LTC 052-2008 FPL Report - Serving the Energy Needs of the City of Miami Beachm MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 052-loos LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: February 11, 2008
SUBJECT: FPL Report -Serving the Energy Needs of the City of Miami Beach
The purpose of this LTC is to transmit a copy of the Florida Power & Light Report titled
"Serving the Energy Needs of the City of Miami Beach" which was provided on February 7,
2008.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
JMG/DM
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Infrastructure in Miami Beach
FPL serves more than 61,552 customers in the Miami Beach area. Our service to the Miami Beach area includes
• 7 substations
• 75 feeders (main lines)
• More than 1,3901aterals (neighborhood lines) • More than 2,750 transformers
Numbers are approximate and subject to change
FPL Infrastructure
FPL serves 4.5 million homes and businesses in Florida.
Our goal is to provide the best service and technology
at the most affordable prices for our customers. To that
end, we use a diverse mix of fuels, including nuclear,
coal, purchased power, oil and natural gas, to stabilize
costs. In order to keep up with customer growth and
maintain the reliability of the system, we have made,
and will continue to make, significant investments to
our infrastructure and technology. Our service territory
infrastructure includes (some numbers are approximate):
• 13 power generation facilities (orange dots on map)
• 27,000 square miles of service territory in 35 counties
• 90 transmission substations
• 494 distribution substations
• 1.1 million poles
• 63,756 transmission structures
• 3,014 feeders (main lines)
• 199,5701aterals
(1st stage lateral or neighborhood line locations only)
• 41,619 miles of overhead power lines
• 24,679 miles of underground power lines
• 840,237 transformers
• 34 service centers
• 4 dispatch centers
• 2,430 vehicles in distribution fleet
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CIIY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is estimated that
the population of Florida will increase by nearly 80 percent
from 2000 to 2030. As a utility in one of the fastest growing
states in the country, FPL understands the importance of
expanding and maintaining our power delivery systems.
One of the hallmarks of FPL is our strong all-around
operating performance, especially in the area of everyday
reliability. FPI°s service reliability is among the very best
in the nation. We continue to set high expectations for
ourselves by developing sound plans and strategies to ensure
the dependability of our system.We take our commitment to
provide safe, reliable and affordable service to our customers
very seriously. That is why FPL works every day to ensure
dependable service to our customers while planning for
the future demand for electricity in our service territory.
The indisputable fact is that we live and work in a state
with the potential for volatile weather -which brings
many challenges for our customers and communities.
Our answer to this challenge is to employ a combination
of strategies. We have invested and will continue to
invest in our system. We focus on everyday reliability
and storm reliability through systematic maintenance.
We plan for emergencies, from preparation to restoration
and recovery. We listen and respond to our customers
and stakeholders. And, we give back to our communities
through good corporate stewardship and environmentally
sound practices. As we direct our time and resources, we
are accountable for our progress, and we are committed to
using what we have as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Energy Efficiency Can Make
a Difference in our Environment
We offer avariety ofenergy-efficiency and load-management
programs for residential and business customers, and we
encourage participation in these programs by offering
rebates and incentives to customers who participate.
• System-wide, over the past five years, FPL
performed 631,786 energy surveys and evaluations,
and awarded approximately $527 million to
residential and business customers participating
in our energy-management programs.
• With more than 1.8 million customers participating
in FPI;s industry-leading conversation and energy
management programs over the past two decades, the
reduction in energy demand has helped to avoid building
the equivalent of 11 medium-size power plants.
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
FPi;s primary objective of providing dependable electric
service requires that we know where we stand -how
we are doing. To that end, we continuously monitor our
system through numerous operational indicators to ensure
that we deliver safe, reliable service to our customers.
In the electric utility industry, the primary indicator
used to gauge power delivery is the Systems Average
Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), which is
the average annual number of minutes without
power per customer per year. FPL has proven to
bean industry leader in reliability, and our SAIDI
indicator exemplifies this accomplishment.
The service unavailability for customers within Miami
Beach area is lower than the FPL average and much
better than the latest available national average.
Everyday Reliability
Everyday reliability requires performing preventative
maintenance, monitoring the system, and planning
for the future. Our systematic maintenance programs
detect potential problems within our system, allowing
us to correct them before outages occur. We monitor
and evaluate our system to improve performance and to
ensure that all our customers can depend on FPI's electric
service. Our expertise in the industry, combined with our
understanding of the communities we serve, allows us to
strategically prepare for the power demands of the future.
Performing Preventative Maintenance -FPL has a
comprehensive portfolio of preventative maintenance
programs, which include routine inspections and repairs of
underground cable, vaults, pad-mounted transformers, poles
and wires. We perform visual and infrared inspections to
identify areas that maybe in need of proactive maintenance
before the equipment fails and causes a service interruption.
One of the technologies FPL employs is Thermovision,
a diagnostic tool used to identify potential service
reliability concerns. Its infrared scan detects temperature
136.2 Minutes
SAIDI =Systems Average Interruption Duration -ndex or the number of
minutes the average FPL customer is without power during a specific
time period. National average is based on the latest available industry
data. Does not include hurricanes or named storms.
*2D07 not yet available
differences in equipment due to abnormal current flow.
Using Thermovision, we combine an infrared inspection
of overhead power lines with a visual inspection to detect
faulty equipment, hot spots and vegetation conditions
that may require replacement or maintenance. In 2007,
FPL inspected approximately 23 percent of the main lines
(more than 3,300 miles of lines), allowing us to make
proactive repairs and reduce customer interruptions.
Thermovision Initiatives
in Miami Beach
• In 2006; Miami Beach, FPL inspected eight
main lines serving 9,237 customers.
• Using Thermovision in 2007, FPL inspected 10 main
lines serving 10,909 customers in Miami Beach.
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
Reliability in Miami Beach Average Time Without Power (SAIDI)
National Average FPL FPL
2006* 2007 Miami Beach
2007
Monitoring the System-We invest in specialized technology
to monitor the performance of our main power lines, and
focus our attention on those areas performing outside
acceptable levels. Our electronic monitoring system provides
performance data for our main lines for both interruptions
and duration of outages. We use this performance
information to direct our planned maintenance activities.
Planning for the Future -Wehave awell-planned system
expansion program to ensure that we have the electric
distribution capacity to meet the growing needs of our
present and future customers. Since 2005, we have added
more than 161 feeders (main lines) and 25 substations
system-wide, including four main lines in Miami Beach.
When determining new capacity needs, we consider both the
performance of our delivery system
and the potential growth of the
communities we serve.
As a part of this program,
.,
we incorporate operating
considerations and employ
a model main-line
program; this allows us
to rebuild existing main lines
or build new main lines, exceeding
the industry standards.
Hardening the Electrical Infrastructure
Strategic improvements are made to the electrical
infrastructure to bolster the system against high winds.
Today, FPIs construction standards meet or exceed all
required National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) safety
standards - in fact, most of our utility poles are currently
designed to be 50 percent stronger than the NESC
minimum requirements. Even so, going forward, FPL has
adopted the NESC Extreme Wind-Loading Criteria as its
standard for targeted system upgrades for distribution
facilities serving critical infrastructure facilities, and
those services that provide for the safety, health or welfare
of the public, such as hospitals and 911 call centers.
FPIs adoption of the NESC Extreme Wind-Loading
Criteria for these critical distribution facilities was a first
for an electric utility operating in the United States. This
decision is part of a multi-year comprehensive plan to
improve long-term resiliency of the electrical network,
and will undoubtedly have profound long-term benefits
to all of FPL's customers and the communities we serve.
Focusing on the most immediate impact, FPL chose 14
strategic main lines that supported four hardening projects
to be implemented in 2006. These facilities are key locations
that support some of the state's basic needs, including Port
Everglades, which supplies one-fifth of Florida's petroleum
needs. These hardening projects, which involved more
than 30,000 construction hours and the replacement of
more than 500 poles, were completed before the start
of the 2007 hurricane season. Going forward, FPL is
increasing the number of hardened main lines completed
per year -clearly demonstrating our commitment to
everyday reliability through constant improvement.
