The Frankfort Plant Board (FPB) News and Updates page provides customers detailed information on all pertinent happenings regarding FPB including, boil water advisories, network negotiations, outage reports and more.
The Frankfort Plant Board will close KY-420 to traffic this Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This closure is required for electric crews to replace underground electric facilities that run under the state parking garage on KY-420. The road will be closed from the intersection of KY-676 and KY-420 at the east-west connector to the intersection of Todd St. and Murray St.
The Water Department of the Frankfort Plant Board advises to boil the water before drinking or using it for cooking. The advisory is in effect for the following area:
· W 4th St from Ewing St to Conway St
· Conway St from W 4th St to W 3rd St
· 403 and 327 W 3rd St
· 395 Ewing St
A vigorous boil for at least two minutes is recommended. This Boil Water Advisory is a precautionary measure due to a loss of pressure in the water main caused by Plant Board crews installing new main line valves.
This Advisory will remain in effect until lab analysis of water samples taken confirms that the potable water supply in the affected area is safe to drink. You will receive a notice when the advisory is lifted.
If you have any questions concerning the Boil Water Advisory, please call 352-4372.
Gary Zheng brings more than 30 years of experience to the position.
The Frankfort Plant Board officially named Gary Zheng as the new General Manager of the community’s municipal utility. Recognized in the industry as an effective executive, Zheng brings with him more than 30 years of experience in electrical utilities with 15 years in executive positions.
“The board was most impressed with Gary’s well-rounded resume,” said FPB Board Chair Anna Marie Pavlik Rosen. “His extensive education, his municipal utility experience from basic levels to leadership roles, and his strong background of working with government and interagency organizations made him the standout candidate.”
Zheng holds a bachelor’s, a master’s and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, in addition to a master’s in computer engineering.
He worked 17 years for Lubbock Power & Light (LP&L), the third largest municipal electric system in Texas serving more than 100,000 electrical meters and 85,000 water meters. Zheng served as President and CEO for nine years. During that time, he turned around the company that was near bankruptcy by increasing efficiency and productivity and improving customer service, all while providing the lowest retail electric rates in Texas.
Zheng strategically built LP&L’s brand name in a competitive market. He negotiated long-term purchase power contracts and increased the proportion of renewable resources in LP&L’s energy portfolio to more than nine percent.
The board was also impressed with Zheng’s involvement and work with the Lubbock community. In addition to increasing transparency with the public and raising confidence and trust in LP&L, Zheng served on numerous boards for industrial and non-profit organizations.
No stranger to Kentucky, Zheng served two years as General Manager of Paducah Power System (PPS) and General Manager of the Kentucky Municipal Power Agency (KMPA). There he was responsible for the transmission and distribution of a power system serving 23,000 customers, its 124 MW natural gas power plant and business service. He also managed energy trading, negotiation of long-term contracts and securing transmission service from MISO and Louisville Gas and Electric/Kentucky Utilities for KMPA.
Zheng will start in his new position at FPB Oct. 15. His plate will be full as each division has two major projects underway. The electric department will transfer to a new power supply in May 2019 and is in the beginning phase of implementing Advanced Metering Infrastructure. The Water Department will also implement AMI and needs to replace the 135-year-old reservoir. The Cable/Telecom Department is replacing and upgrading 20-year-old amplifiers and line extenders and is in phase one of a Fiber-To-The-Home project.
David Denton CPA, FPB’s Finance Director, has served as Interim General Manager since Nov. 1, 2017 when former GM Herbbie Bannister retired. The board thanks Denton for his skilled efforts in this position. He will return to his finance position.
“This is an exciting time for FPB, the board and our customers,” Rosen said. “We are confident that Gary Zheng will continue the momentum of the new projects in each utility and will make great contributions to our community.”
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All power has been restored.
Power has been restored in the area to all but 15 houses on Skyview. Crews are working to complete repairs from a downed tree. They will restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
We are currently experiencing an outage affecting communities on the west side of town including Holly Hills, Devils Hollow, River Bend, Pea Ridge and the back side of the National Guard.
Crews are looking into it now.
The Water Department of the Frankfort Plant Board advises to boil the water before drinking or using it for cooking. The advisory is in effect for the following area:
· 1300 to 1960 Shore Acres Rd
A vigorous boil for at least two minutes is recommended. This Boil Water Advisory is a precautionary measure due to a loss of pressure in the water main caused by Plant Board crews repairing a water main leak.
This Advisory will remain in effect until lab analysis of water samples taken confirms that the potable water supply in the effected area is safe to drink. You will receive a notice when this advisory is lifted.
