Business
Senate Confirms McIntyre, Glick to FERC
The U.S. Senate has confirmed the nominations of Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). McIntyre will serve as Chairman. McIntyre, co-leader of the global Energy Practice at the law firm Jones Day, will serve out the remainder of a term that ends J..
Pipeline Contractor Achieves Safety Milestone
Blackeagle Energy Services today announced the company has achieved a safety-performance milestone when it recently exceeded 2.5 million man hours without a lost-time incident. “At Blackeagle, it is an expectation to work safely,” said Mike Walker, Blackeagle’s Safety Manager. “Working 2.5 million ..
C Spire Launches Ultra-Fast 1 Gbps Internet Access Initiative for Mississippi Businesses
As a part of the company’s Tech Movement initiative, C Spire today announced it will hold two upcoming meetings in Tupelo, Mississippi to discuss ways to make affordable, ultra-fast broadband Internet access widely available to consumers and businesses across the state. More than 1,300 local busine..
Audit Urges Changes to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A state audit is urging changes to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, saying years of mismanagement and lack of leadership have led to financial problems and deteriorating infrastructure. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says the 82,000 city customers are “all too familiar..
Utility Settles Lawsuit with Former Manager out of Court
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts municipal power company has settled a lawsuit brought by a former manager who claimed he was owed more than $600,000 in wages and benefits. The Daily Hampshire Gazette reports that Wayne Doerpholz, former manager of the South Hadley Electric Light Co., dec..
INTREN Appoints New Regional Vice President
INTREN has appointed Keith Garvey as Regional Vice President of Business Development, East Coast, effective immediately. In this role, Garvey will be responsible for providing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of INTREN’s electric and gas customers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jerse..
Company to Build Optical Submarine Cable Connecting Japan, U.S. and Philippines
NTT Communications Corporation, as part of a consortium comprising SoftBank, Facebook, Amazon, PLDT and PCCW Global, has signed an agreement to participate in the construction and maintenance of the JUPITER large-capacity low-latency optical submarine cable between Asia and the United States. The J..
PG&E Appoints New Vice President for Power Generation
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has appointed Jon Franke as its vice president, Power Generation, effective Nov. 1. Franke, who currently serves as vice president, Generation Technical Services, will now lead PG&E’s Power Generation organization as vice president, Power Generation, with res..
SUEZ Acquires Forest Park Water Group
SUEZ North America has completed the acquisition of the Forest Park Water Group, which serves approximately 4,000 people through 13 water systems in Putnam County and one system in Westchester County, New York. The water systems, which consist of 30 wells, serve mostly residential homes, condominium..
Iroquois Pipeline President Jeff Bruner Elected Chairman of INGAA's Board of Directors
The board of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America has elected Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company (IPOC) President Jeffrey Bruner as chairman of the INGAA board of directors for a one‐year term, effective immediately. “As the chairman of INGAA, Jeff will lead our industry’..
Fiber Optic Installation Completed in Nebraska
Great Plains Communications has completed a seven-mile fiber optic cable build to Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park near Orchard, Nebraska. The 360-acre park is home to numerous skeletons of prehistoric animals – including rhinos, camels, three-toed horses and birds – preserved in the area w..
Lead Protection Plan Now Available for All U.S. Plumbing Companies
Pipe Restoration Technologies, LLC (PRT), makers of the ePIPE, Lead-Free Leak-Free™ and LeadSmart® product lines, is celebrating National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week with the launch of its LeadSmart Lead Protection Plan for all nationwide plumbing companies and home inspectors to help ease Americ..
California Water Service Receives AWWA Larry C. Larson Safety Award
California Water Service has received the 2016-2017 Larry C. Larson Safety Award for Class IV utilities from the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) California-Nevada Section. The award for Class IV utilities, or those with more than 500 employees, recognizes a large utility’s commitment to it..
Dr. Peter J. Winzer Honored for Advancements in Fiber Optic Technology
The Optical Society (OSA) and the IEEE Photonics Society today announced that Peter J. Winzer of Nokia Bell Labs, USA, is the recipient of the 2018 John Tyndall Award. The award, one of the top honors in the fiber optics community, will be presented at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and ..
$12 Million Water Treatment Plant Upgrades Move Power Lines Underground
Illinois American Water’s Interurban (Metro East) District, which serves the communities of East St. Louis, Granite City, Belleville and surrounding areas, has completed a significant upgrade at its East. St. Louis Water Treatment Plant. The approximately $12 million investment helps to enhance reli..
