Electric

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..

NASSCO: Purdue's CIPP Report Flawed

The National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) has released its response to the Purdue University study, Worksite Chemical Air Emissions and Worker Exposure during Sanitary Sewer and Stormwater Pipe Rehabilitation Using Cured-in-Place-Pipe (CIPP), published July 26, 2017 in the Environ..

Drones to Detect Power Outages in Illinois

URBANA, Ill. (AP) — An electrical and natural-gas service company in central Illinois is using a fleet of drones to detect power outages, inspect power lines and poles and plan for construction projects. The News-Gazette reports that Ameren Illinois officials demonstrated the drones Tuesday in Urba..

SoCalGas Streamlines Processes to Support Renewable Gas Projects

Southern California Gas Co. has announced new initiatives that will make it easier for renewable gas production facilities to connect to the company’s natural gas pipeline system. First is the creation of a downloadable toolkit to help renewable gas producers and developers who are interested in in..

Juneau Utility's New Owners Say Company Not for Sale

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The company buying Alaska Electric Light & Power Company’s parent corporation said in a letter it is not interested in selling Juneau’s electric utility any time soon. KTOO.org reports (http://bit.ly/2xs20Gw ) Hydro One CEO Mayo Schmidt wrote a letter to the City and Bor..

Kansas City Selects Electro Scan Technology to Assess Sewer Mains

The City of Kansas City, Missouri has selected Electro Scan’s Next Generation leak detection technology for condition assessment of 15-inch and smaller diameter sewer mains as part of a pilot project. The partnership with Electro Scan will include the assessment of 100 pipe segments with an approxim..

Sempra Energy Bids $9.45B for Oncor, Topping Buffett Offer

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Sempra Energy is buying Texas power transmitter Oncor for $9.45 billion in cash, wresting it away from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Sempra said Monday that it will also pick up $9.35 billion of the company’s debt. To gain possession of Oncor, Sempra will acquire the reorgan..

Buffett's Firm Maintains $9 Billion Bid for Oncor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett’s company is maintaining its $9 billion bid for Texas power transmitter Oncor despite competition from a private equity fund. Greg Abel, who leads Iowa-based Berkshire Hathaway Energy, said he doesn’t plan to increase the offer for Oncor, which serves about 10 mill..

Ohio Utilities Board Signs off on FirstEnergy Rate Hike

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio regulators have rejected appeals of an earlier decision that allows FirstEnergy Corp. to impose electricity rate increases for three years. The move will give FirstEnergy an additional $204 million each year. Homeowners using an average of 750 kilowatt-hours of electricit..

Arizona Regulators OK Utility Rate Hike

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona utility regulators elected with confirmed or suspected financial backing from the state’s largest electric utility on Tuesday approved a rate increase for the company and cuts to how much its new rooftop solar customers will be paid for excess power. The 4-1 vote by the Arizo..

Arizona Regulators to Ponder Rate Boost for APS

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona utility regulators are set to consider a rate increase for the state’s largest electric company that could go into effect as soon as next month. Tuesday’s planned meeting by the Arizona Corporation Commission comes months after Arizona Public Service reached a deal with..

Clearfield's Fiber Optic Technology Now Telcordia Certified

Clearfield, Inc. today announced that its fiber termination process used to manufacture Clearfield LC/UPC 900 μm 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm jumpers and fiber assemblies have been tested by an independent test lab compliant to the Telcordia, GR-326-Core requirements. With the Telcordia GR-326 achievement, the..

CEO: Westar-Great Plains Merger Plan to Be Filed This Month

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The CEO of Westar says the utility and Great Plains Energy will file their new merger plan with Kansas regulators later this month. CEO Mark Ruelle says meetings will be scheduled later this year for a shareholder vote on the proposal. Ruelle updated investors Wednesd..

After Weeklong Outage, North Carolina Islands Get Power Back

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Power was restored Thursday to two North Carolina islands after a weeklong outage that hit the local economy at the height of the lucrative summer vacation season. Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative announced that transmission lines were pumping electricity to all of Hatt..

Utility Plans to Restore Island Power by Weekend

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina officials say power will be restored to Hatteras Island on Friday, a week after it was hit by a massive outage and thousands of people were ordered to leave. Dare County officials announced that visitors will have unrestricted access to the island starting Friday..

Underground Cable Failure Causes Downtown Detroit Explosions

DETROIT (AP) — Authorities say an underground electrical cable failure caused explosions in downtown Detroit that sent manhole covers into the air and prompted the evacuation of a restaurant and hotel. No injuries were reported following Wednesday night’s blasts in the city’s Greektown area and uti..

Amphenol Telect Unveils New Fiber Distribution Chassis

Amphenol Telect has launched the C2LINX 1RU, a high-density fiber distribution chassis with cable management features designed to fit hyper scale networks in a variety of network environments, including enterprise, telecommunications and cable TV. “We’ve developed a panel that hits the high-den..

GE’s Wastewater Treatment Technology Honored

Federated Co-Operatives Limited’s Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, was named Industrial Water Project of the Year, as the 2016-commissioned project representing the most impressive technical or environmental achievement in the industrial sector of the international water industry. Us..

Water Technology Trends Survey Results Available

The initial results of a survey intended to identify current and future trends for water technology implementation are now available in the form of a new interactive data visualization tool. Developed under the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) – a joint initiative between the Water En..

Navigant Research: Utilities Need to Take a Pragmatic Approach to Energy Transformation

Navigant Research has released two reports examining how the energy transformation is playing out across distribution networks and providing examples of leading business models and practical recommendations for network utilities to realize a successful transformation. Distribution Utility Transforma..

Arcadis Report Underscores Importance, Value Of Innovation

As North American water utilities imagine the future of providing on-demand, high-quality, affordable water and sanitation services to the hundreds of millions of customers who depend on them, a new report underscores the value of innovation in meeting those challenges. Empowering Water Utility Inn..

“Smart Water” Technology Sparks Spending Change For Municipal Water

Solutions to the continuing conflicts between aging infrastructure and pressure on utilities to ensure a safe, resilient water supply, are increasingly focused on software, data and analytics. In US Smart Water: Defining the Opportunity, Competitive Landscape, and Market Outlook, Bluefield Research ..

North Carolina Officials: Equipment Being Set Aside when Outage Happened

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina transportation officials say workers were setting aside equipment that wasn’t in use when they caused a massive power outage that drove tourists from two islands in the Outer Banks. Transportation department spokesman Tim Hass says construction workers stuck the ..