If you have any questions concerning the Boil Water Advisory please call 352-4372.
FPB is experiencing an electric outage in the Hanly Lane and Deerwood areas. FPB is aware of the issue and crews are working to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
Thanks for your patience.
The Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KyMEA) and Ashwood Solar I, LLC, a joint venture between MAP® Energy and Open Road Renewables (ORR), executed an agreement on Thursday, August 23, 2018 to bring a new solar power plant to Kentucky. The plant will be located on approximately 800 acres in Western Kentucky and will be among the top 2 percent largest solar power plants in the nation and the largest in Kentucky by a factor of nearly 10x.
The solar power project, capable of tracking the sun across the horizon, will produce 86 MW at maximum output. When placed into service in late 2022, the project is expected to produce almost 200 million kilowatt-hours of electrical energy annually; roughly enough to meet the needs of 14,000 Kentucky homes. The agreement calls for KyMEA to purchase 62.5% of the energy produced by the project over the 20-year term of the agreement.
Doug Buresh, President and CEO of KyMEA, said: “We are proud to add this clean, carbon-free, and economical resource to the portfolio of resources being assembled to provide the power and energy needs of our membership.” Ron Herd, General Manager of the Corbin City Utilities Commission and Chairman of the KyMEA Board said: “This is a very important step in our plan to provide affordable energy to our customers in a very environmentally responsible manner.”
The energy purchased by KyMEA from the solar project will supply approximately 8% of the energy needed each year by residents and businesses served by the Cities of Bardwell, Falmouth, Madisonville, Paris, and Providence, the Frankfort Plant Board, the Barbourville Utility Commission, and the Corbin City Utilities Commission. These systems are members of KyMEA’s All Requirements (“AR”) Project. KyMEA will begin supplying the AR Project Members in May 2019. Owensboro Municipal Utilities, the Benham Plant Board and the City of Berea also are members of KyMEA.
Chris Melton, Electric Superintendent of Madisonville Utilities Department and Chairman of the KyMEA AR Project Committee said: “There is more work to do, but now our portfolio includes purchases of energy from coal and natural gas-fueled plants, hydroelectric facilities, the solar project, and even small diesel engines located in Paris. We are truly building a diverse portfolio to provide more affordable power to our customers.”
ORR and its partner, MAP® Energy, bring vast experience in developing, financing, and operating solar and other renewable energy projects. Mike Volpe, Vice President of ORR, said: “This single 86 MW solar project is cost-competitive with fossil generation and will result in roughly 400 construction jobs to the region. This project should be seen as a win-win as it will provide both local economic development benefits to Western Kentucky along with affordable power for KyMEA members. We are pleased to see in-state, utility-scale solar selected by KyMEA as part of their least-cost supply portfolio.”
About Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency
Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency was formed in 2015 under Kentucky statutes that provide for cooperation among municipalities and other governmental entities on endeavors that can be accomplished better by working together. More information is available at www.kymea.org.
About MAP® Energy
MAP® Energy, through its joint venture with Open Road Renewables, initiated development of the Ashwood Solar Project in 2015. MAP® Energy is a leading investor in the development of renewable energy projects and has funded more than 10,000 megawatts of operating wind and solar generating capacity located across the United States. More information is available at www.map-energy.com.
About Open Road Renewables
Open Road Renewables is a utility-scale renewable energy development company focused on deploying least-cost renewable energy throughout the United States. More information is available at www.openroadrenewables.com.
CONTACT:
Michelle Hixon
Office Manager & Executive Assistant
Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency
Mobile: 502-693-5179
Solar energy could soon be powering Frankfort Plant Board customers. At its monthly meeting Tuesday night, the FPB Board directed interim General Manager David Denton to approve the Renewable Power Purchase Agreement presented by consultants from the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KyMEA). As FPB’s representative on the KyMEA Board of Directors, Denton will cast his vote of approval on the 20-year agreement for the solar project at the KyMEA meeting this Thursday in Bowling Green.
KyMEA consultants told the board this project meets the objectives of the group as they seek power portfolio sources that are reliable, flexible and diverse, competitive under a wide range of future scenarios, and provide more affordable-priced electric service.
In other business, the board set a public hearing to gather input from customers regarding increasing upload and download speeds for high-speed internet service, establishing a rate for whole-home wifi system, and establishing a rate for telephone seasonal disconnect.
The public notice proposes to increase the download and upload speeds of the Standard, Premium, Ultra and Elite levels at no extra cost to customers. Following upgrades in the field and at the headend, staff recommended increasing these speeds to improve the customer experience and to better position FPB in a competitive market.
