Business
Former Arizona Utility Regulator Indicted on Bribery Charges
PHOENIX (AP) — A former Arizona utility regulator has been indicted on bribery and fraud charges in what prosecutors said was a scheme to funnel $31,000 in payments to him and arrange his purchase of a $350,000 property in exchange for favorable votes for a utility. Former Corporation Commissioner ..
Blackeagle Energy Services Names New Regional Directors
Blackeagle Energy Services today announced that Gene Hallman and Armando Ferri have joined the company’s leadership team. Hallman will serve as the company’s south region director and Ferri will serve as the director for the east region. Hallman and Ferri each has more than 20 years experience ..
2017 National Public Works Week Celebrates How Public Works Connects Us
In conjunction with the American Public Works Association, this week from May 21-27, municipalities throughout the U.S. and Canada are celebrating National Public Works Week to honor public works professionals who plan, design, build, manage and operate the infrastructure that ensures a higher q..
Report: M&A Appetite Hits Seven-Year High in Power and Utilities Sector
Fifty-nine percent of power and utilities executive respondents expect to actively pursue an acquisition in the next 12 months, according to the latest biannual EY Power & Utilities Capital Confidence Barometer. That demonstrates a 12% increase in M&A appetite since the last Barometer (47%), and..
GridLiance Hires Utility Industry Veteran as VP of Corporate Development
GridLiance, the nation’s first independent transmission company primarily focused on working with Public Power, has named utility-industry veteran Kevin Donnelly as vice president of Corporate Development. Donnelly joins GridLiance with more than 20 years of utility industry experience, including i..
ESCO Technologies Acquires Global Utility Solutions Provider
ESCO Technologies Inc. has acquired Morgan Schaffer Inc., a global utility solutions provider whose products are sold in over 90 countries to both electrical utilities with generation and transmission assets and original equipment manufacturers of large transmission transformers. The business, whic..
Infrastructure Upgrades Help Virginia American Water Receive Rate Increase
Following a 19-month review, the Virginia State Corporation Commission has issued an order that approves new rates for Virginia American Water. The new rates are for the company’s 60,000 drinking water and 20,000 wastewater customers in the City of Alexandria, the City of Hopewell, a portion of Prin..
PSE&G CEO Calls for Regulatory Changes in New Jersey
Ralph Izzo, president, chairman and chief executive officer of Public Service Enterprise Group, today called for a set of regulatory reforms in New Jersey that would establish financial incentives for utilities to help their customers reduce at-home energy use, as well as expand access to renewable ..
PG&E Named One of the Best Employers for Veterans
Pacific Gas and Electric Company has been named as one of the best employers for veterans by Military Times. This is the second consecutive year the company has made the “Best for Vets: Employers” list in the ranking’s eight-year history. The survey, conducted by the publishers of the Army Times, N..
APWA Honors Top 10 Public Works Professionals
The American Public Works Association earlier this month announced the 2017 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. APWA’s Top Ten Public Works Leaders are recognized for the career service achievements of public works professionals. This year marks the 57th anniversary of the Top Ten Leader..
Global Water Resources Acquires Eagletail Water Company
Global Water Resources, Inc. has acquired Eagletail Water Company, a small water utility located west of metropolitan Phoenix. The transaction adds approximately 50 active water connections and six square miles of approved service area to Global Water’s existing regional service footprint. The acqu..
Corporation Commission Rejects Utilities' Plea for More Time
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Corporation Commission won’t allow Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy extra time to renegotiate a new merger. After the commission in April rejected the proposed merger, the two companies filed a petition asking for extra time to revise the deal to meet commi..
Helmerich & Payne to Acquire MOTIVE Drilling Technologies
Helmerich & Payne, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire MOTIVE Drilling Technologies, Inc. for $75 million payable at closing and up to an additional $25 million in potential earnout payments based on future performance during the next few years. The transaction is pending and is expected ..
Report: Pipe Suppliers Aim to Capitalize on $300B Municipal Water Opportunity
Pipe and hardware companies are poised to benefit from heightening concerns about U.S. municipal water infrastructure and $300 billion of forecasted capital expenditures over the next decade, according to a new report from Bluefield Research, U.S. Municipal Pipe Markets: Trends, Opportunities and a ..
Utility Uses Fiber Optic Network to Modernize Electric Grid
Bandera Electric Cooperative has completed its first distribution circuit automation project to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. “This project involved the integration of a wide-range of electric equipment, apparatus and residential solar resources, along with real-time communication..
