Utility Infrastructure

UGI Corporation Elects Theodore A. Dosch to Its Board of Directors

UGI Corporation has elected Theodore A. Dosch to the company’s Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2017. Dosch currently serves as Executive Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Anixter International, a leading global distributor of network and security solutions, electrical and ..

American Water’s Dr. Mark LeChevallier Appointed to Water Science & Technology Board

American Water’s Vice President and Chief Science Advisor, Dr. Mark LeChevallier, has been appointed to the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies). The Water Science and Technology Board was established in the Nationa..

Democrat Stone Leaving Mississippi Senate for Utility Job

HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) — A Democrat from northern Mississippi is leaving the state Senate to become manager of a local utility company. Sen. Bill Stone of Holly Springs tells the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that his resignation will take effect Monday. The Mississippi Constitution bans ..

Utility Honored for Commitment to Environmental Excellence

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has been recognized by the Southeastern Electric Exchange (SEE) with its Chairman’s Award for the company’s response to numerous environmental challenges encountered during an important transmission line project. The recognition marks the second time FPL has recei..

Oncor, Sharyland to Swap Assets

Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC has entered into an agreement with Sharyland Utilities, L.P. and Sharyland Distribution & Transmission Services, L.L.C.  to swap assets in a transaction valued at approximately $400 million. After successful close of the transaction, Sharyland Distribution & T..

Avista Sale Needs Approval from Stockholders and Regulators

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The sale of Spokane-based Avista Corp. to a Canadian energy company must still win approval from shareholders and regulators. Hydro One, based in Toronto, Canada, announced Wednesday that it would pay $5.3 billion cash to buy Avista, which supplies electricity and natural gas ..

Hydro One Acquires Avista Corp.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Hydro One Limited of Toronto, Canada, has purchased Spokane-based Avista Corp. for $5.3 billion, creating one of North America’s largest regulated utilities. The combined companies said Wednesday they will have $25.4 billion in assets. The companies will serve more than 2 mil..

Tests Find No Detectable Levels of Toxins in Memphis Drinking Water

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A water utility company in Tennessee says tests on drinking water revealed no detectable traces of arsenic and lead after the toxins were found in groundwater at a coal-fired power plant. Memphis, Light, Gas & Water said in a statement Thursday that tests conducted by an indep..

New Jersey American Water Publishes Interactive Pipeline Map

New Jersey American Water has published an interactive Infrastructure Upgrade Map on its website to share details about its pipeline renewal projects. The user-friendly map allows customers to view details about the company’s water and wastewater pipe renewal or replacement projects across its 190 ..

California American Water Acquires Oxbow Marina Mutual Water Company

California American Water has completed its acquisition of the Oxbow Marina Mutual Water Company in Sacramento. Under the terms of an agreement approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, California American Water will be providing its newly welcomed customers with state-regulated potabl..

12 New Mechanics Join PECO's NatGas Workforce

PECO yesterday welcomed 12 new apprentice mechanics to the company’s field force as they celebrated their graduation from a comprehensive natural gas training program. The new apprentices, along with 12 mechanics who graduated in April 2017, will join the utility’s front lines – helping to ensure sa..

Vortex Infrastructure, Stag Technologies Partner To Expand Offerings

Vortex Infrastructure, a leader in civil infrastructure trenchless solutions, has established a strategic alliance with Salt Lake City, UT-based Stag Technologies, a manufacturer of epoxies, urethanes and other 100-percent solid specialty coatings for the municipal and industrial marketplace. This ..

Former FERC Member Releases White Paper Addressing Problems in the Nation's Electricity Markets

Tony Clark, a senior advisor at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP and a former member of the Federal Energy Commission, has released Regulation and Markets: Ideas for Solving the Identity Crisis, a white paper which shows that almost 20 years after restructuring many of the nation’s electricity market..

Illinois American Water Acquires Forest Homes-Maple Park Public Water District

Illinois American Water has acquired the Forest Homes-Maple Park Public Water District. The purchase of the system adds approximately 500 customers to the company’s customer base in the Alton District. In a public referendum on Nov. 3, 2016, residents of Forest Homes-Maple Park Public Water Distric..

3 Magic Numbers For Underground Construction, Maintenance

Take a moment and flip back to read the title of this magazine. It’s Underground Construction, and deals with – well, underground construction. Water, sewer, gas, telecom and electric; that pretty much covers all the bases. It also covers a lot of miles. According to the Common Ground Alliance, ther..

