Utility Infrastructure
American Water Partners with EPA to Promote Fix a Leak Week
American Water and its subsidiaries today announced a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote Fix a Leak Week, which runs from March 19-25. The national campaign, part of the EPA’s WaterSense program, helps to raise awareness about small leaks and what homeowners c..
Kentucky Regulators OK Hike for Troubled Water District
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — An emergency rate increase for a Kentucky water district that is on the brink of collapse has been approved by state regulators. The Kentucky Public Service Commission on Friday granted Martin County Water an annual revenue increase of about 26.5 percent. The commission said t..
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Files to Recover Investment in Replacing and Upgrading Aging Infrastructure
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc., a subsidiary of NiSource Inc., filed a request today with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to adjust its base rates for distribution service so it can continue to upgrade and replace the company’s underground natural gas distribution pipelines...
Hydro One and Avista Reach Settlement in Principle in Washington Merger Case
Hydro One Limited and Avista Corporation today announced they have filed a Notification of a settlement with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC), with a settlement agreement between all parties involved to be filed no later than March 27, 2018. The settlement in principle..
Required Training for Water District Boards Revamped in Kentucky
The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) today announced newly appointed water district commissioners now will be required to receive training in key areas only through courses offered directly by the commission. According to the PSC, more consistent and rigorous training for new commissioners ..
SJW Group, Connecticut Water Service to Combine In All-Stock Transaction
SJW Group and Connecticut Water Service, Inc. today announced that both companies’ boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger to create the third largest investor-owned water and wastewater utility in the United States, based on pro-forma e..
IoT Technology to Help Canadian City Improve Water Leak Detection
Echologics, a Mueller Technologies company, today announced it will deliver an Internet of Things (IoT) Smart City solution over Bell’s broadband wireless network for the City of Medicine Hat, Alberta. The solution will wirelessly monitor the city’s water pipeline network to help reduce water loss a..
New York Launches Investigation Into Utility Storm Restoration Efforts
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the state’s Department of Public Service (DPS) has formally notified the chief executives of the state’s major electric utility companies that an investigation into preparedness of and response to two early March Nor’easters is now underway. The..
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Names Williams to Board
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) has appointed Harold Williams to serve on the district’s board of directors. Williams joins Gloria Gray representing the West Basin Municipal Water District on the 38-member Metropolitan board. He succeeds Donald Dear, who served..
Retired Con Edison President Elected to Ameren's Board
Ameren Corporation today announced that Craig S. Ivey, retired president of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison), has been elected to the Ameren board of directors, effective March 9, 2018. Ivey served as president of Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. f..
$87-Million Grants for NY State Water Quality Improvement Projects Awarded
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) made $87 million in Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grants available across the state through Round VII of the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) awards. The funds will be used on 95 projects to improve and protect wat..
Great Lakes Cities Work to Reduce Water Utility Emissions
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Several communities around the Great Lakes are competing to reduce pollution by controlling the electricity they consume from the power grid. Bayfield, Wisconsin, is one of five cities working to lower mercury and other emissions through the Water Utility Energy Challenge, Wisc..
Sempra Energy Acquires Majority Stake In Oncor
Sempra Energy today completed its $9.45 billion acquisition of Energy Future Holdings Corp. (EFH), including EFH’s approximate 80-percent indirect ownership interest in Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor). The closing of the transaction creates a utility holding company with the largest ..
Mississippi Demands $100K From City Utilities Board Members
CANTON, Miss. (AP) — Officials say utility board members in a Mississippi city owe nearly $100,000 to the state auditor’s office after using public funds for personal use. The Clarion Ledger cites a Thursday statement from State Auditor Stacey Pickering as saying five members on the Canton Mu..
Virginia Governor Signs Utility Backed Legislation
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Gov. Ralph Northam has approved legislation that could lead to substantial new additions to most Virginians’ electric bills while making it easier for utilities to build renewable energy projects and improve the electric grid. Northam signed into law Friday legislation that was..
Governor Taps Ex-Prosecutor to Lead South Carolina Utility
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s governor has chosen a former top prosecutor to lead the board of state-owned utility Santee Cooper. Gov. Henry McMaster announced Wednesday he has picked former state Attorney General Charlie Condon to fulfill the rest of former chairman Leighton Lord’s ..
Connecticut Water Names New President and CEO
The board of directors of Connecticut Water Service Inc. (CTWS) today announced that David C. Benoit has been named president and CEO of the company effective immediately. Benoit has served as interim president and CEO since Sept. 28, 2017. Richard Knowlton will continue as president of the company’..
New York Governor Orders Review Into Power Failures After Winter Storm Riley
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today directed the New York State Department of Public Service to conduct a full review into power failures after Winter Storm Riley. Four days after Winter Storm Riley, while power has been restored to more than 280,000 New Yorkers, 74,790 customers still remain wi..
UC Irvine Launches New Program for Water, Wastewater and Utility Professionals
With water and energy more intertwined than ever before, the University of California, Irvine, Division of Continuing Education today announced the introduction of a four-course program in understanding the complex interactions between water and energy. Geared toward both emerging and veteran profe..
Waiver Issued for Drivers of Utility Crews Restoring Power in Pennsylvania
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf says he’s authorizing drivers taking utility crews to try to restore power to Pennsylvania homes and businesses to work longer hours than is normally allowed. The governor said Sunday that the waiver, which runs through the end of the month, allows drivers helping ..
Adams to Retire as President and CEO of PECO
Denis O’Brien, senior executive vice president of Exelon Corporation and CEO of Exelon Utilities, and the PECO Board of Directors, today announced that Craig Adams will retire as President and CEO of PECO, effective March 30, 2018. Adams will be succeeded by Mike Innocenzo, currently PECO Senior Vic..
Gas Service Stops for Thousands of Dallas Homes Due to Leaks
DALLAS (AP) — Natural gas service will be shut down to thousands of Dallas homes following a series of leaks that has brought repeated evacuations in the wake of a house explosion that killed a 12-year-old girl. Authorities announced early Thursday that gas service will be discontinued for up to th..
Kentucky American Water Acquires Water Assets of Eastern Rockcastle Water Association
Kentucky American Water today announced that it has acquired the water assets of Eastern Rockcastle Water Association. The transaction, completed today, adds approximately 610 water customers in Rockcastle and Jackson counties to the Kentucky American Water system. The acquisition of the system expa..
Water Districts Challenge Judge in Navajo Settlement
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Water districts in northern New Mexico sought to disqualify a state judge Tuesday and overturn a major settlement with the Navajo Nation in a simmering dispute about rights to water from the San Juan River. A motion filed with the New Mexico state Court of Appeals seeks to dis..
Underground Uncertainties in Infrastructure Work
Editor’s Note: This is part two of an exclusive four-part series outlining the risks of modern underground utility infrastructure construction and rehabilitation work. In Part 1, we introduced the concepts of underground uncertainties in infrastructure work. In this installment, we will look speci..
NA Fiber Deployment Continues at Rapid Pace
Deployment of fiber optic cable to individual homes and premises continues to expand at a strong pace, according to the most recent study by the Fiber Broadband Association (formerly the FTTH Council). The association’s North American 2017 Broadband Report, released in December, said Canada is lead..
Infrastructure Funding is Next Big Legislative Target
Having passed and signed a major tax reform bill at the end of 2017, the Trump Administration and Congress move on to their next big legislative target in 2018: infrastructure spending. While sewer and drinking water projects may receive additional federal funding as a result, that is not certain. I..
What About Infrastructure?
In 2017, Washington politics continued as usual – if anything, even more bitterly partisan than ever before. Congress remains deeply divided down political lines and even among the parties themselves, crippling concerted efforts to accomplish the multitude of high-profile issues demanding immediate ..
Large Texas Electric Retailers Well-Positioned to Continue Market Dominance
According to the 2018 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement™: Business, a Cogent Reports study by Market Strategies International, large retail electric providers in the Texas market enjoy higher-than-average Brand Trust from their business customers. These retailers, which serve over half of ..
FirstEnergy Announces Senior Management Changes
FirstEnergy Corp. today announced management changes designed to support its transition to a fully-regulated utility company. They include: James F. Pearson, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer, named executive vice president, Finance Steven E. Strah, currently sen..
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