KUA Board Adopts $196.1 Million Budget

The FY 2005 budget includes $84.3 million for fuel and purchased power and $32.4 million for construction and capital expenditures.

KISSIMMEE, FL (PRWEB) July 16, 2004 -- At Wednesday's meeting of the Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) board of directors, the board adopted a $196.1 million budget for fiscal year 2005. The 4-0 vote came after a public hearing on the budget.

The fiscal year 2004 budget totaled $154.8 million.

The adopted budget includes $84.3 million for fuel and purchased power and $32.4 million for construction and capital expenditures. The budget also reflects a change in electric rates, reducing the fuel adjustment cost while increasing the base rate 5.7 percent. The average customer bill, however, will remain relatively unchanged.

Capital expenditures include reliability enhancements to KUA's transmission and distribution system, construction of a new electric substation to serve the rapid growth in the Pleasant Hill Road area and preliminary work on a substation to serve the planned Osceola County convention center.

Overall customer growth for FY 2005 is expected to rise 5.4 percent while energy sales are forecasted to increase by 4.5 percent.

The budget includes an increase of 22 new positions (four full time, 18 part time), 16 of which will be housed in the utility's customer service department. The remaining positions will be located in the information technology department. KUA's total employee base will increase to 337 in FY 2005 with an annual payroll of $21 million. The budget also reflects a market level adjustment of three percent for utility employees.

The budget includes an $8.8 million transfer to the City of Kissimmee for electric, internet and telephone sales.

Founded in 1901, KUA is Florida's sixth largest community-owned utility providing electric, water, and telecommunication services to 170,000 residents in five Central Florida counties.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chris M. Gent
Kissimmee Utility Authority
P 407-933-7777 x 1116
F 407-933-1761
http://www.kua.com