2004-25728 Reso
RESOLUTION NO. 2004-25728
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, REQUESTING THE
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AND THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DETERMINE THE
WEAKNESSES IN FLORIDA'S POWER GRID THAT CAUSE
POWER OUTAGES DURING HURRICANES AND TO INCLUDE A
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS FOR ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, UNDERGROUND POWER LINES.
WHEREAS, for six months every year, the State of Florida experiences a hurricane
season in which it is subject to hurricanes, tropical storms, and increased incidents of
tornadoes, flooding, and other effects; and
WHEREAS, during the 2004 hurricane season, Florida has suffered catastrophic
losses as a result of the effects of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne; and
WHEREAS, although Broward and Miami-Dade Counties did not suffer the extent
of devastation and property loss suffered throughout other parts of the State during Hurricane
Frances, there were record power outages in those counties; and
WHEREAS, after Hurricane Frances alone, an estimated 2.8 million people lost
power and after Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne, thousands more continue to suffer the effects of
no electricity in addition to other devastating losses; and
WHEREAS, in order to address the problems associated with widespread power
outages throughout the State in the event of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or a
tropical storm, the Mayor and City Commission hereby request that the Florida Legislature
and the Florida Public Service Commission conduct a study to determine the weaknesses in
Florida's power grid which have resulted in massive power outages before, during, and after
hurricanes, and, to include in such study, a cost benefit analysis for alternatives such as
underground power lines; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND
CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA that the Florida
Legislature and the Florida Public Service Commission are hereby requested to study the
weaknesses in the power grid in Florida, including a cost be efi analysis for any alternatives
including, but not limited to, underground power lines.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 13th day of 0 tob
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APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR & COMMISSION
MEMORANDUM
TO:
MURRAY DUB BIN
CITY ATTORNEY
CC:
JORGE GONZALEZ
CITY MANAGER
RICHARD STEINBERG ~~ \ tjtI'-
COMMISSIONER
FROM:
DATE:
September 16, 2004
RE:
Resolution Requesting the Florida State Legislature and
the Public Service Commission to Study the Weaknesses
in the Power Grid
Please draft a resolution for the October 13th Commission Meeting requesting that the
Florida State Legislature and the Public Service Commission conduct a study to
determine the weaknesses in Florida's power grid which cause power outages during
hurricanes, including a cost benefit analysis for any alternatives (i.e. underground lines).
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my Aide, Ms. Dolores Mejia, at
extension 6834.
RLS/dm
Attachments: Newspaper Article, Miami Herald 9/15/04
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Agenda Item~
Date {O-f3-oq
Po.wer outages spark outrage
Page 1 of2
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Herald.eom
Posted on Wed, Sep, 15, 2004
HURRICANES
Power outages spark outrage
Broward County commissioners urged a study of the state's power grid, to determine why so many people
lost power before and during Hurricane Frances.
BY ERIKA BOLSTAO
ebolstad@herald.com
Broward County commissioners did some post-Hurricane Frances cleanup of their own Tuesday, passing a resolution that
asks state lawmakers to consider studying weaknesses in Florida's power grid.
Since Hurricane Frances stuck Broward County with only a glancing blow, commissioners asked, why were there record
power outages here and in other areas like Miami-Dade County, where the weather was unremarkable?
"If you look at the system, it's archaic," said Commissioner Ben Graber. .. We're still hanging power lines the way
Thomas Edison did,"
The commission also wants a cost analysis of the expense of placing more power lines underground, something that
could be required in new developments and in redeveiopment projects, said Commissioner Kristin Jacobs.
"I would think that we may be able to compel new development projects to put their lines underground," Jacobs said,
. 'I think we ought to take a multipronged approach to this problem, and this is just one way to tackle it."
At the storm's height, an estimated 2.8 million people lost power, said Florida Power & Light spokesman Bill Swank.
Some 1.8 million were FPL customers, making the outages the largest the company ever experienced.
FPL officiais estimate that power will be restored to everyone by Friday, and defended the company's efforts to turn the
lights back on after the one-two punches of Charley and Frances.
"No other utility in the country has ever faced a power outage of such magnitude and has restored the power in such a
short period of time," Swank said. .. Everyone thinks of their own situation, and they miss the big picture sometimes."
All Broward County homes had power by Tuesday, but 12 of the 30 Fiorida counties hit by outages from Frances still had
areas without electricity. Of those 129,500 without power, more than 52,000 are in Palm Beach County, which along with
the Treasure Coast was hit much harder by the storm.
"We're certainly not the only county that was affected by a power loss," said County Administrator Roger Desjarlais,
warning commissioners that they were considering expensive options based on the county's relatively minor brush with
the storm.
"Many, many more counties were affected for far more time than we were," he noted.
Underground lines cost about 10 times the amount of traditional poles, Swank said, but became an increasingly popular
option after Hurricane Andrew. FPL can install underground lines and tack a surcharge onto the bills of the customers
who have them, Swanks said.
About one-third of the company's distribution network is underground -- an estimated 60,000 miles of lines.
Swank pointed out that underground lines have their own problems. They can be flooded in a storm, and it can be
difficult to find and repair problems.
As a result, it can take longer to return power to areas with underground lines when they're knocked out.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/ states/t1orida/counties/broward _count... 9/15/2004