Electric
West Virginia regulators deny 12% electric utility rate increase request
West Virginia regulators have denied a request by Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power that would have added $18.41 to the average monthly residential electric bill.
Environmentalists fight huge utility's long-term contracts
Distributors for the nation's largest public utility signed onto what amounted to "never-ending" contracts that unfairly tied them to power generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, a lawyer argued Thursday as she represents environmental groups in a lawsuit.
Work underway to upgrade West Penn Power's electrical system in Butler County, Pa.
West Penn Power is upgrading its distribution system in Butler County to help prevent lengthy service interruptions during severe weather. The company will replace worn equipment, repair underground electric lines and place hundreds of protective devices on numerous power lines.
$1 billion hydropower project's fate rests with Maine supreme court
A stalled $1 billion energy corridor aimed at bringing Canadian hydropower to the New England power grid could be given new life — or spiked for good — by the state’s high court.
Glo Fiber to expand high-speed fiber-optic network to York County, VA
Glo Fiber has reached an agreement with county officials to bring its fiber-optic network to the northern part of York County, Virginia. Construction will start in York County in the beginning of 2023.
Maine utility oversight bill advances after differences resolved
The Maine Legislature voted in favor of a bill to increase oversight of the state's two major electric utilities on Wednesday, a day after a disagreement in the House put the proposal into limbo.
Lawmakers make efforts to protect critical infrastructure in water, utilities sectors
Lawmakers are taking steps to prevent a repeat of the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, by designing legislation to protect critical infrastructure in the water, utilities and pipeline sectors.
Thousands Without Heat, Water After Tornadoes Kill Dozens
Many Kentucky residents are without power and water after a powerful tornado blew through the state.
DEP Hears Testimony on Permit Suspension of Power Corridor
A permit for a $1 billion electricity transmission project is facing its final public hearing before a referendum vote.
Mainers Have Their Say on $1B Electric Transmission Line
Voters in Maine are weighing in on a 145-mile conduit for Canadian hydropower.
Details of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan Affecting the Underground Construction Industry
The numbers are out for the bipartisan infrastructure plan that will allocate money to help improve the country's infrastructure.
United Utility Services Acquires B&B Electrical & Utility Contractors
United Utility Services has acquired B&B Electrical & Utility Contractors creating new growth opportunities for both companies.
North Carolina Utilities Told to Stop Disconnections Through August
Regulators in North Carolina have instructed the state's large, for-profit utility companies to continue delaying disconnections through the month of August.
Complicated Cable Boring in Boston Harbor
ECI Drilling International (ECI) recently completed two horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installations in Boston of conduits for cable that replaced old power cable service at an essential wastewater treatment plant. The channel bore also was a step in preparing for construction of major Boston Harbor improvements.
PG&E Commits to Underground Power Lines as Part of Wildfire Rebuild
PG&E announced today that it will put all electric distribution power lines underground in the Town of Paradise and some of the surrounding areas as the town rebuilds from the Camp Fire.
American Augers/Trencor Launch New Website
American Augers/Trencor, a Charles Machine Works company and leading manufacturer of horizontal directional drills, auger boring machines and large-scale trenchers and surface miners, launched a newly designed website. Bringing together the two brands with the message – “Two Brands. One Commitment” ..
Rise of the Internet and Loss of the Human Touch
Robert Carpenter | Editor-in-Chief I’ve spent some frustrating times both calling companies and getting on their websites the past few years. Now, I’m getting downright infuriated – and that goes for both general markets and underground infrastructure companies. Quick, responsive customer service h..
Energy Web Atlas Launches World Pipeline Dataset
Gulf Energy Information has added the World Pipeline layer to its Energy Web Atlas (EWA), the ESRI-based GIS platform introduced earlier this year that tracks detailed data – including operators, shareholders, pipeline route and pipeline specifications – for more than 3,670 natural gas pipelines glo..
Challenges of Leak Detection on Produced Water, Crude Gathering Networks
Oil producers laid hundreds of miles of gathering pipelines to keep pace with the shale boom across North America from 2009 to 2017. As a result, produced water production has increased exponentially with oil and gas production. Produced water is a byproduct along with the oil and gas. Oil and gas r..
Mobile App Provides Information, Training for Contractors, Utilities
Verocomm Network has introduced a new mobile app that provides information and training content to employees in the field. The cloud-based Verocomm app is a secure, easy-to-use platform for delivering critical communications, training and safety on mobile devices, said Lawrence Martel, CEO of Aclip..
Customers Experience New Equipment, Technology at Annual Seminar
Customers worldwide traveled to the Perry, Okla., headquarters of Ditch Witch, a Charles Machine Works Company, to participate in the annual Equipment Seminar in April. More than 300 dealership employees and their customers experienced an up-close look at customer-driven equipment enhancements and n..
WSSC Awards Contract to Transform Sewage into Renewable Energy
The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) has approved the first phase of a $250 million project that will turn poop to power by transforming sewage into renewable energy. The $44 million contract awarded to PC Construction Company will allow WSSC to begin design and early construction of ..
Arcadis Provides ‘Living’ Software Presentation to Assess Interceptor Condition, Risk
At the April 4 meeting of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Underground Construction Technology Association, Harrison Steed, P.E., senior project manager with Arcadis, discussed a complex project involving Dallas Water Utilities’ wastewater collection system. Spanning more than 230 miles of large-diam..
Del Puerto Water District Wins ACWA's 2018 Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has awarded the 2018 Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence to the Del Puerto Water District for its North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program. The program is an innovative solution to water supply and reliability issues in the San Joa..
Vermont Town to Vote on Sewer, Water Revitalization Project
WINOOSKI, Vt. (AP) – Residents in Winooski will soon decide whether the city will combine upgrades to its water and sewer systems with a revitalization project. The Burlington Free Press reports a vote on the overhaul is scheduled for Tuesday. The Main Street Revitalization Project includes buryin..
Urban Water Scarcity Challenge Opens to Startups
Imagine H2O has opened its 2018 Urban Water Scarcity Challenge to water startups advancing resilient drinking water solutions in fast-growing cities globally. The challenge aligns with U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6), which calls for universal access to safe and affordable drinking water ..
Crews Finish Sealing Damaged Great Lakes Electric Cables
MACKINAW CITY, Mich. (AP) — Officials say crews have finished capping and sealing two electric cables that were severed by a suspected boat anchor strike in the waterway that connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. A team of investigators led by the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday the cables owned by A..
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission Celebrates 100 Years of Service
In celebration of its 100th year of service, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) is hosting a regional symposium, A Century of Innovation, tomorrow, May 1, at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. The symposium brings together wa..
CUIRE Study Finds CIPP Reports Non-Conclusive
Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington’s Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education and the Institute for Underground Infrastructure in Germany have completed a four-month study on the review of published literature pertaining to chemical emissions of styrene-based res..
Study: Californians Support Using Recycled Water
Xylem Inc. has released the results of a study indicating nearly three-quarters of Californians support using recycled water as an additional local water supply, regardless of water shortages. According to the study, although 2017 brought significant rainfall, Californians also remain very concerned..
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects