WATER UPDATE

Water Quality

• Water quality during February met or exceeded State and Federal drinking water standards.

• The Valley Pumping Plant (VPP) blend ratio for the month of February was 51.52% MWD and 48.48% BOU.

Financial and Operations Update

• The deferred revenues in the Water Cost Adjustment Charge (WCAC) account had a balance of $2,492,582.87 as of February 28, 2007.

• Fiscal Year-To-Date 2006-07 Water Fund Financial results as of February 28, 2007:

Fiscal Year 2006-07 Water Fund Financial Reserve balances as of February 28, 2007 are summarized in the following table:

BOU Water Production

BOU production was at 61.41% of plant capacity for February. This is an average flow rate (24/7) of 5,527 gallons per minute (gpm).  Plant production was limited because of cooler weather and lower overall system demand.  All LPGAC filters were in service and all of the Vapor Phase Granulated Activated Carbon (VPGAC) filters were available for service.  All water wells were available for service.  Two wells will be scheduled for maintenance and inspection in the coming month and will be out of service.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A signed design contract between ECO, the BOU O&M contractor, and MEGTEC, the design and construction contractor for the VPGAC carbon retention screen replacement project was in place December 15, 2006.  The final design package will include an updated construction cost estimate for the project and should be available for EPA review by the end of March, 2007.  EPA�s approval is then the controlling feature in proceeding with the project.  We are working to get an expedited review and approval from EPA.  Construction is projected to take 18 weeks and will likely be completed by the end of summer. The Treatment Plant will experience reduced operating capacity during project construction. Consequently, there will be an increased need for purchased water from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) during construction. These additional water purchases from MWD will significantly impact WCAC expenses and may result in the use of a significant portion of the WCAC balance.

San Fernando Basin Groundwater Credits

Burbank, Glendale and Los Angeles are discussing the issue of an over statement of Import Return Groundwater Credits in the San Fernando Basin.  The discussion is centered on the calculation of the credits within the context of the 1979 Judgment that adjudicated the basin and is under the administration of the Upper Los Angeles River Area Watermaster.  The Cities met again with the Watermaster in November.  Burbank and Glendale are in disagreement with the Watermaster as to the proper application of the terms of the Judgment to resolve the imbalance of ground water credits.  The parties met in January and February.  Discussion continues with the Watermaster and the City of Los Angeles. 

Chromium Contamination in the Groundwater

Drinking water in Burbank does not exceed 5 parts per billion (ppb) chromium by direction of the City Council.  This is achieved by blending the BOU produced water with MWD water to obtain the 5 ppb concentration.  Current Federal and State Maximum Contaminant Limits (MCL) are 100 ppb and 50 ppb, respectively.  Work has been underway for the last four years to develop a new limit for chromium. Work is being done by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) within the EPA.  Results are expected within the year.  The promulgation of a Public Health Goal (PHG) [none currently in place] or a new MCL will come from the California Department of Health Services.   Any limit above 5 ppb will be positive for Burbank.  A new limit lower than 5 ppb would limit Burbank�s current operations and increase reliance on imported MWD water, or require additional treatment for removal of Chromium.  Either alternative would significantly increase Burbank�s water costs. 

Capital Projects

• Construction began on 680 lf of 12-inch water main in Empire Ave. between Naomi St. and Buena Vista St.

• The Starlight water storage tank is down for maintenance and is being internally recoated.

• Segments of the MWD San Fernando Tunnel were inspected on June 8, 2006 and August 22, 2006.  BWP�s Assistant General Manager of Water Systems participated in the inspection.  The tunnel appears fit for service.  MWD is reviewing alternatives and holding discussions with contractors in an effort to reduce the cost to clean the Tunnel.  An estimated cost and schedule for the tunnel cleanup is under review by Burbank and MWD.   

Legislative Update

Refer to the attached legislative reports.

ELECTRIC UPDATE

Electric Reliability

There was one, 4 kV feeder outage in February. This outage interrupted service to 250 customers for a total of 93 minutes.