Hardening Initiatives in Miami Beach
• In 2006 and 2007 in the Miami Beach area, three out
of 75 main lines were hardened, directly impacting
approximately 2,200 customers and indirectly
impacting, all of the customers that depend on these
facilities. These circuits often serve community service
providers such as supermarkets, gas stations, etc.
• Before the 2007 hurricane season, two critical
infrastructure facilities in Miami Beach were hardened:
• Mt. Sinai Medical Center
• Miami Heart Institute
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
Increasing Line Clearing
FPL appreciates the beautiful lush landscape of trees and
shrubbery our state offers. They enrich the aesthetics
within our communities and support the environment
in which we live - we all have a responsibility to protect
and maintain them. We also recognize our responsibility
to provide our customers with reliable service and we
take that charge very seriously. An important component
of reliability is a proactive line clearing program to clear
away from power lines the branches and limbs that could
potentially cause safety hazards and power outages. FPL
has adopted such a plan for vegetation management.
Trimming Cycle - By employing a systematic maintenance
cycle, we ensure that trees are cleared, on average,
every three years around main lines, and every six
years for neighborhood lines. Circuits that serve top
Critical Infrastructure Facilities (CIF) are cleared, as
necessary before the beginning of every storm season.
Mid-Cycle Hot Spot Program - To augment main-line
trimming, which is on a three-year cycle, FPL adds an extra
safeguard by patrolling main lines midway through the
cycle, at about 18 months, to identify any trees that are an
immediate hazard to the system. This proactive program
identifies potential problems before they cause outages.
There are many challenges in the community to executing
this strategy, including the ability to earn customer
acceptance of proper trimming clearances. To assist our
customers in understanding the importance of this issue,
we have created the "Right Tree Right Place" program.
This program educates customers in selecting the right
tree and location before planting by considering tree
height at maturity, the location with regard to adequate
room for the root system and canopy of the mature tree,
and awareness of buried facilities and overhead lines.
System-wide in 2006 and 2007, FPL cleared
vegetation from approximately 11,000 miles
of power lines to prevent future outages.
in Miami Beach
• In Miami Beach during 2006, FPL cleared trees from
25 main and neighborhood lines, impacting
23,397 customers.
• In 2007, line clearing was completed for 29 main
and neighborhood lines in Miami Beach.
• For 2006 and 2007, this resulted in clearing
trees from more than 68 miles of power
lines in the Miami Beach area alone.
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
Line-Clearing Initiatives
Advancing Our Pole
Inspection Program
While FPL is installing more and more underground
facIlities every day, utility poles will be a fact of life for
the foreseeable future. To sustain this critical infrastruc-
ture, FPL has implemented a preventative maintenance
inspection program of our 1.1 million poles on an eight-
yearcycle. This commitment to everyday improvement
equates to inspecting approximately 500 poles every
work day. Taking it one step further, this program has
been enhanced to include even poles owned by other
utilities. System wide in 2006 and 2007, FPL inspected
approximately 225,000 poles.
Pole-Inspection Initiatives
in Miami Beach
• In 2006, FPL inspected 673 poles along 74 main lines in
Miami Beach, benefiting more than 23,397 customers.
• In 2007,1,219 poles along 37 main lines in Miami Beach
were inspected, impacting more than 28,261 customers.
Converting Overhead Lines
to Underground Lines
The conversion of overhead
facilities to underground can
be an effective mitigation
strategy for wind-related
weather events. In fact,
nearly 40 percent of
FPL's current system is
already underground, and
almost 70 percent of new
customers are served with
underground facilities.
However, converting existing overhead facilities to
underground has proven to be a challenge. There are two
major barriers to the conversion of existing overhead
facilities to underground: cost and placement of facilities.
In addition, FPL has developed an agreement form for
local governments by which underground facilities may
be placed in road rights-of-way, thereby reducing or
eliminating the need for private property easements.
