News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

[erstwo]

Glad this thread has been revived - something @networkpro said (a week or so?) ago about the smart TVs got me thinking…..
I think this is on topic - let me know if it’s not: We all know utility companies spend a ton of money each year defending their networks. So do we think Disney is more of a target?? I would think they would be - imagine the dollars you could get in ‘ransom’ if you could take over the power/ water to the entire WDW resort.
Does that make Reedy Creek even more expensive to operate than a ‘normal’ utility company? Is this yet another increased expense Orange County, etc would incur? If they are forced to take over Reedy and merge Reedy with their existing networks does that make their current customers more vulnerable to cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services?
If the answer is yes then that alone would make me livid at the governor (IF I lived in Orange, Osceola)

 

[Dan Deesnee]

Glad this thread has been revived - something @networkpro said (a week or so?) ago about the smart TVs got me thinking…..
I think this is on topic - let me know if it’s not: We all know utility companies spend a ton of money each year defending their networks. So do we think Disney is more of a target?? I would think they would be - imagine the dollars you could get in ‘ransom’ if you could take over the power/ water to the entire WDW resort.
Does that make Reedy Creek even more expensive to operate than a ‘normal’ utility company? Is this yet another increased expense Orange County, etc would incur? If they are forced to take over Reedy and merge Reedy with their existing networks does that make their current customers more vulnerable to cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services?
If the answer is yes then that alone would make me livid at the governor (IF I lived in Orange, Osceola)

I'm struggling to comprehend this. How would it be any different than every other country/district in the country? Disney networks and electricity are no more vulnerable now than they would be after this Reedy Creek mess and that goes for residents in the area too.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Glad this thread has been revived - something @networkpro said (a week or so?) ago about the smart TVs got me thinking…..
I think this is on topic - let me know if it’s not: We all know utility companies spend a ton of money each year defending their networks. So do we think Disney is more of a target?? I would think they would be - imagine the dollars you could get in ‘ransom’ if you could take over the power/ water to the entire WDW resort.
Does that make Reedy Creek even more expensive to operate than a ‘normal’ utility company? Is this yet another increased expense Orange County, etc would incur? If they are forced to take over Reedy and merge Reedy with their existing networks does that make their current customers more vulnerable to cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services?
If the answer is yes then that alone would make me livid at the governor (IF I lived in Orange, Osceola)

Operation of the utilities in the District are contracted out to Reedy Creek Energy Services, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. That contract would remain in place and could always be renewed. Orange County does not run its own electric utility, so those services could be wholly privatized.

 

[erstwo]

I'm struggling to comprehend this. How would it be any different than every other country/district in the country? Disney networks and electricity are no more vulnerable now than they would be after this Reedy Creek mess and that goes for residents in the area too.

I would think - and maybe I'm wrong here - Disney would have to fend off more attacks than your average utility company because of 'who' they are and how well known they are. If you attack my local utility company and succeed - you might be thinking of asking for $2 million (I made that number up - no idea what people usually demand and what utility companies usually pay out.) Someone attacking the utility network for Disney might think they could get exponentially more? (ETA - and thus, the utilities that support WDW are probably attacked more often because the attackers think it might be more lucrative.) That was my thought process.

Either way, I think @lazyboy97o answered my question. Just something I have pondered - and wondered if anyone had an answer - so thanks!

 

[mgf]

BLOOMBERG - Florida’s Bond Chief Sees Disney District Being Re-Established

 

[JoeCamel]

How will Disney ever do "glow away" without a nuclear plant?

 

[Disstevefan1]

I'm struggling to comprehend this. How would it be any different than every other country/district in the country? Disney networks and electricity are no more vulnerable now than they would be after this Reedy Creek mess and that goes for residents in the area too.

I was not even think of cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services, I was focused about the 2 Billion of bond debt that could be dumped on the Orange and Osceola tax payers.

No Air conditioning AND 2 billion of bond debt!

It just keeps getting worse for Orange and Osceola tax payers.

 

[JoeCamel]

I was not even think of cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services, I was focused about the 2 Billion of bond debt that could be dumped on the Orange and Osceola tax payers.

No Air conditioning AND 2 billion of bond debt!

It just keeps getting worse for Orange and Osceola tax payers.

State bond guy says they have 1 billion outstanding and a new district will be created to have the same powers minus the nuke plant among others but the debt will NOT be pressed on the surrounding counties. They are very sensitive to their rating quality and he called the principal debt holders when this first was brought up to soothe their fears.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Seriously Disney, it’s time to buy Turkey Point.

 

[lazyboy97o]

State bond guy says they have 1 billion outstanding and a new district will be created to have the same powers minus the nuke plant among others but the debt will NOT be pressed on the surrounding counties. They are very sensitive to their rating quality and he called the principal debt holders when this first was brought up to soothe their fears.

He says he thinks it will. It’s not something he controls or for which any actual work has been made public. Less powers could also still be an impairment of the District’ ability to carry out its work, especially given the lack of care out into understanding how the District is actually structured and operates.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

I was not even think of cyber attack and this possibility losing power/ services, I was focused about the 2 Billion of bond debt that could be dumped on the Orange and Osceola tax payers.

No Air conditioning AND 2 billion of bond debt!

It just keeps getting worse for Orange and Osceola tax payers.

I don't think that bond debt / that article mean what you think they mean. The residents will be fine.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I don't think that bond debt / that article mean what you think they mean. The residents will be fine.

I guess we will find out eventually.

 

[Disstevefan1]

State bond guy says they have 1 billion outstanding and a new district will be created to have the same powers minus the nuke plant among others but the debt will NOT be pressed on the surrounding counties. They are very sensitive to their rating quality and he called the principal debt holders when this first was brought up to soothe their fears.

That’s good news.
Ya know all that bull about the right to build a nuke plant they were NEVER going to build, the ironic thing (that no one wants to admit) is that nuclear power IS THE SOLUTION to global warming and energy independence.

All the stuff about it not being safe and the waste is a problem is pure fiction. Nuclear plants are costly but once in place and running, they provide reliable power and puts nothing in the air.

Instead, we are going to play with (and fail) with wind and solar.

 

[GoofGoof]

BLOOMBERG - Florida’s Bond Chief Sees Disney District Being Re-Established

I will try again. This sounds very familiar. Many on here have speculated for a while that this would be the eventual plan for RCID. Replace it with a new district that’s virtually the same in all areas that matter and remove some of the useless or non-essential elements like the option to build a nuclear power plant. I assume that would satisfy the bond holders, keep the local taxpayers from taking any of the burden from dissolving the district and leave Disney economically about the same place they are today. Cooler heads will prevail and those wanting a big, public fight will be left disappointed, but it checks mostly all of the boxes for everyone else.

 

[GoofGoof]

That’s good news.
Ya know all that bull about the right to build a nuke plant they were NEVER going to build, the ironic thing (that no one wants to admit) is that nuclear power IS THE SOLUTION to global warming and energy independence.

All the stuff about it not being safe and the waste is a problem is pure fiction. Nuclear plants are costly but once in place and running, they provide reliable power and puts nothing in the air.

Instead, we are going to play with (and fail) with wind and solar.

The discussion on wind/solar vs nuclear is kinda off topic, but I will comment on the idea of RCID building a nuclear plant themselves.

Back when RCID was established we (the US) were still actively building nuclear power plants everywhere. It wasn’t until after the 3 mile island accident in 1979 that we stopped licensing new nuclear power plants. There were over 100 planned new nuclear plants that were cancelled in the early 80s and no new licenses were considered from 1979 until 2012. So it makes some sense that RCID could potentially have been involved in a nuclear project when the district was established but not today. The other thing that changed is the risk of terrorism. Having a nuclear power plant close to a large population center (Orlando) and in an area that attracts so many visitors would make it a potential target and would make the project unlikely to be licensed even if they wanted to do it. A melt down whether accidental or the result of terrorism would be devastating. So this was a long winded way of saying that the state of FL doesn’t need to worry about the threat of RCID building a nuclear power plant because the Federal government would never allow it anyway.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The discussion on wind/solar vs nuclear is kinda off topic, but I will comment on the idea of RCID building a nuclear plant themselves.

Back when RCID was established we (the US) were still actively building nuclear power plants everywhere. It wasn’t until after the 3 mile island accident in 1979 that we stopped licensing new nuclear power plants. There were over 100 planned new nuclear plants that were cancelled in the early 80s and no new licenses were considered from 1979 until 2012. So it makes some sense that RCID could potentially have been involved in a nuclear project when the district was established but not today. The other thing that changed is the risk of terrorism. Having a nuclear power plant close to a large population center (Orlando) and in an area that attracts so many visitors would make it a potential target and would make the project unlikely to be licensed even if they wanted to do it. A melt down whether accidental or the result of terrorism would be devastating. So this was a long winded way of saying that the state of FL doesn’t need to worry about the threat of RCID building a nuclear power plant because the Federal government would never allow it anyway.

Being involved in nuclear power doesn’t have to just mean building a reactor at Walt Disney World. The District is allowed to own and be involved in projects outside of its geographical boundary. The District is involved with Duke Energy on solar projects outside of the District. The Orlando Utility Commission has an interest in St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant which is well outside Orlando and Orange County. Preventing the District from being involved with nuclear power means preventing them from ever making the exact sort of energy investments Republicans generally favor.

 

[GoofGoof]

Being involved in nuclear power doesn’t have to just mean building a reactor at Walt Disney World. The District is allowed to own and be involved in projects outside of its geographical boundary. The District is involved with Duke Energy on solar projects outside of the District. The Orlando Utility Commission has an interest in St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant which is well outside Orlando and Orange County. Preventing the District from being involved with nuclear power means preventing them from ever making the exact sort of energy investments Republicans generally favor.

The article specifically mentioned operating a nuclear power plant:
The new district won’t have some of the powers previously granted that were never used such as operating a nuclear power plant.

I don’t think there would be any way to prevent them from buying nuclear power but that is different from operating a nuclear power plant, something RCID would have no interest in doing today.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The article specifically mentioned operating a nuclear power plant:
The new district won’t have some of the powers previously granted that were never used such as operating a nuclear power plant.

I don’t think there would be any way to prevent them from buying nuclear power but that is different from operating a nuclear power plant, something RCID would have no interest in doing today.

The article isn’t a review of a specific proposal. Would owning part of a reactor not count because operating might be handled by someone else?

Just because the District has no interest today doesn’t mean they should be prohibited from it, especially for excusing and encouraging egregious behavior.

 

[GoofGoof]

The article isn’t a review of a specific proposal. Would owning part of a reactor not count because operating might be handled by someone else?

Just because the District has no interest today doesn’t mean they should be prohibited from it, especially for excusing and encouraging egregious behavior.

If you go back and look, DeSantis’s specific comment was an objection that Disney (through RCID) could build their own nuclear power plant. I don’t think that would extend to buying output from a plant that someone else owns/operates. In addition, any company with the means has the ability to buy a financial interest in a nuclear power plant even if they have no need for the power produced. There are banks and even hedge funds that have been involved in various projects. There are much more stringent requirements around who operates the plants due to safety and security concerns.

As far as the second part, it’s an academic debate because the district would be very unlikely to get a license to build a nuclear plant on district property anyway.

 

[Magic Crush Drop]

Disney when they found out that they can't built a nuclear power plant (they want to become a military power)