• On February 18, 2007, at 6:21 p.m., a Mylar balloon disrupted service to 4 kV Feeder Winona W-6 and damaged a pole mounted transformer. A total of 250 customers (100 commercial and 150 residential) lost power for 93 minutes.

Despite the power outage in February, BWP�s overall reliability continues to be strong. As of February 28, 2007, the system-wide average is 0.1725 outages per year, compared to an industry average of 1.2 outages per year. The average service availability is 99.9963%, exceeding the City goal of 99.99%. The average outage length is 74.28 minutes, compared with the industry average of 80 minutes.

The following table shows the system-wide reliability statistics for Fiscal Year 2006-07 through February 28, 2007 as compared to the same time period for Fiscal Year 2005-06:

Financial and Operations Update

• Fiscal Year-To-Date 2006-07 Electric Fund Financial results as of February 28, 2007:

Fiscal Year 2006-07 Power Fund Financial Reserve balances as of February 28, 2007 are summarized in the following table:

Local Generation Operations Update

Unit Status 

• Olive 1 and Olive 2 are in wet lay-up.

• Lake One is unavailable.  Major maintenance to address service bulletins is scheduled for March 21, through May 9, 2007.

• The Landfill Generation is operating normally and producing approximately 109,000 kilowatts of energy per month. 

• Magnolia is on-line and available for normal service.

February 2007 Unit Data

Magnolia Operations Update

Workforce Safety Statistics:

• No loss time accidents for February, zero year-to-date.

• Zero reportable accidents for February, one year-to-date.

Performance Information:

• Availability:  99.9% for February, 78.5% year-to-date.

• Maximum Generation Capacity:  290 MW

• Fired Factored Hours:  671 Hours

Actions Taken by Operating Agent:

• There were no planned outages for the month of February.

• There was a one-hour forced outage in February.  The outage on February 11, 2007 was due to the �A� gas compressor being inadvertently stopped.  The �B� gas compressor started but did not load.  This caused a low fuel gas pressure condition to exist long enough that the combustion turbine ramped down to zero load, and the generator breakers opened on reverse power flow.  Gas pressure was restored, the combustion turbine generator was re-synchronized, and the unit was put back on line.  The unit is currently operating normally.

Renewable Energy Update

Negotiations continue on the wind project located in Utah.  Issues remain with the actual contract and supporting agreements such as the Land Lease Agreement for the project.  Since SCPPA may ultimately purchase the project and thereby inherit the Lease, it is important that we ensure that its terms sufficiently protect us over the life of the project.    The participants remain optimistic that a definitive agreement can be worked out in March whereby, we would prepay for a specified amount of energy each year with the right to purchase the project outright from the developer after 10 years.  The resource would provide about 2% of BWP�s energy requirements.

Negotiations started on a power sales agreement with a developer for wind power from a resource in the Pacific Northwest.  It is expected that energy from this source would come on-line in late 2008, or early 2009.  Twenty (20) MW of this resource would provide 4% of BWP�s energy requirements. 

Additionally, negotiations began for the energy associated with 9 MW from a geothermal facility located in the Imperial Valley in California.   Energy would be delivered to BWP via the proposed Greenpath Transmission Project when it is completed in 2010.  The in-service date of energy from the geothermal project is anticipated to be in late 2011, and would supply 6% of BWP�s energy requirements. 

SCADA/EMS

BWP engineering staff continues to work with Siemens New Energy to implement the New Energy Scheduling software that is being used for Magnolia.

Engineering work is continuing to connect the RTU CPU card directly using Ethernet instead of the device server that was originally installed.  The original RTU CPU could not be networked, but the new units were designed to be networked.  Field crews have implemented this for 14 RTUs in February.

Telecom

Engineering developed a fiber optic service proposal for Ascent Media to connect the following facilities:

1. 2901 W. Alameda Ave. to 4024 Radford in Studio City through the LADWP Receiving Station �E�.

2. 2901 W. Alameda Ave. to 3000 Olympic Ave in Los Angeles through the LADWP Receiving Station �E�.

Engineering released a fiber optic job to connect fibers on Hollywood Way back to the Traffic Division at the Public Works Yard.

