Generating Unit Honors Gemskie
ORLANDO, Fla., July 23, 2010 —Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) and Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) today paid tribute to former KUA board member Nancy Gemskie by naming the fourth generating unit at the Cane Island Power Park in her honor.
After 10 years of service, Gemskie resigned from the KUA utility board July 14 to run for a seat on the Osceola County School Board. Her decade of service has been highlighted by notable contributions to KUA, FMPA, the Florida Municipal Electric Association and the American Public Power Association.
“Nancy’s contributions to the municipal utility industry have been numerous, important and enduring,” said KUA president and general manager Jim Welsh. “This is a lasting way for us to recognize her leadership and a fitting tribute to her many years of service to our utility and industry.”
“Nancy has been a strong advocate for municipal electric utilities at both the state and national level, and we are pleased to honor her for her leadership and dedicated service,” said FMPA general manager and CEO Nicholas P. Guarriello.
The Nancy F. Gemskie Combustion Turbine 4 is part of a $479 million, 300-megawatt generating unit being constructed by FMPA at Cane Island. The natural gas-fueled generator will be operated by KUA and is expected to begin commercial operation in May 2011. When completed the new generator will provide electricity to 14 communities throughout the state, including the Central Florida communities of Kissimmee, Leesburg, Ocala and Bushnell, as well as Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Green Cove Springs, Town of Havana, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Lake Worth, Newberry and Starke.
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Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA) is a wholesale power company owned by 30 municipal electric utilities. FMPA provides economies of scale in power generation and related services to support community-owned electric utilities. The members of FMPA serve approximately 2 million Floridians. FMPA’s members include Alachua, Bartow, Blountstown, Bushnell, Chattahoochee, Clewiston, Fort Meade, Fort Pierce, Gainesville, Green Cove Springs, Havana, Homestead, Jacksonville Beach, Key West, Kissimmee, Lake Worth, Lakeland, Leesburg, Moore Haven, Mount Dora, New Smyrna Beach, Newberry, Ocala, Orlando, Quincy, St. Cloud, Starke, Vero Beach, Wauchula and Williston.
Founded in 1901, Kissimmee Utility Authority (www.kua.com) is Florida’s sixth largest community-owned utility providing electric and telecommunication services to 62,000 customers in Osceola County.