FINIGAN NAMED OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER
02/06/2012 ~ Dale Finigan has been named Keys Energy Services’ (KEYS) Outstanding Employee of the First Quarter for 2012.Finigan has worked for the Utility for 25-years and currently serves as Director of Engineering and Control. Prior to his current position, he held various supervisory positions related to substations and the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) system. In his current position, he is responsible for both the Engineering Section and the System’s 24-hour Control Center.
Finigan said what he finds most rewarding about his job is “seeing that all the hard efforts of KEYS’ staff that have gone into making reliability improvements are paying off.” He went on to add that one of his favorite occurrences at KEYS is, “our employee’s unified commitment and dedication to the community after a major storm to restore power”
The Employee of the Quarter Committee selects an employee four times a year for this award. Employees are considered for the award after being nominated by their peers and/or supervisors. Final selection of the outstanding employee is based on several factors, which include attendance, attitude, efficiency, initiative, and job performance, among others.
Finigan was born and raised in Key West and is a graduate of Key West High School. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, and a Masters Degree in Electrical Power Systems, from the University of South Florida. He lives in Bay Point with his wife Lesley and two children, Bobby (17) and Kaitlyn (8). In his free time Finigan enjoys camping and RVing with friends and family.
The Utility Board will recognize Finigan as the Outstanding Employee of the First Quarter for 2012 during their regular meeting on Wednesday, February 8th. His name will be engraved on a perpetual plaque that hangs in the William Arnold Service Building lobby and he will receive an extra day off. As part of his award he also received a $250 bonus, however, rather than keep it he opted to donate it to KEYS’ Employee Activities Committee. The Committee is a volunteer, self-funded group of employees that help to organize employee morale boosting activities throughout the year at no cost to KEYS or its customers.
KEYS TO SUSPEND REBATE PROGRAM
02/03/2012 ~ Due to overwhelming demand, Keys Energy Services’ (KEYS) Rebate Program will be suspended on Thursday, March 15th.
KEYS’ customers interested in applying for a rebate must submit the necessary application and paperwork by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 15th, to be eligible while funds last. No rebate applications will be accepted after that date. Applications can be obtained at www.KeysEnergy.com.
“We are once again pleased with the success of the rebate program and hope to be able to reinstate it yet again in the future if funds become available,” said Lynne Tejeda, KEYS’ General Manager & CEO. She went on to add that, “this year the rebate program was funded in part by a Clean Energy Grant KEYS was awarded from the State of Florida.” The grant was made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the United States Department of Energy and included $100,000 to go toward rebates for energy efficient appliances.
KEYS WIND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TAKES OFF ON CUDJOE KEY
02/02/2012 ~ Keys Energy Services (KEYS) recently completed the installation of two wind turbines at its Cudjoe Key Electrical Substation on U.S. Highway 1 (MM 23, Oceanside). The Wind Demonstration Project is funded in part by a Clean Energy Grant KEYS was awarded from the State of Florida totaling $770,000. The grant was made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the United States Department of Energy. Construction of the Wind Demonstration Project cost $46,000 and KEYS worked with Florida Keys-based Sea, Air, Land Technologies (SALT) who furnished and installed the turbines per a competitive bid process. Originally one turbine was going to be installed at KEYS’ Stock Island Generation Facility and the other at the Cudjoe Key Electrical Substation. However, in order to determine if varying heights affected output, both were installed at the Cudjoe site so that all other factors could be considered equal.
One turbine is installed at a height of 57-feet, with the total height of the installation being 62.5-feet from the ground to the tip of the highest blade. The second turbine is installed at a height of 30-feet, with the total height of the installation being 35-feet from the ground to the tip of the highest blade. The diameter of each turbine from blade tip to blade tip is 12-feet.
The maximum output for each turbine is 2,400 watts and can be achieved at a wind speed of 29 miles-per-hour (mph). The minimum wind speed required for the turbines to rotate is eight mph, below this the turbines will not rotate. Energy generated from the turbines will help offset the energy used within the substation for cooling and lighting equipment. The system was not designed with a battery back-up for energy storage.
“In the coming weeks KEYS will unveil a web component similar to the one used for our solar demonstration project at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery center that will allow our customers to view the output of the unit on-demand,” said Lynne Tejeda, KEYS’ General Manager & CEO. Tejeda went on to add that “a small dedication ceremony is being planned once all components are in place and the public will be invited to attend.”
Additional projects identified by KEYS that will be funded by the grant include:
1) Installing an energy management system to control lighting and cooling at KEYS’ Service Building.
2) Constructing an estimated 44 Kilowatt* (kW) solar photovoltaic system on a KEYS’ warehouse at its Stock Island Generating Facility.
3) Offering $100,000 in rebates to qualifying customers who purchase energy efficient appliances.
4) Providing 225 residential energy surveys over 18-months, which will include the distribution of compact fluorescent light bulbs, low flow showerheads, and faucet aerators.
5) Hosting three workshops for commercial customers to learn how to implement energy efficiency in their businesses.
KEYS had previously identified installing a thermal storage unit at KEYS’ Service Building to shift air conditioning cooling costs during peak hours. However, the quotes for the project came back at double the estimated costs that were included in the grant application and KEYS was unable to complete this project.
All grant projects must be completed by April 2012 in order to receive funding. Pursuant to the grant, the State will fund approximately $434,000 of the total grant, with KEYS rounding out the difference with matching funds. “KEYS’ staff is working diligently to implement all facets of the grant and our customers will have an even greener utility which remains committed to its motto of Growing Greener Every Day,” said Tejeda.
*Kilowatt – A unit of electrical power equal to 1,000 watts.
KEYS ENERGY SERVICES SEEKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER
02/02/2012 ~ Keys Energy Services (KEYS) has an opening on its Advisory Committee for Districts Four, which serves Cudjoe Key to the Torch Keys. Advisory Committee applications are available in the main lobby of KEYS’ Service building at 1001 James Street or can be requested electronically by e-mailing KEYS’ Communications/Marketing Coordinator at Julio.Barroso@KeysEnergy.com. Applications must be completed and returned by Noon on Thursday, March 1st.
In 1998 the Utility Board approved the creation of a five-member Advisory Committee, which was designed to provide the Board and KEYS’ staff with community input on various issues related to KEYS including generation, distribution, finance, customer service, and new ventures. The Committee promotes public access to information on KEYS facilities, services, policies, and programs concerning energy, and considers the future energy needs of the community. The Committee also assists KEYS’ staff by suggesting and reviewing programs and services.
The Advisory Committee includes five members, a Utility Board Member and two KEYS’ staff members. Community members represent five districts: Key West to Stock Island (District 1); Key Haven to Big Coppitt (District 2); Shark Key to Sugarloaf Key (District 3); Cudjoe Key to the Torch Keys (District 4); and Big Pine Key to Seven-Mile Bridge (District 5).
Currently serving on the Advisory Committee are: Greg Daniels (District 2); Alan Toriello (District 3); and Sheriff Robert Peryam (District 5). James Gilleran (District 1) and Elsie Metcalf (District 4) have termed out and are ineligible for re-appointment to the Committee, thus paving the way for the two vacancies. KEYS previously advertised for these two vacancies and received applicants for District 1, but none for District 4. The Utility Board will appoint the District 1 representative during a regular meeting on February 22nd. The Board is scheduled to appoint a District 4 representative on March 21st.
NOTICE OF REGISTRY FOR RESIDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
02/01/2012 ~ In accordance with Florida Statute 252.355, Keys Energy Services (KEYS) wishes to notify residential customers with special needs of the Special Needs Registry available through the Monroe County Social Services Office.
The registry helps Monroe County Emergency Management Personnel identify residents who would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering because of physical, mental, cognitive impairment, or sensory disability.
Residents with special needs are asked to call the Monroe County Special Needs Registry at (305) 292-4591 or log on to http://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/index.aspx?NID=148 before/by May 31st to ensure they are accounted for in advance of the annual Hurricane Season.
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