BWP Facility Improvements

Implement Automatic Reclosing of Distribution Circuits

Often, an object causes a short circuit on a power line for only an instant (technical term: transient fault), and does not damage the line. For example, a branch may fall between two conductors, touching them only briefly; or a kite tail may instantly vaporize as soon as it touches two conductors. The utility industry has responded to these situations by using reclosers, which closes a line back in very soon after it has been short circuited.  If the cause of the short circuit is no longer present, the line stays in service; if the cause is still present, the line relays out soon enough to avoid damage to the line.

Reclosing is especially important for BWP's overhead 12,470-volt circuits, which serve two to three times more customers than the older, 4,000-volt feeders.  Before this coming summer, BWP is going to add the reclosing feature to five, 12,470-volt distribution circuits (Keystone-6, Keystone-13, Hollywood Way-4, 6, and 7) that are prone to transient faults from squirrels and wind-borne objects.

4,160-Volt Distribution System- Impacts of heat wave and follow up action plan

After the July 2006, heat wave the Energy Control Center (ECC) initially reported 32 distribution circuits showing overloads. BWP Electrical Engineering carefully reviewed the loading of those circuits and identified 11 distribution circuits where corrective measures are required to prevent future outages. It was determined there is a need to upgrade and replace underground cable with a larger size cable, and to replace overhead conductors with a larger size that will increase capacity in neighborhoods where the circuit loads went beyond the emergency rating of the conductors. This may have possibly shortened the life of the conductors. In order to maintain reliability of service and proper voltage, these upgrades must be completed before next summer. Those circuits include Victory-13, Victory-14, Victory-1, Victory-3, Victory-7, Town-19, Town-4, Winona -11 and Flower-3.

In September 2006, a job order was issued to reconductor 124 spans of Victory-13 and Victory-14 feeders and primary conductors. This job is currently under construction and is almost complete.  A job to reconductor 135 spans of Victory-1 and Victory-7 feeders was issued in October, 2006. The job to reconductor 28 spans of Victory-3, and the job to reconductor 46 spans of Town-4 have been designed.  The reconductoring of Town-21 is planned for the winter of 2007.  Replacement of underground cable for Victory-13 and Victory-14 is complete as is the underground cable for Town-19 and Winona-11 and Flower-3.  Although necessary, this work will have an impact on the budget and resources. It will have a financial impact of $1.7 million ($1.1 million for labor/overhead and $600,000 for cable and other materials). It will also add approximately 10,800 man-hours of field crew work, 10,000 of which will be the overhead line construction crews. These additional man-hours have a major impact on other planned projects such as pole line rebuilds, 12 kV conversion jobs, and other customer service related work. At the end of February 2007, BWP completed the reconductoring of Victory-13 and 80% of Victory-14.  At this time crews are working on Victory-1, Victory-3 and Victory-7 reconductoring projects with estimates to be completed by April 30, 2007.

Although our substations are well maintained and loading has been light in the past, some substation loads exceeded the N-1 contingency rating of substation power transformers during the heat wave.  Most of our substations are 50 plus years old, with some as old as 66 years. The age of the transformers is a concern to staff, specifically if we lose one of the substation power transformers during the summer.  If that were to happen the remaining one or two would have to carry the load and would become overloaded. Loss of a station power transformer may have a more serious impact on customer reliability than losing one distribution circuit. It could have a cascading outage impact and cause the whole substation to go down.  Staff has completed an analysis of the loading on the substation power transformers and has considered two consulting firms (ABB Inc. and Doble Engineering Company) to further study the Condition Assessment and Potential Risk of Failure in order to forecast the remaining life of the power transformers. BWP Staff has determined that although this study may not predict the remaining life and risk of failure of the power transformers with 100 percent accuracy, it will assist in preventing sudden failures as well as the potential for cascading power outages.  Doble Engineering Company will review 30 critical transformers this fiscal year. The remaining transformers will be reviewed next fiscal year.

BWP Administration Building - Phase III Interior Remodel

Icon West, Inc. completed demolition work in the basement of the Administration Building, and has begun construction work. The project completion date for the entire building remodel is January 31, 2008.