Grand Ocean NEK606 Standard Offshore Cables Meet ABS Requirements
Grand Ocean today announced that its NEK606 standard cables have passed the ABS classification society requirements. “As an ISO 9001:2008 company with over 10 years’ experience in the offshore marine cable industry, we manufacture cables that guarantee optimal performance in adverse conditions, saf..
MasTec Announces Passing of Board Member
MasTec, Inc. today announced that John Van Heuvelen, an independent member of the Company’s Board of Directors, has passed away after a brief illness. Van Heuvelen was appointed to the Board in 2002 and served as MasTec’s lead independent director of the Board for several years. “John has been..
PG&E Wins Award for Innovative App
InformationWeek has named Pacific Gas and Electric Company as the winner of the 2017 IT Excellence Award in the Data and Analytics category. The annual award program recognizes leaders and companies that demonstrate outstanding innovation in information technology. PG&E was recognized for its Mobile..
Missouri American Water Acquires Water, Wastewater Systems
Missouri American Water has acquired the Wardsville water and wastewater systems for $2.75 million. Customers in Wardsville, located just south of Jefferson City, will have their meters changed beginning today and should receive their first invoice from Missouri American Water the week of June 26. ..
Fluke Unveils New Gas Leak Detector
Fluke Corp. has released the Ti450 SF6 Gas Leak Detector, which combines a high-quality infrared camera with an SF6 leak detector that visually pinpoints the location of SF6 leaks without shutting equipment down. The Ti450 SF6 allows utility crews to include it as a normal part of their maintena..
Pennsylvania American Water Files Request to Replace Lead Service Lines
Pennsylvania American Water has filed a request with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission seeking permission to replace customer-owned lead service lines when removing company-owned lead service lines – and to bear the full cost of replacement. Pennsylvania American Water’s proposal allots $6 ..
New York American Water Rate Increase Approved
The New York State Public Service Commission has approved new rates for New York American Water, effective June 1, 2017. The PSC’s rate order reflects an annual revenue increase of $3.6 million for New York American Water’s service areas in Long Island and the Hudson Valley after a 13-month review o..
Tidewater Utilities Employees Honored
Tidewater Utilities, Inc.’s water and wastewater operators were recognized for their outstanding performances at a Delaware Technical and Community College ceremony earlier this month. The ceremony recognized deserving water and wastewater operators, on-site professionals, and the role they played ..
Consumers Energy to Invest $440 Million to Upgrade Natural Gas System
Focusing on safety and reliability, Consumers Energy will spend nearly $440 million in 2017 to modernize its natural gas system. “At Consumers Energy, the safe, reliable delivery of natural gas is a top priority,” said Charles Crews, vice president of gas operations for Consumers Energy. “We ar..
Companies Join Forces to Help Utilities Better Design Sewer, Water Systems
The SUEZ Group has agreed to provide increased capital funding to Optimatics, a company specializing in technology that optimizes the design of water and sewer networks. “We are proud to strengthen our partnership with Optimatics and to support the development of this young digital innovative compa..
FirstEnergy Receives Tree Care Award for 19th Consecutive Year
The National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, has recognized FirstEnergy as a Tree Line USA utility for the 19th consecutive year. The award recognizes investor-owned and public utility companies – electric, gas and water – that promote the ..
INTREN Announces New CEO, Board Leadership
INTREN has announced that Loretta Rosenmayer, founder and CEO, will become Chairwoman of the Board of INTREN, and Kelly Tomblin, President and Chief Executive Officer at Jamaica Public Service Company Ltd., will become the company’s new CEO, effective July 10, 2017. “This evolution come..
Illinois American Water Announces Changes in Southern Illinois Leadership Team
Illinois American Water has promoted Karen Cooper to senior manager of field services and production for the company’s Southern Division serving the Metro East, Alton, Cairo and Hardin County service areas. Cooper, who previously served as operations superintendent for the Alton District service ar..
AWWA 2017 American Water Scholarship Awarded
American Water today announced that Alma Beciragic, a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been chosen as the recipient of the American Water Works Association 2017 American Water Scholarship. The scholarship is an annual award of $5,000 presented to a graduate le..
Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. Announced as New Dealer for Takeuchi
Takeuchi-US has added Kirby-Smith Machinery, Inc. to its dealer network, serving construction, paving, mining, pipeline, aggregate and industrial customers in Oklahoma and Texas. Established over 30 years ago in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Kirby-Smith now has 10 locations in the U.S. with Takeuchi pro..
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Trump calls for Keystone XL pipeline revival, but developer has moved on
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds