Electric

API: Natural Gas Generation Key to the Reliability of America’s Electric Power System

During yesterday’s U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy’s hearing to examine reliability in a transforming electricity industry, API Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Marty Durbin highlighted the reliability and resilience of natural gas power generation. Key qu..

Report: North America's Pumps and Valves Services Market to Increase Through 2021

Technavio has released a new report, Pumps and Valves Services Market in North America 2017-2021, which shows the pumps and valves services market in North America is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. Key findings include: The growth of the end-user industries a..

Utilities Oppose Expanded Use of 6-GHz Spectrum Band

Expanded use of mid-band spectrum by new wireless broadband services could interfere with critical utility networks used for the reliable operation of the nation’s electricity grid, the Utilities Technology Council told the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday. The FCC is inquiring whether it ..

Utilities Partner to Boost Power Grid Resilience

To help restore electric service to communities after catastrophic emergencies or significant natural events, 28 utilities have now committed to participate in the RESTORE program, which establishes a proactive approach to providing critical equipment for utilities that need additional resources..

Water Environment and Reuse Foundation, Brown and Caldwell Partner to Further Potable Reuse Research

Brown and Caldwell today announced it made a $100,000 contribution in September to support the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation’s (WE&RF) Advancing Potable Reuse Initiative’s goal of establishing potable reuse as a solution to the nation’s water supply challenges and as a reliable and sustaina..

Drone Companies Team up to Service North Dakota Oil Patch

MINOT, N.D. (AP) — A Norway-based manufacturer and a Scandinavian technology company have been teaming up with a North Dakota drone operation to service the region’s utility and oil and gas customers. Robot Aviation, a manufacturing company based in Poland, and eSmart, a software company founded in..

Nebraska City Uses Sonar Tool to Assess Sewer Lines

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A city in eastern Nebraska is using a musical instrument of sorts as a sewer line rapid assessment tool to help figure out how much money the city will need to repair and maintain its sewers. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the SL-Rat transmitter is the first tool used to ..

Gulf Publishing Company Launches LNG Intelligence Service for Energy Industry

Gulf Publishing Company, a leading media company and provider of market data for the international energy industry, launches today the Energy Web Atlas to provide the downstream energy sector with easy access to information about the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) industry. A real-time project informa..

Sterlite Tech Launches Dense Network 1152F Cables for Mobile Backhaul

At the India Mobile Congress, Sterlite Technologies today announced the company’s FlashFWD 5G Solution can now be used with 1152F variant cables. FlashFWD 1152F is NABL certified and complies with the latest global standards of IEC.60794 series, ANSI/ICEA S-87-640, Telcordia GR-20, and ITU-T Recomme..

Swiss ABB to Buy Unit from General Electric for $2.6 Billion

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss robotics and industrial machinery maker ABB is buying the electrification services unit of U.S. conglomerate General Electric in a deal valued at $2.6 billion, boosting its presence in its crucial North American market. The deal between ABB, which provides high-tech equipment fo..

Companies Set Subsea Industry Benchmark for Fiber Optic Cable Capacity Reach

Infinera and Seaborn Networks have completed a successful subsea field trial demonstrating the industry’s highest spectral efficiency on an ultra-long-haul subsea cable. The 8QAM trial demonstrated 4.5 bits per second per hertz on Seaborn’s Seabras-1 cable, with a distance of more than 10,500 kilome..

Report: Global CIPP Market to Reach Nearly $2.5 Million by 2022

According to a new report from Stratview Research, the global Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) market is projected to reach $2,486.5 million in 2022. Reasons for the expected growth include: Aging potable and sewage water infrastructure Increased spending by municipalities and utilities on rehabilita..

Report: Fiberglass Pipe Market to Exceed $6 Billion by 2025

The global fiberglass pipes market is expected to grow to $6.19 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Reasons for the projected growth include: Robust growth in Asia Pacific’s shipping industry Increasing demand from the oil & gas, chemicals and irrigation indu..

Pipe Restoration Technologies Awarded Lead Pipes Patent

Pipe Restoration Technologies, LLC, makers of the ePIPE®, Lead-Free, Leak-Free™ and LeadSmart® product lines, today announced that it has been granted U.S. patent #9764354. This patent is related to the ePIPE system of in-place pipe restoration which reduces lead leaching from underground water serv..

Indiana Regulators OK Vectren's Grid Upgrade, Rate Increases

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Indiana utility regulators have approved Vectren Corp.’s seven-year plan to upgrade its electrical grid and pass those costs onto its customers through rate increases. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the Evansville-based utility’s plan Wednesday. The grid ..