BWP Service Center and Warehouse Project

BWP plans to negotiate a contract with McCormick Construction Company in March, following the completion of the bridging documents by Kennard Design Group.  If BWP and McCormick agree on a price and terms and conditions, it would be scheduled for City Council approval on April 24, 2007.

Construction is scheduled to begin in June of 2007 with an anticipated completion of January 1, 2008. The next phase will demolish the existing Warehouse and the Line Section field offices, covered storage and parking. This area will be converted to employee vehicle parking.  The next phase will demolish the existing Water Maintenance Building along with the Guard House and install landscaping and additional employee parking. A new Security Office of approximately 600 square feet will be constructed on Lake Street at the intersection of Palm Ave. that will control ingress/egress to the entire BWP campus. A vehicle wash rack will also be added. Completion of the aforementioned phases is anticipated for July 15, 2008. The final phase of the project constructs a replacement Burbank Substation with a state-of-the-art GIS substation which will be built at the southwest corner of the campus on a footprint one-third the size of the existing Burbank Substation. All equipment will be removed from the existing substation, the site will be scraped and the area converted into a courtyard.  

Security Wall Construction

McClean & Schultz, Principal Architect, completed a structural review including engineering signatures/stamp on the drawings prepared by Bibb. Once the final construction documents are completed, a bid package will be assembled and submitted to Purchasing for the competitive bid process to hire a contractor. Work is anticipated to begin at the end of May 2007, and be completed in August 2007.

Auxiliary Warehouse

BWP conducted a final job walk, generated a punch list and received the keys to the new auxiliary warehouse from Gonzales Construction. BWP personnel are in the process of performing the tenant improvements, electrical, lighting, bathrooms and kitchen in preparation for moving BTORA into the building.

Communication Shop Relocation

After relocating BTORA the float barn/former small fleet building, tenant improvement work will begin to provide a new home for the Communication Shop. Staff received BWP Board approval and contracted with McLean & Schultz, Principal Architect on December 11, 2006. McLean & Schultz completed and submitted the final construction documents and technical specification package. Tenant improvement work on the Communication Shop is planned for completion mid-June 2007. Communication Shop staff can then be relocated, allowing for the construction of the Replacement Service Center/Warehouse. 

Electrical Distribution

Construct a New Olive-Valley #2 Line  

The consultant, ORSA, completed the design for pads and underground power conduits for the extension of the ring bus at the Valley Switching Station. Bock Company completed the duct work inside the substation and in the direction of Ralph Foy Park.  They also completed all duct work required on Victory Blvd. up to Fairview, except for the small underground conduits to the new riser pole.  The final design for ground grid and equipment pads was completed and issued for construction.  Construction of the overhead portion of this line along Victory Blvd. from the Costco area to Victory Blvd. and Fairview St. will include the replacement of 30 poles, upgrading 3,000 circuit feet of overhead conductor, adding new polymer insulators and changing the insulators from porcelain to polymer. 

This work may have to be delayed from spring until the fall of 2007 or the spring of 2008, due to the need to upgrade the capacity of the 4,160 volt overhead lines identified as a result of the heat wave in July 2006.  Heat wave related work needs to be completed before the summer of 2007 in order to prevent circuit overloads and potential power outages. Olive-Valley #2 needs to be completed before June 2008.

Replacement Burbank Station Project.

A contract was awarded to ABB Inc. in the amount of $17,247,260.  A purchase order was issued on January 8, 2007. A kick-off meeting was held and the design work has started.  All major pieces of equipment with a long lead time have been ordered.  Potholing work  was started and completed in February 2007.  Construction of the duct system will start in April 2007, and be completed by December 31, 2007. The project completion date is June 30, 2009.

