Utility Infrastructure
200 More Utility Workers from New York Arrive in Puerto Rico
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Another 200 utility workers from New York state have arrived in Puerto Rico to assist in getting the power back on following Hurricane Maria. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the workers arrived Tuesday along with 180 utility vehicles. They follow 160 utility workers and nearly..
Kansas Regulators to Review Westar Merger with Great Plains
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Shareholders overwhelmingly approved a proposed merger of Kansas’ largest electric company with a Missouri firm Tuesday, a move that aims to create a new unified company with a combined equity value of about $14 billion in a revised deal that still requires regulatory approval. ..
Avista Shareholders Approve Merger with Hydro One
Avista Corporation today announced its shareholders have approved the proposed acquisition of the company by Hydro One Limited. “We are pleased that our shareholders have demonstrated their strong support of this transaction and the value and benefits it will provide for all of our stakeholders,” Av..
Westar Energy, Great Plains Energy Shareholders OK Merger
Westar Energy, Inc. and Great Plains Energy Incorporated, the parent company of Kansas City Power & Light (KCP&L), today announced the companies’ shareholders have approved the proposals necessary for the merger between the two companies. “We are excited about today’s approval from shareholders of b..
ACWA Board of Directors Votes to Support 2018 Water Bonds
On Nov. 17, the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to support two general obligation bonds that likely will appear before California voters in 2018. The bonds would fund an array of water-related projects intended to bolster the state’s water system ..
Lawsuit Accuses Utilities of Jacking up Natural Gas Prices
BOSTON (AP) — A class-action lawsuit has accused two utilities of conspiring to drive up energy costs in New England in a multi-year scheme that affected millions of customers. The lawsuit filed this week in Boston federal court alleges Eversource Energy and Avangrid Inc. used their market power ..
Sale of Texas Water System Finalized
SJW Group has closed on the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Texas Water Alliance Limited (TWA) to Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA). On Feb. 22, 2016, SJW Group entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement with GBRA, pursuant to which SJW Group agreed to sell TWA to GBRA for $31,000,000. “W..
Grid Operator Discusses New England’s Constrained Gas Pipelines
CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — The independent corporation overseeing the operation of New England’s power system says natural gas pipelines feeding the region are so constrained that electricity prices are driven higher during cold winters. ISO New England President Gordon van Welie (WHEE’-lee) says regiona..
Indiana American Water Acquires Georgetown Water System
Indiana American Water President Deborah Dewey today announced the company’s acquisition of Georgetown Water, a municipal water utility located in southern Indiana. The purchase of the system adds approximately 1,300 customers to the company’s customer base, which represents a population of approxim..
Utility Honored for Technology Innovation to Predict and Prevent Power Outages
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has been awarded the prestigious AEIC Achievement Award from the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC) for a technology breakthrough in anticipating intermittent power failures and, in turn, improving the company’s ability to take preventative acti..
Two American Water Executives Honored
American Water today announced that two of its executives were honored by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Chief Operating Officer Walter Lynch was named a Veteran of Influence, while Deborah Degillio, president of American Water’s market-based business, was among a group of honorees recognized as..
ARCOS' Software to Help Electric Utility Expedite Service Restoration
ARCOS LLC today announced it has started the process of implementing its ARCOS® Callout and Scheduling Suite to help Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) expedite electric service restoration, focus on safety and reduce the utility’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), whic..
Vermont Council Reopens Bidding Process for Telecom Utility
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Burlington officials have formed a committee to determine how to vote on a buyer for the city’s Burlington Telecom utility following a failed joint venture proposal. The Burlington Free Press reports a final vote has been scheduled for Nov. 27. The finalists, Ting and Keep Bur..
City OKs Sale of Water System to California American Water
The Bellflower City Council has approved the sale of the city’s municipal water system to California American Water. “We have a strong legacy and presence in the Los Angeles region where we’ve been providing water service for over 50 years,” said Rich Svindland, California American Water President. ..
EQT Appoints New Directors
EQT Corporation today announced it has has appointed Thomas F. Karam and Norman J. Szydlowski to the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Karam has served as a senior executive and entrepreneur in the midstream energy sector for more than 25 years. He is the founder and Chairman of K..
New York Utility Crews Arrive in Puerto Rico to Help Restore Power
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 160 electric public and private utility experts and nearly 100 utility vehicles have arrived in Puerto Rico to assist with the recovery of its power grid caused by severe damage from Hurricane Maria in September. Governor Cuomo also announc..