Overhead-to-Underground
Initiatives in Miami Beach
In response to some local leaders who have indicated an
interest in converting their communities' overhead facilities
to underground, FPL has offered to invest 25 percent of
the conversion costs for local-government-sponsored
conversions. These collaborative efforts between FPL and
local governments are an important step toward making
it possible for communities to benefit from underground
conversions. FPL is working with four communities:
• Palm and Hibiscus islands
• Sunset 3 and 4
• Dilido
• San Marino
While all our improvements won't happen overnight,
we are committed to making progress every day.
Our system is stronger today than it was yesterday,
and it will be stronger tomorrow than it is today.
SER4ICE REPa]RT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 20D8
FPL Reliability
Initiatives in
Miami Beach
(2006-2007)
Pole Inspection Program
(feeder and lateral)
- Inspected 75 main lines in
2006 and 37 in 2007
- 1,892 poles inspected
- Customer impact: 51,658
Hardening Projects
- 3 main lines impacting Miami
Beach were hardened
- 2 critical infastructures were
hardened
Vegetation Management
- 54 main and neighborhood
lines cleared
- Over 68 miles of clearing
- Customer impact: 51,658
Thermovision
- 18 main lines
- Customer impact: 20,146
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7 SERVICE REPORT FDR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
At FPL, we embrace our responsibility of being good
stewards to the people and communities we serve. While
we take our charge and commitment to provide safe
reliable service very seriously, we are equally serious
about our commitment to be responsible corporate
citizens. To meet that obligation, we developed and
regularly participate in a number of community,
customer assistance and environmental programs.
Protecting and Preserving
our Environment
We believe that meeting the demand for the production
of reliable, cost-effective electric power must go hand-
in-hand with preserving, protecting, and enhancing
our environment. For FPL, this belief has translated
into a pioneering effort to develop renewable and
alternative energy sources with both the future
of our customers and our planet in mind.
Sunshine Energy" - To support the State of Florida's
comprehensive energy plan, which calls for using
a wide mix of fuel sources, FPL established the
Sunshine Energy program, which gives customers an
opportunity to support the purchase and development
of renewable power in Florida. This program has
been recognized by the National Renewable Energy
Lab as one of the top programs in the country.
Solar Energy - In planning for the future and as an
extension of our Sunshine Energy® program, FPL has
constructed a solar demonstration project at Rothenbach
Park in Sarasota. We also actively sponsor those who are
researching technology advancements that could make
solar an option for more broad-scale use in Florida.
Wind Power -Wind-powered generation presents a
challenge in Florida due to the low levels of sustained
winds and the costly technology. However, as technologies
advance, less wind should be required to generate
power. Drawing upon the expertise of FPL Energy,
our sister company, FPL is building astate-of-the-art
wind demonstration project in Florida. FPL Energy
is the largest owner/operator of wind turbines in the
country, with 49 wind farms operating in 15 states.
Ocean Energy -One of the most intriguing potential
options for power generation is harnessing the power
of ocean waves and currents such as the Gulf Stream.
FPL supports the development of this technology,
and we are working with Florida Atlantic University's
Department of Ocean Engineering to study the
long-term impacts and identify resources to take
advantage of this potential energy resource.
United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) -
Wejoined anational group of U.S. businesses and
leading environmental organizations calling on the
federal government to quickly enact strong national
legislation to address global climate change and achieve
significant reductions of greenhouse-gas emissions.
FPL Group was named one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable
Corporations in the World, one of only two U.S. utility
companies among the 1,800 international companies assessed.
We build, maintain and operate our plants to be
environrnentallyfriendly in the communities where
they are located. Currently, FPL generates 50 percent
of the energy our customers require from natural gas,
while oil makes up 10 percent of the company's fuel
mix. FPL's four nuclear units provide about 20 percent of
FPI;s power output without producing air emissions.
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 20D8
Our Mission: At FPL, we take our responsibility to our Miami Beach customers very seriously.
We are a critical infrastructure to the community, which carries great accountability, and we are members
of this community, both as a company and as individuals. We believe both roles are equally important.
Our mission is provide safe, reliable and affordable service to our customers, and be good corporate
citizens to the communities we serve, both today and in the future.
POWERING TODAY. EMPOWERING TOMORROW.®
SERVICE REPORT FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH -FEBRUARY 2008
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