Compliance with NBC Master Plan - Planned Development 96-1

BWP staff provided comments to the Community Development Department regarding the compliance with Planned Development 96-1, expanding the parking under LADWP�s 230 kV high voltage lines near NBC, and the method of service for M. David Paul Development on the Catalina property.  Providing electric service for this development involves an extension of the 34,500-volt line (ducts and cable) from Willow St. along Fredrick St. to Alameda Ave., and along Alameda Ave. from Fredrick St. to Naomi St.  This is in progress now and expected to be completed by March 15, 2007.   It also involves adding a new 34,500-volt line position at Naomi Station as well as a small amount of work at Capon Switching Station. This too is in progress. On the Catalina site, 2 padmount switches and 4 padmount transformers will be required to transform power to utilization voltage for the parking structure and both office buildings.  Under the current BWP Rules and Regulations, M. David Paul will pay 100 percent of the cost of the work directly related to its service as aid-in-construction charges, and will also reimburse BWP its prorated share of system improvements completed since July 2001.  The M. David Paul service will not have a negative fiscal impact on BWP customers nor impact reliability of service to existing customers. Staff energized temporary construction power for this project after CDD-Planning�s approval.  On January 26, 2007, M. David Paul paid $1.2 million as a reimbursement for the system improvement for Phase-1, and paid $300,000 as a first installment of the direct cost of service.  M. David Paul will pay another $750,000 for the remaining direct cost of Phase-1.

Reliability of the Golden State Distributing Station

In most of BWP�s substations, BWP can restore power by making use of a direct connection to the station transfer bus, or by transferring load to other stations. These options are not available at the Golden State Substation which had experienced switchgear problems in 2005.  Working with its engineering consultant, Power Engineers Inc., BWP has found a way to make a direct connection between Golden State�s transfer bus and the power transformers, while also adding a substation capacitor bank. The City Council approved this work at its meeting of March 13, 2007.

12,470-Volt Distribution System

Engineering and construction work to rebuild the 4 kV feeder areas A-8, A-96, and A-97 is in progress. This will ultimately convert the area to 12 kV service from the new Hollywood Way Station (HW-4 and HW-6).  As a part of this effort, customer stations will be rebuilt to 12 kV.  Alameda Feeders A-8, A-96 and A-97 will be physically removed from the Alameda Distributing Station after the conversion is complete. This goes along with BWP�s plan to transfer load to a new state-of-the-art substation like the Hollywood Way Station, and will eliminate the 50 year old plus substations like Alameda. This work is also required as a part of the Caltrans SR-134 project. Two work orders were issued in September 2006, to reconductor 37 spans of feeder conductors in preparation of the 12 kV conversions.  Reconductoring of the overhead portion of the A-8 feeder is complete. The overhead portion of the A-96 feeder is also complete. 

Progress continues on rebuilding deteriorated pole lines and single pole replacements.

The Keystone and Golden State Distributing Stations were included in the under-frequency load shedding scheme to provide better capability to automatically shed load and balance load with generation. This addition will help to stabilize and restore the system much faster in the event of the loss of a big generation source such as the tie with LADWP or MPP.

Undergrounding

The City Council approved the establishment of the first Underground Utility District within the City of Burbank for Olive Ave. between Victory on the I-5 overpass.  Construction started in early March.

BWP Engineering completed two projects related to Caltrans. One project involves the Alameda, Hollywood Way and Pass Ave. bridge widening on the SR-134, and a new on-ramp at Hollywood Way. The second project involves the I-5 freeway, Empire Exchange, and San Fernando Realignment. Caltrans awarded the contract for the SR-134 Project and requested a Utility Agreement be approved.  The City Council approved the agreement on March 13, 2007.

Streetlighting System

Fiscal year-to-date, 69 streetlight standards and 17 lights on power poles have been installed.  Out of these, 52 streetlight standards were installed as a part of the South San Fernando Blvd. Street Improvement Project, and three streetlight standards were installed as a part of the Carmax Project. One series circuit was converted to low voltage in February, 2007.  Engineering is working on a BWP Streetlighting Master Plan and new street/traffic improvement projects with Public Works and the Traffic Signal Division (several Burbank Blvd. intersections, Main/Victory, Third/Verdugo, Hollywood Way/Winona, and Hollywood Way/Thornton). Construction continues on Olive Ave. and Empire Ave.  Undergrounding of the streetlight system on Olive Ave. is almost complete.

RED:BL:FCF:WOM:GLS:JLF       

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