Power Back on in Florida, but Utilities Still Under Fire

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — After a massive restoration effort, most of Florida has power 10 days after Hurricane Irma knocked out electricity to nearly two-thirds of the state, mostly because of improvements made to the power grid since Hurricane Wilma 12 years ago. But that may do little to stem a g..

Utility Achieves Methane Capture Milestone

SmSouthern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced the company has passed the one million cubic foot mark in its ongoing methane capture initiative. This innovative process allows for gas that would otherwise be vented to the atmosphere during pipeline replacement work to be saved and reinject..

90% of Power Outages Restored in Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Floridians are still without power more than a week after Hurricane Irma slammed into the state. The state’s emergency management division reported Monday that more than 407,000 homes and businesses are still without electricity. That’s nearly 4 per..

Furukawa Electric to Expand Fiber Optic Cable Production Capacity

Furukawa Electric Company today announced plans to nearly double its 2016 fiber optic manufacturing capacity by 2019 and to also increase its fiber optic cable manufacturing capacity. Between 2014 and 2016, the company increased its global fiber production capacity by 20% and initially planned ..

Hydro One and Avista File Applications for Regulatory Approval of Merger

Hydro One Limited and Avista Corporation have filed Applications requesting regulatory approval of the proposed merger of the two companies that was announced on July 19, 2017. The applications have been filed with state utility commissions in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska, as w..

Water Technology Program Now Accepting Applications

Pipeline H2O announced it is now accepting applications for the 2018 class. Supported by a coalition of regional cities, utilities, universities, and startup organizations, Pipeline H2O is looking for companies working on water technologies that solve various aspects of the world’s water issues such..

$26 Million Construction Contract Awarded in Texas

Sterling Construction Company, Inc’s subsidiary, Texas Sterling Construction Co., has been awarded a $26.6 million construction contract for the City of Frisco Main Street project in Frisco, Texas. The City of Frisco Main Street project includes widening a three mile section of Main Street from FM 4..

Axalta Unveils Latest Addition to Internal Pipe Coatings Portfolio

Axalta Coating Systems has released the Nap-Gard 7-0015 Tan Internal FBE, a thermosetting epoxy powder designed to pass Saudi Aramco’s 09-SAMSS-091 (2011) specification that delivers high adhesion properties to effectively protect pipelines subject to H2S, CO2 and CH4 exposure. “Axalta is excited t..

Now a Tropical Storm, Irma Hits Florida with Wind, Flooding

TAMPA, Florida (AP) — A weakened but still dangerous Irma pushed inland Monday as it hammered Florida with winds and floodwaters that created hazards even for rescuers trying to help beleaguered residents. Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm over Florida, but it still had winds near hurricane f..

Orange County Water District Awarded Grant to Improve Water Quality

The Orange County Water District (OCWD), in a partnership with the University of Maryland and CosmosID, Inc., has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that will aid the water industry in its continued effort to improve water quality. The $100k award will be used to apply metagenomics, ..

OFS Expands the AccuRibbon® DC Fiber Optic Cable Family

OFS announced it has expanded the AccuRibbon® DC Fiber Optic Cable product family to include fiber counts up to 864. These gel-free ribbon cables will be available in dielectric and metallic/armored versions. Currently, AccuRibbon DC cables are only offered in fiber counts up to 432. OF..

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Approves Sempra Energy-Oncor Merger Agreement

Sempra Energy today announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has approved the merger agreement that Energy Future Holdings Corp. (Energy Future) entered into with Sempra Energy on Aug. 21, 2017. This approval is an important step in Sempra Energy’s proposal to acquir..

Patent Awarded for “In-place” Coating to Protect Pipes Against Water Loss Due to Leaks

Pipe Restoration Technologies, LLC has been granted U.S. patent #9744561. This patent is related to the ePIPE system of in-place pipe restoration, which provides protection to underground pipes against leaks and harmful lead and copper leaching. “ePIPE is providing superior solutions in response to..

American Water Resources Collaborates with Dispatch to Improve the Customer Repair Experience

American Water Resources has entered into an agreement with Dispatch to help deliver faster service when customers need repairs on their water and sewer service lines, in-home plumbing, and other home services covered under American Water Resources protection plans. Dispatch is an enterprise custom..

Ditch Witch, Utilicor Join Forces to Simplify Utility Repairs

Ditch Witch®, a Charles Machine Works Company, has partnered with Utilicor Technologies, Inc. to bring the benefits of advanced keyhole technology and reinstatement to contractors, municipalities and utilities globally. Due to the partnership, utility contractors will now be able to operate a nimbl..