Water Technology Program Honored
The Hamilton Mill’s Pipeline H2O program was recognized on Thursday, Oct. 19 at the 2017 Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA) Annual Excellence Awards program in Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio Economic Development Association’s Annual Excellence Awards program acknowledges the achievements of indi..
International Plastic Pipe Conference Extends Deadline for Papers
The organizers of the International Plastic Pipe Conference and Exhibition have announced a two-week extension of the deadline for the submission of abstracts to Nov. 15, 2017. “We have already received some major proposals for presentations and are particularly interested to receive case reference..
Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Approves Settlement in Rate Case
Hawaii Water Service, a subsidiary of California Water Service Group has received approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to increase annual revenues by approximately $771,000 in its Pukalani wastewater system for improvements made over recent years. The increase will become effective a..
Mammoth Energy to Help Rebuild Puerto Rico’s Energy Infrastructure
Mammoth Energy Services, Inc.’s wholly owned subsidiary, Cobra Acquisitions LLC, has signed a contract to aid in the restoration of utility infrastructure on the island of Puerto Rico. The contract will commence immediately and is expected to generate revenue of up to $200 million over the initial 1..
Xylem Provides Expanded Support for Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico
Xylem has announced it will expand its support for the ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria. The company has pledged financial support, including matching employee contributions, as well as a new effort to bring clean w..
Dexheimer Appointed to ASCE Board of Directors
Heidi Dexheimer, project director in Atkins’ Henderson, Nevada, office, has been appointed to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) Board of Governors. UESI is ASCE’s newest institute, focused on encouraging worldwide excellence in plannin..
Consolidation of Rural Water Systems Prompts Industry Dialogue
CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division has released, When Rural Water Systems Combine, a report that examines key issues and considerations surrounding consolidation of rural water systems. “The pace of consolidations at agricultural cooperatives in rural America has picked up in recent years,” said ..
Aqua America Offers Tips, Video to Minimize Lead Exposure
To help raise awareness of potential sources of lead in drinking water during Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 22 – 28, Aqua America has released a lead education video designed to help homeowners understand the important role they play in ensuring their water is lead free. “Each day, Aqua stri..
American Water Honored by National Association of Water Companies
American Water announced it has received two awards from the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) at the 2017 NAWC Water Summit honoring their commitment to innovation and passion to serving their customers and communities. American Water’s geothermal pilot was recognized in the “sustaina..
Michael Baker International Makes Leadership Change
Michael Baker International today announced the promotion of Michael J. Conaboy, P.E., to Regional Director for the firm’s West Region, succeeding Anna Lantin, P.E., who will transition to the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Business Development, where she will support Conaboy in ..
11-Year-Old Honored for Lead Detection Invention
3M and Discovery Education have named 11-year-old Gitanjali Rao from Lone Tree, Colo. the winner of the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. Gitanjali is working to develop Tethys, a sensor-based device that can detect lead in water faster than other current techniques. ..
Enbridge Knew of Line 5 Damage Years Ago
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The company that operates twin oil pipelines in a Great Lakes waterway says it knew three years ago that protective coating had been damaged but didn’t inform regulatory agencies. Enbridge Inc. says four gaps were opened in enamel coating on one section of Line 5 in Mich..
San Francisco PUC Awarded $625 Million Water Infrastructure Loan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $625-million WIFIA (Water Infrastructure and Financing Innovation Act) loan to the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). The loan, one of 12 issued nationwide, is expected to save ratepayers over $200 million. The $625-million ..
New Online Marketplace for Trenchless Pipe and Sewer Repairs Launched
ShopTRENCHLESS.com, LLC today announced the launch of its website targeting residential and commercial plumbing contractors and suppliers, as well as utility contractors and municipalities’ maintenance divisions. shopTRENCHLESS.com is an online marketplace empowering the industry to source the next ..
Southern Company to Sell Utilities in $1.7 Billion Deal
Pivotal Utility Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Southern Company Gas, has entered into agreements to sell the assets of its utility operating divisions, Elizabethtown Gas and Elton Gas, to South Jersey Industries in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $1.7 billion. ..
- 290-mile gas pipeline expansion proposed across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- $227 million Garnet Valley water project advances, set to create 73,000 jobs in Nevada
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish
- Construction underway for $1.4 billion, 60-mile water pipeline in Chicago
- Gehl and Mustang offer world’s largest skid loader
- Growing Pains and Gains
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish