Florida Municipal Power Agency

The Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a nonprofit, wholesale electric utilities and associated services company that serves its 30 Florida municipal electric utility system members. FMPA is a governmental entity, established as a separate legal entity pursuant to interlocal agreement. FMPA's statutory authorization is found in section 163.01, Florida Statutes, and part II, chapter 361, Florida Statutes.

FMPA was created on February 24, 1978, by the signing of the Interlocal Agreement Creating the Florida Municipal Power Agency. Originally, 17 municipal electric utility systems were members of FMPA. FMPA was created largely in response to the Arab oil embargo that hit the U.S. economy hard in the 1970s. At that time, many of Florida's municipal electric utilities were trying to determine how to survive, and small cities needed the economies of scale that a larger organization could provide. With a $2 million seed money loan, the original members of FMPA created an organization to serve and support them, and to ensure the survival and vitality of Florida's municipal electric utilities in the future.

FMPA's Members

FMPA's 30 municipal electric utility systems members vary in size and location. Currently, FMPA's members are:

[http://www.cityofalachua.com City of Alachua]

[http://bartow.govoffice.com City of Bartow]

[http://www.blountstown.org City of Blountstown]

[http://www.cityofbushnellfl.com City of Bushnell]

[http://www.clewiston-fl.gov City of Clewiston]

[http://www.ci.chattahoochee.fl.us City of Chattahoochee]

[http://www.cityoffortmeade.com City of Ft. Meade]

[http://www.fpua.com Fort Pierce Utilities Authority]

[http://www.gru.com Gaineswille Regional Utilities]

[http://www.greencovesprings.com City of Green Cove Springs]

[http://www.townofhavana.com Town of Havana]

[http://www.cityofhomestead.com City of Homestead d/b/a Homestead Energy Services]

[http://www.beachesenergyservices.com Beaches Energy Services]

[http://www.kua.com Kissimmee Utility Authority]

[http://www.lakeworth.org City of Lake Worth]

[http://www.lakelandelectric.com Lakeland Electric]

[http://www.leesburgflorida.gov City of Leesburg]

[http://www.morehaven-fl.com/city/ City of Moore Haven]

[http://www.ci.mount-dora.fl.us City of Mount Dora]

[http://www.cityofnewberryfl.com City of Newberry]

[http://www.ocalafl.org City of Ocala]

[http://www.ouc.com Orlando Utilities Commission]

[http://www.myquincy.net City of Quincy]

[http://www.cityofstarke.org City of Starke]

[http://www.stcloud.org City of St. Cloud]

Utility Board of the City of Key West, Florida

Utilities Commission of the City of New Symrna Beach, Florida

City of Vero Beach

City of Wauchula

City of Williston

Power Supply Projects

FMPA currently has five power supply projects:

All-Requirements Power Supply Project

The All-Requirements Power Supply Project (ARP) is FMPA's largest power supply project, and taken alone, is the fourth largest electric utility system in the state of Florida, with a peak demand of more than 1,600 MW. Fifteen of FMPA's member electric utility systems are currently participants in the ARP.

The ARP system stretches from Key West to the Town of Havana in the Florida Panhandle. While owning minimal transmission assets, FMPA is largely a transmission dependent utility, requiring access to, and use of, the eletric transmission systems of large, vertically integrated investor-owned electric utilities.

The ARP system includes numerous generation facilities, including the ARP's newest generation facility--Treasure Coast Energy Center Unit 1 (TCEC1). TCEC1 is a nominal 300 MW combined cycle electric generation station. TCEC1 achieved commercial operation on May 30, 2008, and is the most efficient and cleanest power station in the State of Florida at this time. TCEC1's primary fuel is clean burning natural gas, but the unit also has the ability to burn fuel oil as a backup. TCEC1 was built from the ground-up by FMPA, a project that began in 2005. Fort Pierce Utilities Authority personnel operate TCEC1, working under a contractual arrangement with FMPA.

t. Lucie Project

The St. Lucie Project was the first FMPA power supply project. Fifteen of FMPA's members participate in the St. Lucie Project, which owns an 8.8% ownership interest in the Florida Power & Light St. Lucie Unit No. 2 nuclear plant, a nominally 838 MW generating facility.

Stanton Project

Stanton II Project

Tri-City Project

Other Projects

Initial Pooled Loan Project

Florida Joint Action Health Initiative

Governance

FMPA if governed by its Board of Directors. Each of FMPA's member systems is entitled to appoint one director and alternate directors to serve on the Board. The Board governs the business and affairs of FMPA generally, and each of FMPA's projects, except the All-Requirements Power Supply Project.

ARP Governance

The ARP is governed by FMPA's Executive Committee. Each ARP Participant is entitled to appoint an Executive Committee member and alternates. The Executive Committee governs the business and affairs of the ARP and approves the FMPA general (non-projects) budget.

Management

There are four elected Board officers, two Executive Committee elected officers, and two appointed Board officers that, subject to the authority of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee have charge over managing the business and affairs of FMPA. Elected officers of the Board and Executive Committee are elected each year at the annual meeting of FMPA's Board of Directors, which has always been held in conjunction with the FMEA-FMPA Annual Conference.

Currently, FMPA's elected Board Officers are:

Chairman - James C. Welsh, P.E. (Kissimee Utility Authority)

Vice Chairman - Vince Ruano (City of Bushnell)

Secretary - Thomas W. Richards (Fort Pierce Utilities Authority)

Treasurer - Kevin McCarthy (City of Clewiston)

FMPA's elected Executive Committee officers are:

Chairperson - Thomas W. Richards (Fort Pierce Utilities Authority)

Vice Chairperson - Don Ouchley (Beaches Energy Services)

FMPA's Board appointed officers are:

Interim General Manager - Nicholas P. Guarriello

General Counsel - Frederick M. Bryant, Esquire

FMPA's senior management and legal staff consists of:

Thomas E. Reedy - Assistant General Manager, Power Resources

Mark J. Larson - Assistant General Manager, CFO and Risk Manager

Mark McCain - Assistant General Manager, Public Relations and Human Resources

Jody Lamar Finklea - Assistant General Counsel, Manager of Legal Affairs

Affiliated Organizations

Florida Municipal Electric Association, Inc. (FMEA)

The Energy Authority

Colectric Partners, Inc.

Public Gas Partners, Inc.

External links

* [http://www.fmpa.com FMPA's Website]
* [http://www.publicpower.com FMEA's Website]