HEADLINES

• FMEA Members Elect new Officers
• FMPA elects Board Members at Annual Meeting
• FMPA honors Nancy Gemskie
• APPA releases study of profits of unregulated generation owners
• PSC approves biomass plant for Gainesville

FMEA Members Elect New Officers

Members of the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA) have elected Paul Kalv, electric director for the City of Leesburg, as president of the organization’s board of directors. Other elected officers include Howard McKinnon, town manager for the Town of Havana, as president-elect; Grant Lacerte, vice president and general counsel of Kissimmee Utility Authority as vice president; and Barbara Quiñones, director of electric utilities Homestead Energy Services, as secretary-treasurer. 

FMEA represents the unified interests of 34 public power communities across the state, which provides electricity to nearly 3 million of Florida’s residential and business consumers. 

“Board members participate in regular meetings held across the state and are charged with setting the overall direction of the organization,” said Barry Moline, FMEA’s executive director.  “These individuals have established themselves as strong leaders on utility issues not only in their communities, but throughout the state of Florida.  We’re honored to have them serve as officers.”

FMEA’s new Board of Directors officers were elected on July 22, during its annual meeting in Naples, Florida. Other members elected to the board were Matt Brower from the City of Ocala; Zoila Easterling from the Orlando Utilities Commission; Craig Brewer from Fort Pierce Utilities Authority; and Ricky Thompson from the City of Starke.

posted 7.26.10

FMPA elects Board Members at Annual Meeting

Members of the Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) re-elected Vince R. Ruano, City Manager of Bushnell, as Chairman of the Board of Directors for 2010-2011 and re-elected Thomas W. Richards, P.E., Director of Electric & Gas Systems for Fort Pierce Utilities Authority, as FMPA’s Executive Committee Chairman for 2010-2011 during FMPA’s annual meeting held today in Naples, Fla.

Paul Kalv, Electric Director for the city of Leesburg, was re-elected as Vice Chairman. Lou Hernandez, Chairman of the Utility Board of the city of Key West, was re-elected as Secretary. Kevin McCarthy, Utilities Director for the city of Clewiston, was re-elected as Treasurer.

Matt Brower, Assistant City Manager, Utility Services for the city of Ocala, Fla., was elected as Vice Chairman. Brower is also an Alternate to the Board of Directors and a member of FMPA’s Governance Committee.

FMPA’s Board of Directors makes all final decisions for the power supply projects of FMPA, except the All-Requirements Project. Each of FMPA’s 30 members appoints one representative to the Board of Directors, and Board officers are elected by popular vote of the members.

Under a governance structure approved in May 2007, FMPA’s Executive Committee includes one appointed representative from each member of FMPA’s All-Requirements Project. The Executive Committee independently governs and manages the business affairs of the All-Requirements Project.

FMPA’s All-Requirements Project provides all the wholesale power needs of 14 Florida cities, including Bushnell, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Leesburg, Newberry, Ocala and Starke. All-Requirements enables municipal utilities of all sizes to become owners—not just customers—of an efficient statewide power system.

posted 7.23.10

FMPA Honors Nancy Gemskie

Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) and Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) paid tribute to former KUA board member Nancy Gemskie by naming the fourth generating unit at the Cane Island Power Park in her honor. After 10 years of service, Gemskie resigned from the KUA utility board July 14 to run for a seat on the Osceola County School Board. Her decade of service has been highlighted by notable contributions to KUA, FMPA, the Florida Municipal Electric Association and the American Public Power Association.

“Nancy’s contributions to the municipal utility industry have been numerous, important and
enduring,” said KUA president and general manager Jim Welsh. “This is a lasting way for us to recognize her leadership and a fitting tribute to her many years of service to our utility and industry.”

“Nancy has been a strong advocate for municipal electric utilities at both the state and national level, and we are pleased to honor her for her leadership and dedicated service,” said FMPA general manager and CEO Nicholas P. Guarriello.

The Nancy F. Gemskie Combustion Turbine 4 is part of a $479 million, 300-megawatt generating unit being constructed by FMPA at Cane Island. The natural gas-fueled generator will be operated by KUA and is expected to begin commercial operation in May 2011. When completed the new generator will provide electricity to 14 communities throughout the state, including the Central Florida communities of Kissimmee, Leesburg, Ocala and Bushnell, as well as Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Lake Worth, Newberry and Starke.

posted 7.23.10

APPA releases study of profits of unregulated generation owners

APPA has just released a study of the 2009 financial performance of the primary owners of unregulated generation in PJM. The study finds that the profits of these companies, especially the generation-owning subsidiaries, remained high or even increased in several cases.

Despite the fall in spot prices and the recession, the sum of all streams of wholesale market revenue, such as the capacity market and standard offer service contracts, provided a sufficient earnings cushion for these companies.

The study also demonstrates the need for a comprehensive analysis of earnings from all components of the wholesale market and generator costs.

View the study.

posted 5.28.10

PSC approves biomass plant for Gainesville

The Florida’s Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) and American Renewables’ joint petition for the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center, a planned 100-megawatt biomass plant.

Under terms of the 30-year energy contract, American Renewables will build, own and operate the biomass facility. GRU will purchase and own 100 percent of the energy produced. The plant will be fueled by a plentiful, local supply of leftover clean wood-waste using urban wood waste, wood processing wastes and logging residues.

GRU General Manager Bob Hunzinger said the utility needs to add biomass to its power generation mix for three main reasons: to improve the reliability of an aging generation fleet; to protect customers from rising costs in any one fuel type by adding diversity to a fuel supply that is currently dominated by coal; and to provide long-term cost savings to customers.

“The PSC has taken an important step today toward significantly expanding Florida’s commitment to renewable energy,” said Jim Gordon, American Renewables chief executive officer. “The Gainesville Renewable Energy Center will bring reliable, cost-effective renewable energy to GRU customers and spur significant economic development in north central Florida, resulting in more than 700 permanent new jobs."

Construction on the biomass facility is expected to begin in December 2010.

posted 5.28.10

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