House Committee Considers Drinking Water Spending

The House committee with authority for approving drinking water infrastructure funding has begun a legislative effort to reauthorize the 1996 law which created the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said both Rep..

Utility & Communications Construction Business Update

By Daniel Shumate Director, FMI Capital Advisors Inc. EDITOR’S NOTE: The past 25 years have seen many changes in the underground utilities universe. Technology advances, regulatory activity and environmental requirements have dictated major alterations in the way companies are managed. Rating as on..

DTE Energy Names Robert Skaggs to Board of Directors

DTE Energy has named Robert Skaggs to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. For more than a decade, Skaggs served as chief executive for both the Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. and NiSource Inc., a Fortune 500 energy holding company engaged in natural gas and electric utilities and the ..

Report Highlights $300 Billion Municipal Water Infrastructure Opportunities

Pipe and hardware companies should benefit from heightening concerns about U.S. municipal water infrastructure and $300 billion of forecasted capital expenditures over the next decade, according to a new report from Bluefield Research, U.S. Municipal Pipe Markets: Trends, Opportunities and a Changin..

Study: U.S. Water Utilities to Invest $8.3 Billion in Smart Infrastructure

According to US Smart Water Infrastructure: Market Forecast (2017-2027), a new study published today by Northeast Group LLC, U.S. water utilities are projected to invest $8.3 billion in smart infrastructure over the next ten years. “Our survey results show that water infrastructure in the US is mod..

Illinois American Water’s Cairo District Earns National Safety Award for a Second Time

Illinois American Water’s Cairo District received the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Wendell R. LaDue Utility Safety Award for excellence in safety. The award recognizes distinguished safety programs by water utilities and requires excellent safety records for five consecutive years, as wel..

Utility Wins Sixth Straight J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Award

PPL Electric Utilities today announced J.D. Power has ranked the company highest for residential customer satisfaction in its class in the eastern United States for the sixth consecutive year.  “PPL employees come to work each day with a mindset that puts customers first,” said Greg Dud..

Nokia to Provide Communications Network for California Utility

Nokia today announced it will provide an advanced communications network to the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) in Northern California to support its hydro-electric power generation and water distribution services in the area. PCWA is the primary water resource agency for Placer County, California..

NRG Energy Plans up to $4 Billion in Asset Sales

NEW YORK (AP) — NRG Energy, the money-losing Northeast electric utility, will attempt raise up to $4 billion through asset sales as it tries lower debt by $13 billion, cut costs and generate profit. The power company, based in Princeton, New Jersey, said Wednesday that the sale could include the en..

DTE Energy Names New State Government Affairs Director

DTE Energy has named Rodney Cole to the position of director, State Government Affairs, leading the company’s policy and advocacy efforts in Lansing, Mich. In his new role, Cole will lead DTE’s Lansing office and will continue strengthening relationships with Michigan’s public sector leaders to crea..

Lawmakers Announce Plan to Extend California Cap and Trade

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders released a plan Monday to extend through 2030 California’s cap-and-trade program, a key piece of the state’s quest to fight climate change by drastically reducing emissions from greenhouse gases. The deal updates how refineries, uti..

Jersey Central Power & Light Announces Changes to Leadership Team

Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L), a FirstEnergy Corp. subsidiary, announced today that Mark A. Jones, has been named vice president of Operations and John Anderson has been named vice president of External Affairs. In his new position, Jones is responsible for the operation and maintenance of J..

PECO Celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day

In celebration of National Lineworker Appreciation Day, PECO is honoring more than 1,094 utility workers who operate and maintain electric and natural gas systems and facilities and respond to emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, often in challenging conditions, and on weekends and holiday..

Pennsylvania American Water Unveils Interactive Map to Spotlight Pipeline Projects

Pennsylvania American Water has launched an interactive web-based map of its 2017 infrastructure upgrade projects, enabling customers to view details about water and wastewater pipe projects across the company’s service areas. “Often, customers do not see their water bills at work because we may no..

New Mexico Utility Ordered to Release Documents in Rate Case

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s largest electric utility has been told to publicly release documents that were sealed as it pursues approval from state regulators for a rate increase. Two hearing officers for the Public Regulation Commission ruled this week that the utility failed to show the in..