Utility Infrastructure
CPS Energy' COO Appointed Co-Chair of Puerto Rico's Transformation Advisory Council
The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) announced today that CPS Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Cris Eugster, has been appointed co-chair of the Transformation Advisory Council (TAC). The TAC, comprised of 11 executive leaders from the public power and investor owned utility sec..
New Jersey American Water Names Shroba Vice President of Operations
New Jersey American Water has announced that Thomas Shroba has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. Shroba is replacing Kevin Kirwan, who was recently promoted to Vice President of Operational Excellence for American Water. “Tom has the experience, determination and vision to lead our ope..
FERC Approves Oncor, Sempra Energy Merger
Sempra Energy and Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor) today announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order authorizing Sempra Energy’s acquisition of Energy Future Holdings Corp. (EFH), the indirect owner of approximately 80 percent of Oncor. On A..
Settlement Approved in Pennsylvania American Water Rate Case
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today unanimously approved a settlement that allows Pennsylvania American Water to raise water and wastewater rates, effective Jan. 1, 2018. The primary factor behind the rate increase is the approximately $1.26 billion of investments to replace and u..
California Wildfires Prompt Talks on Tougher Utility Rules
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California utilities may face tougher safety rules for power lines, phone lines and utility poles in parts of the state most prone to wildfires. Under the proposed rules being considered Thursday by the California Public Utilities Commission, tree branches would have to be kept..
Middlesex Water Company Wins Industry Award
Middlesex Water Company has been selected a winner of the New Jersey One Water Awards. The One Water Awards recognize initiatives that exemplify the principles of the One Water approach – the belief that all water, stormwater, drinking water and wastewater has value that can be unlocked by implemen..
New White Paper Advises Natural Gas Utilities on How to Increase Customer Satisfaction
HomeServe USA has released “Securing the Future,” a white paper that examines the customer relations challenges faced by America’s natural gas utilities and offers solutions they can implement to better position themselves as a trusted partner to their customers. The white paper is authored by Timot..
Eversource Acquires Aquarion Water Company
Eversource has acquired the Aquarion Water Company, becoming the only U.S.-based electric utility to also own a water utility. With all required regulatory approvals now received, Aquarion will now operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eversource, whose footprint includes nearly 4 million electric..
Technology Helps Utility Reduce Response Time to Fix Water Main Breaks
ARCOS® LLC has implemented its ARCOS CallOut® and Scheduling solution at Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Tennessee American Water to automate how the utility’s distribution department responds to customer emergencies. For Tennessee American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, responding to emergencies i..
California Water Districts Don't Need Voter Approval on Fees
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The state’s water conservation districts don’t need the approval of property owners or voters to charge their customers fees to fund programs aimed at protecting groundwater, the California Supreme Court ruled on Monday. But the justices in a unanimous decision also said the ..
Vortex Infrastructure Rebranding Reflects Continued Growth
Vortex Infrastructure has changed its name to Vortex Companies, reflecting growth in the company’s expanding portfolio of brands, products and services for the renewal of civil infrastructure. “A lot of our growth has been market driven,” said Mike Vellano, CEO of the Vortex Companies. “As a turnke..
Con Edison Wins ReliabilityOne Award for the Northeast Region
On Nov. 29, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana, PA Consulting Group, Inc. recognized Con Edison the recipient of the 2017 ReliabilityOne™ Award for Outstanding Reliability Performance in the Northeast Region. ReliabilityOne™ Awards are given annually to utilities achieving outstanding reliability perfor..
ACWA Honors Rowland Water District
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has awarded its Huell Howser Best in Blue Award to the Rowland Water District for its innovative OPARC Fire Hydrant Maintenance Program that provides meaningful employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. The maintenance p..
Utility Fined for Gas Pipeline Safety Violations
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Northern Indiana Public Service Co. is paying a $900,000 fine after state regulators found that the utility failed to keep accurate maps and records of its underground natural gas lines. The settlement approved Wednesday by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission instruc..
New York Sends 72 More Utility Workers to Assist with Power Restoration Efforts in Puerto Rico
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the deployment of 72 additional electric utility experts to Puerto Rico arriving today and tomorrow to assist with the ongoing recovery of the country’s power grid. The deployment coincides with the arrival of a barge loaded with an additional 55 uti..
Idaho Commerce Department Director to Join Utility
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Department of Commerce Director Megan Ronk is stepping down to take a job with Idaho Power after nearly two years of leading the commerce department. Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter announced Monday that the department’s chief operating officer, Bobbi-Jo Meuleman, will take ..
Navajo Family in Utah Gets Electricity in Time for Holidays
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — For years, Thomas and Annie Hamm walked around their southern Utah home with flashlights at night, heated water on a wood burning stove and kept their food cold on ice. Sometimes, they ran an extension cord from a car battery to power a television. They had a small solar pan..
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 near..
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,” A..
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 ..
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 po..
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. “..
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 region..
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 ac..
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 Bu..
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- 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
- Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
- Final construction phase kicks off for Indianapolis deep rock tunnel
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- Trench collapse kills one construction worker in Houston, Texas
- WES tunnel boring machine retrieved from Oregon river after seven-month project
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes