DCOA E*News At-A-Glance
DCOA is currently seeking seniors interested
in volunteering to build relationships with, mentor, and guide the District's
youngest learners in District of Columbia Public Schools’ (DCPS) early
childhood classrooms.
If you are interested in becoming a
volunteer, an interest meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 11:30 a.m.
- 1:30 p.m. To reserve your slot or for more information, please contact Krystal Branton
at 202-727-8370.
The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism, Serve DC, is holding
a Word AIDS Day Food Drive to support Food & Friends, a DC-area organization that provides specialized
nutritious meals, groceries, nutrition counseling and friendship to people
living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses.
The
goal is to collect 3000 pounds of food – enough to serve 150 families or 600
meals. Donations should be sent to DCOA, located at 500 K Street, from
November 17 – November 28. For more information, please contact
202-724-5622.
DCOA is partnering
with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
to offer free memory screenings at all six senior
wellness center on Tuesday, November 18th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. This program is
part of AFA’s national initiative to promote early detection and intervention
for those concerned about memory loss as well as to educate the public about
successful aging.
With
this initiative, the goals are to:
- Provide free, confidential memory screenings to those
with memory concerns or who want to check their memory;
- Eliminate the stigma and fears associated with
dementia;
- Encourage those with memory problems to follow up with
an exam by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional for an
accurate diagnosis, treatment, social services and community resources;
- Educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease and
successful aging; and
- Alleviate the fears of those who do not have a problem.
For more information click here.
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The
Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia issued Order No. 17697 approving the Joint
Application of the Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) and the District
Department of Transportation (DDOT) to undertake the first three years of a
plan to significantly improve electric reliability in the District by placing
selected electric distribution feeder lines underground. The Order also
authorizes an Underground Project Charge (UPC) to recover Pepco’s costs for the
project and capping the total amount at $42.472 million for the initial
Triennial Underground Infrastructure Improvement Projects Plan. The Order
approved 21 projects in Wards 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. The full undergrounding
project is expected to extend for a period of 7‑10 years at a total cost of
approximately $1 billion. Work is expected to begin in the second quarter
of 2015.
The
undergrounding project is being carried out through a unique public-private
partnership between the regulated investor owned utility and DDOT that was
authorized by the “Electric Company Infrastructure Improvement Financing Act of
2014.” The Act, which was unanimously approved by the D.C. Council in
February 2014, implements the recommendations of the Power Line Undergrounding
Task Force that was established by Mayor Vincent Gray in 2012 to provide
recommendations on how to address a long standing concern about storm-related
power outages. The 18 member Task Force included government officials,
regulators, local utility industry executives, and neighborhood
residents. Pursuant to the Act, DDOT will undertake the construction of
the underground conduits and associated roadwork and Pepco will undertake the
work of removing overhead lines and transformers and placing them
underground. Pepco’s costs will be financed by the UPC approved in
today’s Order. The Act provides that DDOT’s costs will be financed by up
to $375 million in bonds issued by the District and secured by a second charge
on customer’s bills. The application for the Financing Order authorizing
the issuance of those bonds is pending before the Commission and is scheduled
for consideration at the Commission’s November 21st open meeting.
The plan was jointly filed by Pepco and
DDOT on June 17, 2014. The Commission held six community hearings and a
formal evidentiary hearing as part of a thorough review of the plan. The Order:
1.
Approves and authorizes Pepco and DDOT to implement the first three years of
the undergrounding project (2015-2017);
2.
Approves and authorizes imposition, charging, and collection of the volumetric
UPC for all customers except those participating in the assistance program for
low income customers, January 1, 2015. For the typical residential
customer using an average of 750 kWhs per month, the charge in 2015 is
estimated to be 17 cents a month. $0.17. Small commercial customers who
use an average of 1,236 kWh per month, will pay an estimated 72 cents a
month;
3.
Approves and authorizes an annual true-up mechanism for the adjustment of the
UPC, to assure that the amount collected matches actual costs incurred by Pepco
in undertaking the undergrounding work;
4.
Directs the Joint Applicants to create the UPC Education Task Force further
implement the DC PLUG Education Plan and details additional requirements to
keep District residents and businesses informed about the timing and other
details of underground construction plans in their neighborhoods; and
5.
Provides for ongoing submission and review of detailed plans for each feeder by
the Commission and parties as construction proceeds.
The
Commission expects that the undergrounding project will greatly enhance the
reliability and resilience of the electric distribution system as well as
minimize the impact of more frequent severe weather events on electric
distribution customers in the District.
A
copy of the Order and additional information about the Application
of the Triennial Underground Infrastructure Improvement Projects Plan
is available on the Commission’s website at www.dcpsc.org/.
The Public Service Commission of the District of
Columbia is an independent agency established by Congress in 1913 to regulate
electric, natural gas, and telecommunications companies in the District of
Columbia.
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