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UTILTY BOARD APPROVES FISCAL YEAR 2009 BUDGET AND FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN
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08/28/2008 ~ The Utility Board approved Keys Energy Services (KEYS) Fiscal Year (FY)* 2009 budget and five-year financial plan (2009 – 2013), after a public hearing, during their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 27th. The FY 2009 budget for KEYS is $134-million.
Budgeted Operations & Maintenance (O&M) expenses for FY 2009 total approximately $118-million. The cost to purchase power represents approximately $85-million of the entire O&M budget, with property and liability insurance, materials, consulting services, training, salaries, and related benefits rounding out the difference.
Capital expenditures for FY 2009 total approximately $16-million, with additional funds transferred from the previous FY for projects whose scope spans the budget-cycle.
The FY 2009 budget also takes in to account a 3.75-percent Base Rate increase for energy bills. The Base Rate is a fixed charge and is the cost to provide service to customers. The current Base Rate charge for residential customers is $0.1231 per kilowatt-hour (kwh), the charge will increase to $0.1277 per kwh on October 1st.
The regular meeting of the Utility Board took place at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 27th, in the Louis Carbonell Board Room of the William Arnold Service Building, 1001 James Street, Key West.
*KEYS’ Fiscal Year runs from October 1st to September 30th.
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PROACTIVE INFRARED STUDY PREVENTS POWER OUTAGES
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 08/27/2008 ~ Keys Energy Services (KEYS) transmission and distribution employees have been working diligently to prevent power outages before they occur by identifying and repairing “hot spots” within KEYS Service Area.
Brady Infrared Company, a company hired by KEYS to perform infrared testing on transmission and distribution equipment, identified 206 heat anomalies, or “hot spots”, which would have resulted in potential power outages if left uncorrected. During the study, a special infrared video camera was used to detect these anomalies, which are a red flag for future equipment failure.
During the course of the yearly infrared study, one of the “hot spots” identified would have resulted in a power outage if left uncorrected to businesses along South Roosevelt Boulevard – including, Key West International Airport, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and East Martello Towers.
“Knowing that a component may fail gives us the opportunity to complete corrective maintenance prior to the actual failure,” said Lynne Tejeda, KEYS’ general manager & CEO. She added that, “our goal is to achieve the highest reliability possible.”
Thus far, 177 of the anomalies identified have been fixed. The remaining anomalies are scheduled for repair in the order of their severity and as schedules permit. Industry standards indicate such anomalies should be repaired within a 60-day timeframe, however, KEYS crews work to make repairs within the week, or the very next day, schedules permitting. Repairs can include cleaning, replacing, realigning, recrimping, and/or rewiring electrical connections.
KEYS performs an infrared study on a yearly basis. This is the 13th year KEYS has completed this study.
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KEYS ENERGY SERVICES CLOSED ON LABOR DAY
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08/25/2008 ~ In observance of Labor Day, Keys Energy Services’ (KEYS) offices will be closed on Monday, September 1st.
KEYS will re-open for regular business on Tuesday, September 2nd, at 8:00 a.m.
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KEYS’ TELELINK TELEPHONE SYSTEM SHINES DURING TROPICAL STORM FAY; CUSTOMERS ASSISTANCE STILL NEEDED TO UPDATE ACCOUNT INFORMATION
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08/21/2008 ~ Keys Energy Services’ (KEYS) TELELINK telephone call system recently took center stage during Tropical Storm Fay as it assisted KEYS’ employees with power outage and trouble calls.
The TELELINK system, which launched in June, permits customers to quickly report a power outage and also allow them to inquire about or pay their energy bill, update account information, and find out other information about KEYS’ programs and services – day or night, seven days a week.
Using the outage reporting system, customers can: report an outage; confirm the outage location; receive any available information on the outage and KEYS efforts to restore service; provide information on what may have caused the outage; and request a call back when the power is back on to verify their electric service has been restored.
The telephone system will also permit customers to: inquire about and pay their energy bill; update account information for KEYS’ records; and obtain information about KEYS’ programs and services.
“The TELELINK system works best when the telephone number customers are calling from to report an outage or pay their bill by phone is the same as the one that is reflected in their account,” said Lynne Tejeda, KEYS’ general manager & CEO. She added that, “by taking the time to update their information now, customers will help ensure a faster, more accurate response from KEYS."
KEYS’ customers are urged to log on to www.KeysEnergy.com and click on the TELELINK link or call (305) 295-1133* to update their account information for the TELELINK telephone call system.
*Note: This number is only to be used to update account information, all current KEYS’ emergency [(305) 295-1010] and non-emergency [(305) 295-1000] telephone numbers remain in place.
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UTILITY BOARD AWARDS CONTRACT FOR FIBER OPTIC INSTALLATION
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 08/14/08 ~ The Utility Board awarded a one-year contract for fiber optic installation services to Precision Contracting Services, Inc., at an estimated cost of $100,725.00, at their regular meeting on August 13th.
Precision will provide installation services to local governmental agencies wishing to interconnect to the $2.8-million, 65-mile long, fiber optic back bone throughout Keys Energy Services’ (KEYS) service area.
“The fiber optic back bone will interconnect KEYS’ facilities, allow for increased communication capabilities, and enhance remote features to improve upon power reliability and reduce restoration times,” said Lynne Tejeda, KEYS General Manager & CEO. She added that, “while the main purpose of the fiber optic installation is for improved efficiency of KEYS operations – the fact other local governmental agencies will be able to connect to fiber is an added benefit.”
KEYS staff is currently developing interconnection rates and usage fees for governmental agencies. Those agencies wishing to interconnect will work with KEYS who will subcontract with Precision for necessary line extensions and to connect their facilities to the fiber optic back bone.
Fiber optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending light through an optical fiber. The light forms an electromagnetic carrier wave which is modulated to carry information from point A to B.
The regular meeting of the Utility Board took place at 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 13th, in the Louis Carbonell Board Room of the William Arnold Service Building, 1001 James Street, Key West.
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