversight Committee

FMPA’s Audit and Risk Oversight Committee meets May 17 at 8 a.m. in the Board Room. Contact: Rich Popp

 

ARP Executive Committee

The ARP Executive Committee meets May 17 at 9 a.m. in the Board room. Contact: Nick Guarriello

 

Energy Auditors Roundtable

FMPA’s Energy Auditors Roundtable is May 17 at 10 a.m. at the Winter Park Community Center. The roundtable provides a forum to discuss work procedures and policies, industry changes, equipment and other topics of interest. The roundtable is free. Lunch will be provided, and http://www.fmpa.com/index.php/component/registrationpro/?view=event&did=22>registration; is requested. Contact: Sharon Samuels

 

Business Planning and Budget Committee

FMPA’s Business Planning and Budget Committee meets May 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the Board room for its second review of the Agency’s proposed fiscal 2013 budget. Contact: Mark Larson


 

INDUSTRY NEWS

 

Major Coal-Buing Utility Shifting Toward Natural Gas
Southe Company expects its energy from natural gas to increase to 57% of its total energy by 2020 in response to new environmental regulations and low natural gas prices, according to Thomas Fanning, Southe’s chairman and CEO, in an April 25 quarterly conference call. With an energy output equivalent to the entire country of Australia, Southe has historically been one of the largest consumers of coal in the United States. Fanning said Southe bued more gas than coal during the first quarter and has halved its coal use since 2007 to 35% of energy sales. This year, its coal bu will drop to 45 million tons, compared to 56 million tons in 2011. Over the last five years, Southe’s gas-fired generation has increased to 47% of energy sales.

 

Progress Energy Requests Rate Increase

Progress Energy Florida filed its annual nuclear cost-recovery clause projections last Tuesday with the Florida Public Service Commission seeking to increase the amount it now charges customers for its planned nuclear energy project. In its filing, Progress said it is pushing back the expected completion date of the proposed Levy County plant by three years to 2024 because of lower than projected customer demand, lingering economic uncertainty regarding potential carbon regulation and the current low natural gas prices. The shift in schedule will increase the project’s estimated cost to between $19 billion and $24 billion, compared with a 2011 estimate of $17.2 billion to $22.5 billion. If approved, the recovery charge would increase to $5.09 per month for a residential customer using 1,000 kWh, compared with $2.86 in 2012.

 

EPA Carbon Rule May Affect More Natural Gas Units than Thought

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed carbon emission standard for new power plants may affect more natural gas-fired units than estimated by EPA, according to a http://www.uce3.berkeley.edu/WP_039.pdf?utm_source=New+UCE3+Working+Paper+039&utm_campaign=UCE3+39&utm_medium=email>study; by the University of Califoia Center for Energy and Environmental Economics. EPA estimated that 95% of base-load natural gas units subject to the rule—which includes combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units first operating between 2006 and 2010—would meet the standard, but that was based on predicted emissions. A review based on actual emissions and self-reported generation found that only 84% of those plants would comply. Only 71% of CCGT units planned for construction through 2017 would meet the EPA standard, based on predicted emission rates for those plants. The authors said the lower percentage was due to a trend toward smaller capacity units. CCGT units of 226 MW or less are predicted to fail to meet the standard. The vast majority of these combined-cycled units would be grandfathered before the rule takes effect; otherwise many would have to rely on carbon capture and storage to meet the EPA’s standard 30-year average emission rate. While natural gas units designed to meet peak demand are exempt from the rule, few of them would comply on an annual basis. Only 10% of simple cycle gas turbine units that commenced operations between 2006 and 2010 would meet the standard. Demand for simple-cycle units is expected to rise with increased deployment of renewable, the study noted. The study showed that no coal-fired generation would comply with the EPA’s standard 30-year average emission rate without future innovation in carbon capture and storage technology.

 

 

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 Ryan Dumas or Jane Stewart 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. (Click here for the Staff Directory.)

 

Have a question, comment or story idea for the newsletter? FMPA welcomes your feedback at any time. Contact: Ryan Dumas or Jane Stewart

 

 

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