The public notice also proposes to establish an optional whole-home wifi system at a rate of $9.95 per month for a modem and two access points and $3 per month for each additional access point. As customers’ needs are outgrowing the capability of the standard wireless cable modem, this solution will allow customers to connect more devices in more areas inside the home.
Lastly, the public notice proposes to establish a rate of $5 per month for customers who wish to place their telephone lines into a state of seasonal disconnect. FPB’s wholesale telephone provider charges FPB a $5 fee per month for customers who are temporarily disconnected. FPB staff proposes to pass through this charge.
The board set the public hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 4 at 5 p.m. at the FPB Administration Building in Frankfort.
The board also approved to solicit and evaluate proposals for an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. This system of smart meters would enable immediate two-way communication between FPB and customer meters. It would increase efficiency, automatically alert FPB of specific outages and allow FPB to send commands back to the meter.
AMI would provide more information on energy usage and deliver more accurate billing. It would also give FPB flexibility for future changes in the way it bills.
In other actions, the board approved an Affirmative Action Plan, approved funding for compensation consulting, approved funding for new transformers, metering units, and substation equipment and approved funding for engineering work to replace two transformers.
The FPB Board of Directors’ next monthly meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 at 5 p.m. at the FPB administration building at 151 Flynn Ave in Frankfort.
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Starting Aug. 22, the FPB Water Department will begin construction of a new water main along Murray Street. Construction will begin at the intersection with East Todd Street and end at Second Street. A 6" main will replace deteriorating mains and provide better water quality and fire protection in this area.
Detours will be in place at times to prevent delays, however some minor delays may be unavoidable. Proceed with caution through the work area. As with any construction project, the time frame is dependent upon the other underground utilities that are encountered.
Please avoid parking on the east side of Murray Street between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
We appreciate everyone's cooperation. We realize construction of the new line and service re-locations will be an inconvenience, and it is our plan to minimize impact to affected residents and their property.
If you have any questions, please call the FPB Water Department at 352-4433.
10:34pm - Electricity should be back on River Valley in next hour. A tree broke top of pole.
Old L Burg rd should be back on in next hour, creek washed pole out.
In Millville, there is 3' of water over Duncan rd and crews can’t get to the broken pole to do anything till water goes down.
We are experiencing an outage in Millville from Duncan Rd. to the Old Millville School affecting about 100 customers. Crews are working to restore power and quickly and as safely as possible.
The Water Department of the Frankfort Plant Board is notifying you that the Division of Water of the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection has now canceled the Boil Water Advisory.
This Advisory was issued 8/6/18 due to the loss of pressure in the water main caused by Plant Board crews repairing a water main break.
The area affected was:
• 1300 to 1960 Shore Acres Rd.
If you should have any questions or problems with normal service or water quality, please call 352-4372.
Water service has been interrupted on Shore Acres Rd. in order to repair a water main leak. Water crews should have the repairs made by this afternoon.
The Water Department of the Frankfort Plant Board advises to boil the water before drinking or using it for cooking. The advisory is in effect for the following area:
· 1300 to 1960 Shore Acres Rd
A vigorous boil for at least two minutes is recommended. This Boil Water Advisory is a precautionary measure due to a loss of pressure in the water main caused by Plant Board crews repairing a water main leak.
This Advisory will remain in effect until lab analysis of water samples taken confirms that the potable water supply in the effected area is safe to drink. You will receive a notice when this advisory is lifted.
If you have any questions concerning the Boil Water Advisory please call 352-4372
The power on the west side of Frankfort has been restored. Electric crews continue to work on scattered outages including some areas of south Frankfort.
We are experiencing a widespread power outage in west Frankfort. Electric crews are working to restore service as quickly and as safely as possible.
FPB Cable crews will be performing system maintenance on Friday, 7/27/18 from 5 - 7 a.m. in the following areas:
Flat Creek Rd.
Dry Ridge Rd.
Bald Knob Rd.
Heady Rd.
A portion of St. John's Rd.
Cable, telephone and internet services will be affected during the specified time.
The Water Department of the Frankfort Plant Board is notifying you that the Division of Water of the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection has now canceled the Boil Water Advisory.
This Advisory was issued 7/19/18 due to the loss of pressure in the water main caused by Plant Board crews installing a new main line valve.
The area affected was:
• Clay St
If you should have any questions or problems with normal service or water quality please call 352-4372.
Crews are working the last two calls and should be finished within the hour. All other power has been restored.
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