Florida Keys Electric Cooperative has loaned one of its portable generating
units to Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority to help operate its Florida City
water facility if needed.
FKEC's two-megawatt generator is housed in a semi-truck trailer and was
moved from Key Largo to Florida City mid-afternoon yesterday. The diesel
generator is currently connected in stand-by mode to the water facility and
is ready to provide power to the well field and pumps that send water down
to all of the Florida Keys.
In the wake of Hurricane Wilma, the Florida City water facility does not
have electric service so the Aqueduct Authority is running its own
generators. Those generators were having difficulty keeping up with the
station's energy demand, so FKAA officials worked with FKEC's board and
staff to arrange delivery of one of FKEC's portable generators.
FKEC purchased two of the large portable generators last year to provide
mobile back-up power in instances of high demand or in emergency situations.
The units were connected to one of FKEC's substations in a stand-by
capacity.
"We're just glad we had the unit on hand and could help our fellow utility,"
said FKEC CEO Tim Planer. "We are also happy we can help keep fresh water
flowing to our members in the Upper and Middle Keys and to our neighbors in
the Lower Keys. In times like this, we have to pool our resources and take
care of each other."