Alaska Commission Rejects Canadian Firm’s Offer for Utility
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska’s utility regulator has turned down a Canadian firm’s offer to take over Alaska Electric Light and Power citing a legal technicality. The Juneau Empire reported Sunday that the Regulatory Commission of Alaska denied Ontario-based Hydro One’s application to acquire the el..
National Grid, Department of Energy to Collaborate on Grid Modernization and Energy Storage Research
National Grid and the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have entered into an agreement to work together on research in the areas of transmission grid modernization and energy storage technologies. The electricity industry is undergoing sweeping changes, includ..
Firm Opposes Subpoena in Bribery Case Against Ex-Regulator
PHOENIX (AP) – A water company whose owner is charged with bribing a former Arizona utility regulator is opposing a subpoena that orders the Corporation Commission to turn over records as part of the criminal case. Lawyers for Johnson Utilities say the records are related to its rate case before the..
Utility Set to Meet with Officials About Buying Gas Company
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A utility company’s representatives are scheduled to meet with state officials to work on the terms for buying a natural gas business that will bring service to more customers in the Fairbanks area. Interior Gas Utility Board Chairman Mike Meeks and recently appointed board ..
Largest Public Tender Database for Water, Sewer Utilities Now Available
AquaSPE AG and H2bid have joined forces to make the largest public tender database for U.S. and Canadian water and wastewater utilities available on The Water Network. Effective immediately, contractors can visit The Water Network’s Business Exchange to view thousands of public tenders sorted by spe..
Oncor, Sharyland Complete Asset Exchange
InfraREIT, Inc. today announced the closing of the asset exchange transaction between the company’s subsidiary, Sharyland Distribution & Transmission Services, L.L.C. and Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC, in which Sharyland Distribution & transmission Services exchanged its retail distribution ..
Emera Announces Board Appointment
Emera Inc. today announced the appointment of Kent Harvey to Emera’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. Harvey is an accomplished executive with more than 30 years of experience at PG&E Corporation. After 33 years in progressively senior roles, he retired as Chief Financial Officer for PG&E ..
SJW Group to Purchase Deer Creek Ranch Water System Assets
SJW Group’s wholly-owned subsidiary, SJWTX, Inc., has entered into an agreement to purchase Deer Creek Ranch Water Co., LLC’s water system assets. The system includes approximately 750 service connections over an area of 1,191 acres in Hays and Travis counties on the rapidly growing western fringe o..
American Water Names Brig. Gen. David Turner President of Military Services Group
American Water today named Brig. Gen. David Turner (retired) as the new president of the company’s Military Services Group (MSG), effective Nov. 20. Gen. Turner will replace Todd Duerr, who is leaving the business effective Jan. 1, 2018. “Todd has been a valued leader for the Military Services Group..
Vermont Town Proposes Joint Venture Purchase of Telecom Utility
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Burlington officials have directed the two buyers vying for the city’s Burlington Telecom utility to figure out a joint venture proposal. The Burlington Free Press reports Councilor Ali Dieng proposed the joint venture Monday night after the two votes to decide a final buyer r..
Emera Makes Leadership Change
Emera Inc. today announced that Nancy Tower will become the President and Chief Executive Officer of Tampa Electric upon Gordon Gillette’s retirement on Nov. 30. “Gordon has played a key role in integrating Tampa Electric into the Emera group of companies, and he is leaving the organization well pos..
6 Missouri Utilities to Share $120 Million in Federal Loans
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Six Missouri utilities will use nearly $120 million in federal loans to upgrade the infrastructure for electricity in rural parts of the state. The Missouri grants are part of $2.5 billion in loans the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently awarded for rural electricity project..
Boil Water Notice Lifted in Rhode Island After Negative E. Coli Test
WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — A boil water notice has been lifted in Westerly, after new testing no longer showed the presence of the E. coli bacteria. The Westerly Water Department lifted the notice on Friday, saying a problem well has been taken offline, and the entire system has been disinfected. Th..
U.S. Grid Narrowly Escapes Apocalyptic Attack
The American grid security story grows increasingly grim. Last week, security consulting firm Symantec warned that recent cyberattacks gave hackers direct access to the nation’s power grid on multiple occasions, according to a new report by Wired. This time, not only the United States was exposed, s..
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