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Home My Public Portal AboutMemo distrib_ to Gulf Stream Commission Renee Basel From:Susan Schoettle-Gumm <spgumm@mailmt.com> Sent:Thursday, May 12, 2011 11:52 AM To:'Danny Brannon' Cc:'Lee Evett'; 'Habib Isaac' Subject:Memo distrib. to Gulf Stream Commission Attachments:TGS UG Safety and Reliability Benefits (3).doc Susan Schoettle, PLLC Phone 941-377-4948 Cell phone 941-320-3054 Fax 941-371-8317 E-mail spgumm@mailmt.com This message, together with any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It may contain information which is legally privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, use, or any action or reliance on this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by telephone (941- 377-4948) or by return e-mail and delete the message, along with any attachments. From: Bill Thrasher \[mailto:bthrasher@gulf-stream.org\] Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 11:46 AM To: Susan Schoettle-Gumm Subject: As requested. The information contained in this message is the property of the Town of Gulf Stream and may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, reading or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact Gulf Stream immediately and destroy the material in its entirety, whether electronic or hard copy. No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1321 / Virus Database: 1500/3633 - Release Date: 05/12/11 No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1321 / Virus Database: 1500/3633 - Release Date: 05/12/11 No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1321 / Virus Database: 1500/3633 - Release Date: 05/12/11 1 TOWN OF GULF STREAM Overhead Utility Undergrounding Initiative Date: May 3, 2011 From: Danny Brannon, P. E. To: Mayor William F. Koch, Jr. Subject: Comparing FPL Overhead Distribution Facilities with FPL Underground Distribution Facilities relative to Reliability and Safety Dear Commissioner, This communication is intended to express my strong opinion that there are significant safety and reliability benefits provided by FPL underground electric distribution facilities when compared to FPL overhead distribution facilities. In the recent special Town Commission meeting, comments were made that implied FPL’s opinion was that there were no Reliability or Safety benefits in having underground FPL facilities versus overhead FPL facilities. It is true that FPL will indicate that both types of facilities are designed and constructed to be safe and reliable. And given there are not external factors such as wind, rain lightning, vehicle impacts, tree pruning, overloads, etc., then the Safety and Reliability might be characterized as equal. The facilities are certainly designed and maintained to meet safety and reliability standards. However, when outside factors come into play, the record will show that problems arise much more frequently when overhead facilities are involved. In working for FPL from 1973 until 1998, I cannot recall any fatalities or serious injuries involving the public associated with underground distribution facilities. I can however recall several fatalities associated with overhead facilities. I can recall incidents involving cranes working around overhead lines, tree trimming around overhead lines, overhead lines breaking and falling on occupied cars. We are currently undergrounding an overhead line section on Palm Beach where the resident has communicated that the 7600 volt primary line has fallen twice on their tennis court fencing and damaged her property. Recently a fallen energized line in Jupiter Inlet Colony adjacent to the Town Hall resulted in a dangerous situation. In my opinion, there definitely are significant safety benefits resulting from undergrounding power lines. And when we consider reliability and looking at FPL’s website, you will see the following comments: (http://www.fpl.com/residential/electric/underground/conversion.shtml) Underground Conversions FPL has been installing underground service for close to 40 years and is committed to increasing its underground facilities. More than 37 percent of our current system is already underground, compared to about 20 percent in other utilities nationwide. Currently, more than two-thirds of FPL’s new distribution lines have been placed underground. In the last couple of years, there has been a lot of interest in underground ______________________________________________________________________________________ Page 100 Sea Road, Gulf Stream, Florida 33483 1 of 4 Telephone: 561-307-9454 Facsimile: 561-795-5678 Email: DBrannon@BnGEngineers.com TOWN OF GULF STREAM Overhead Utility Undergrounding Initiative service. We have received requests for this type of service for many reasons including: aesthetics and increased reliability during adverse weather. While underground service is convenient in many ways, it is important for interested customers to understand its pros, cons and requirements to consider