Posted January 24 2006
 
State seeks ways to protect electrical system from hurricanes
 
By David Fleshler

 
TALLAHASSEE · The horrific electrical outages from Hurricane Wilma took center stage Monday as state regulators discussed how to harden the power system to withstand more frequent hurricanes. 
 
The Florida Public Service Commission, a state board that regulates electric utilities, called the session a "workshop," saying it was a forum to exchange ideas. But the commission made clear that it expected quick decisions on many of the proposals so that the necessary bills can be drafted in time for the spring session of the state Legislature. 
 
Among the ideas: Make it easier for cities to put lines underground; change laws to make it easier for power companies to trim trees; install stronger poles; install more poles; protect substations against flying debris. 
 
The workshop is one of several initiatives in Florida to brace the power grid against an onslaught of hurricanes that could last a generation. Meteorologists say the Atlantic Ocean has entered a revved up hurricane cycle that could last 20 or 30 years. Some scientists say the increased number of storms is the result of a natural cycle of oceanic temperature changes, but others blame global warming caused by human activities. 
 
"We have entered a period in the state of Florida of unprecedented hurricane activity," Commission Chairwoman Lisa Edgar said as the workshop opened. "We know here at the Public Service Commission that this changes the analysis that we have to do, that we need to think differently about the cost and the benefits." 
 
Speakers from the power industry emphasized that improvement would cost money, and that the state had to decide what sort of system it wanted to pay for. 
 
"It all boils down to how much money you're going to spend," said Richard Brown, a power industry consultant for KEMA Inc., which recently did a review of Florida Power & Light Co.'s record in the recent hurricanes. 
 
The commission's staff plans to consider proposals at its Feb. 27 meeting, with the commission sending proposals to the Legislature by early March. 
 
When Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida on Oct. 24, it knocked out power to more than 98 percent of the region. Thousands of people went without power for weeks, leading to a barrage of criticism against FPL. 
 
At Monday's meeting, representatives of FPL, Progress Energy and the state's other investor-owned utilities defended their reliability records. They also stressed the expense and difficulty of improving the system, although they acknowledged it needed to be done. 
 
Michael Spoor, FPL's director of distribution system performance, said KEMA, the company's consultant, found that its systems met or exceeded all safety standards and performed as expected. He said FPL has invested heavily in reliability, but he said the company was studying steps to cope with the likelihood of more hurricanes. 
 
"Our system performed well," he said. "But if indeed the weather has changed, then so must we." 
 
Commission staffers peppered Spoor with questions about the company's maintenance spending, pole inspections and tree-trimming. He was unable to answer several of their questions. He said, for example, that the company had invested more than $1 billion in its distribution system since 1998. But pressed on whether its maintenance budget has gone up or down over the past 10 years, he said he didn't know. Asked whether the company would change its tree-trimming tactics, he said he would have to check. 
 
Connie Kummer, a senior commission staffer, expressed frustration at the responses from FPL and Progress Energy. 
 
"I've heard a lot of, `We'll think about it' and `We don't know yet,'" she said. "Quite honestly, those aren't acceptable answers. We don't have six months or eight months or a year to do this." 
 
In the past, state regulators had dismissed the idea of putting lines underground as prohibitively expensive. The idea is getting a second look, although no one thinks it's practical to put all the state's distribution wires underground. 
 
Schef Wright, attorney for the Town of Palm Beach, said state procedures and FPL have made it difficult for the town to pursue a proposal to put its lines underground. It's difficult to get information on the cost or on comparative reliability, he said. And if the town agreed to spend $35 million on underground lines, FPL has made clear that it would expect to be paid for that part of the system if the town ever decided to take it over. 
 
Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-Palm Beach Gardens, has introduced a bill to encourage and streamline the process of putting lines underground. The bill would establish underground lines as the presumptive standard for new developments, direct the Public Service Commission to draw up rules to encourage it, eliminate barriers to such work and make clear that a city that pays for it wouldn't have to pay for the system a second time if it decided to set up a city-owned power system. 
 
One task for the commission and the Legislature will be to find simple proposals that can be in place in time for this year's hurricane season. 
 
Sen. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, applauded the commission's decision to pursue both long-term solutions and quick fixes. "The decision to get some recommendations to the Legislature in time for the 2006 season is a very good one," said Klein, who has introduced a bill to create the Florida Utility Preparedness Task Force. "The citizens of this state understand that all of our power and telecommunications problems are not going to be solved overnight. But I am insistent that whatever can be done must be done before this year's hurricane season." 
 
Dania Beach Mayor Anne Castro said the city offered to help FPL by having city workers act as the company's "eyes and ears," reporting rotting poles, trees near wires and other problems. She said the company never responded to the offer. 
 
She said there was considerable hostility toward FPL among her constituents, who went weeks without power and then saw the company announce plans to buy Constellation Energy of Baltimore for $11 billion. 
 
"The purchase of that company really aggravated a lot of people," she said. "There should be $11 billion going into the infrastructure of South Florida." 
 
David Fleshler can be reached at dfleshler@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4535. 

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