Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative's mission is similar to the late Lady Bird Johnson's quest to spread wildflower seeds along Texas' highways -- the cooperative spreads currents of electricity among rural central Texas dwellers. One of the largest power distribution cooperatives in the state, Bluebonnet Electric serves almost 80,000 customers in 14 counties. The member-owned company, which was formed in 1939, operates approximately 11,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines, and 19 substations. It purchases its wholesale power supply at 21 Lower Colorado River Authority-owned substations.

Tractebel Engineering (formerly SUEZ-TRACTEBEL) is Belgium's top utility holding company and one of the world's top independent power producers, with operations in more than 100 countries on five continents (through Suez Energy International). As part of the family of companies that make up French energy conglomerate GDF SUEZ, Tractebel Engineering distributes electricity and natural gas; transports and stores gas; is involved in energy trading and marketing; and offers energy and industrial management, infrastructure, and engineering services. GDF SUEZ subsidiary and #1 power producer in Belgium, Electrabel, took ownership of the company in 2007.

Pure water is the aim of water process engineering specialist Enpure. Enpure specializes in treating water, wastewater, and sludge for municipalities and businesses. Its services include process design and project management for water treatment facilities worldwide. There are more than 4,000 plants in 60 countries designed by Enpure. The company licenses the sonix ultrasound sewage treatment technology sold through Sonico, Enpure's joint venture with Atkins. It had been a part of the support services division of water utility AWG until its management (in partnership with Aberdeen Asset Management) bought out the company at the end of 2006. The company changed its name from PURAC at that time.

Dalkia doesn't balk when it comes to managing its clients' energy needs. The company's services include electricity, water, and natural gas procurement, energy efficiency consulting, electrical and mechanical contracting, building management control, and outsourced facilities maintenance. It installs onsite power generation, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), water treatment, fire protection, and lighting systems. The company serves manufacturers, offices, schools, hospitals, and other businesses. Its Sterience subsidiary sterilizes surgical instruments for hospitals.

Alabamans and Floridians come together in PowerSouth Energy Cooperative (formerly Alabama Electric Cooperative), which provides wholesale power services to its member-owners (20 cooperative and municipal distribution utilities and one industrial company). Its distribution members provide electric services to almost 419,000 meters in central and southern Alabama (39 counties) and western Florida (10 counties). PowerSouth Energy Cooperative operates a 2,200-mile power transmission system and has more than 1,600 MW of generating capacity from interests in fossil-fueled and hydroelectric power plants.

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo), headquartered at Topeka, Kansas, was incorporated in 1975 as a not-for-profit generation and transmission (G & T) cooperative. It is KEPCo's responsibility to procure an adequate and reliable power supply for its 19 distribution rural electric cooperative Members at a reasonable cost. Through their combined resources, KEPCo Members support a wide range of other services such as rural economic development, marketing and diversification opportunities, power requirement and engineering studies, and rate design, among others.KEPCo is governed by a Board of Trustees representing each of its 19 Members which collectively serve more than 110,000 electric meters in the eastern two-thirds of rural Kansas (see map). The KEPCo Board of Trustees meets regularly to establish policies and act on issues that often include recommendations from working committees of the Board and KEPCo staff.

Salamander Energy spends its day exploring and producing oil and gas. The company produces about 8,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day; Salamander Energy's proved and probable reserves total about 56 million barrels of oil equivalent. Established in 2005, the company focuses its exploration efforts in regions in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Salamander Energy operates from six offices in the UK and Asia. Salamander Energy plans to expand both organically and through acquisitions.

UIL Holdings, parent of electric utility The United Illuminating Company (UI), hopes its well regulated business will result in regular revenue growth. The public utility distributes electricity to 325,000 customers in southwestern Connecticut. Its service area, largely urban and suburban, includes the principal cities of Bridgeport (population 137,000) and New Haven (population 124,000) and their surrounding areas. UIL Holdings has teamed up with NRG Energy to form GenConn Energy LLC, a joint venture that focuses on developing new power generation facilities in Connecticut. In 2010 the company acquired three gas utilies in New England from IBERDROLA USA for $1.3 billion.

Northwest Natural Gas Company stores and distributes natural gas in Oregon, Washington, and California. The company operates in two segments, Local Gas Distribution and Gas Storage. The Local Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas in Oregon and southwest Washington. This segment engages in building and maintaining pipeline distribution system, purchasing gas from producers and marketers, contracting for the transportation of gas over pipelines from the supply basins to service territory, and reselling the gas to customers. It also transports gas owned by customers from the interstate pipeline connection, or city gate, to the customers’ facilities. This segment serves various industries, including pulp, paper, and other forest products; companies manufacturing electronic, electrochemical, and electrometallurgical products; companies engaged in processing of farm and food products; metal fabrication and casting companies; organizations that produce various mineral products, machine tools, machinery, and textiles; companies that manufacture asphalt, concrete, and rubber; printing and publishing companies; nurseries; government and educational institutions; and electric generation companies. As of December 31, 2009, it served approximately 668,000 total utility customers comprising approximately 605,000 residential, 62,000 commercial, and 1,000 industrial sales and transportation customers. The Gas Storage segment offers underground natural gas storage services to interstate and intrastate customers in the Pacific Northwest. It holds interests in approximately 8,500 net acres of underground natural gas storage in Oregon and approximately 1,900 net acres of underground natural gas storage in California; and interests in approximately 1,600 net acres of oil and gas leases in Oregon. This segment serves primarily natural gas distribution, electric generation, and energy marketing companies. Northwest Natural Gas Company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

IDACORP, Inc., through its subsidiary, Idaho Power Company, engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, and purchase of electric energy in the United States. It owns and operates 17 hydroelectric generating plants located in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, as well as 2 natural gas-fired plants situated in southern Idaho; and owns interests in 3 coal-fired steam electric generating plants located in Wyoming, Nevada, and Oregon. As of December 31, 2009, the company supplied electric energy to approximately 490,000 general business customers involved in food processing, electronics and general manufacturing, forest products, beet sugar refining, and winter recreation industries. It had a network of approximately 4,796 pole miles of high-voltage transmission lines, 23 step-up transmission substations located at power plants, 22 transmission substations, 8 switching stations, 223 energized distribution substations, and approximately 26,675 pole miles of distribution lines. IDACORP, Inc., through its other subsidiaries, invests in housing and other real estate properties in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and has a 50% interest in 9 hydroelectric plants with a total generation capacity of 45 MW in Idaho and northern California. The company was founded in 1915 and is based in Boise, Idaho.

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