when choosing if it is right for your neighborhood. Advantages: Better reliability in normal and adverse weather conditions, especially during  wind and lightning events Fewer number of power interruptions  No poles or overhead wires in the conversion area  Disadvantages: Longer duration of outages  Underground facilities are susceptible to water  Repairs of underground lines may require pre-arranged outages and excavation of  private property Underground service has a shorter life expectancy than overhead service  As an added comment, I would like to add that currently FPL is installing underground facilities with a loop configuration that permits any section of cable or piece of equipment that fails to be isolated by switching. This typically allows a first responder switchman to restore the majority or all the impacted customers without having to repair the failed cable or equipment, thus removing the repair time form the outage duration. In addition, current underground installations utilize underground pipes and cable can typically be replaced simply by pulling out the bad cable and pulling in new cable. This information is also provided by FPL on their website at this address (http://www.fpl.com/residential/electric/underground/faq.shtml ) as follows: 14. Can I have just the lines in front of my house buried if no one else in my neighborhood wants to participate? For system reliability reasons, FPL will only convert the system to underground if one full block or more is converted at the same time. FPL's typical underground system is a "looped" system, which means power can be supplied to the same transformer from two ______________________________________________________________________________________ Page 100 Sea Road, Gulf Stream, Florida 33483 2 of 4 Telephone: 561-307-9454 Facsimile: 561-795-5678 Email: DBrannon@BnGEngineers.com TOWN OF GULF STREAM Overhead Utility Undergrounding Initiative different directions. Depending on the location, more than one block may need to be converted in order to complete this "loop." FPL also adds the following on their website (http://www.fpl.com/residential/electric/underground/faq.shtml ): 4. What are the different strengths and weaknesses of overhead and underground service that affect performance and reliability? underground facilities are not as susceptible to wind and debris-blown While damage , they are more susceptible to water intrusion and local flood damage, which can make repairs more time consuming and costly. Overhead facility damage is easier to Underground locate than underground and can generally be repaired quicker. interruptions may be less frequent , but typically last longer due to more complex repair requirements. Following recent hurricanes, we’ve found that areas that took the longest to repair were generally those served by underground facilities still flooded days after the storm passed. Damage and corrosion of underground electrical systems often shows up days or even months later, causing additional outages and inconvenience to customers. Storm winds can damage both types of systems, causing outages. Overhead systems face outages resulting from trees and debris blowing into lines. Underground systems face outages from trees collapsing on above-ground transformers and switch boxes or from tree root systems uprooting buried cable when trees topple. While a neighborhood may be locally served by underground cable, all electric service eventually comes back above- ground and connects to overhead service, either in the surrounding neighborhoods, or further down the street. So, exposure to above-ground electric service from weather, animals and trees is never fully eliminated. After the tropical storms of 2004 and 2005, FPL prepared a plan to improve the ability of STORM SECURE: it facilities to withstand weather impacts. This plan was entitled “ FPL’S FIVE POINT PLAN TO BUILD A STRONGER GRID FOR THE FUTURE ”. On Page 3 of the plan, the five elements of the plan are listed. Element number 4 is as follows: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Page 100 Sea Road, Gulf Stream, Florida 33483 3 of 4 Telephone: 561-307-9454 Facsimile: 561-795-5678 Email: DBrannon@BnGEngineers.com TOWN OF GULF STREAM Overhead Utility Undergrounding Initiative In response to this element, FPL proposes the following actions in their report: During the upcoming meetings, I hope to have others with first hand experience talk about their experiences and their opinions of safety and reliability relative to overhead and underground FPL distribution facilities. As a distribution engineer, as a service center manager with responsibility for construction crews, and as one who has been called to review fatal accident sites by FPL claims personnel, I feel strongly about my opinion on this subject. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Page 100 Sea Road, Gulf Stream, Florida 33483 4 of 4 Telephone: 561-307-9454 Facsimile: 561-795-5678 Email: DBrannon@BnGEngineers.com