Although South Central Power Company may sound like a power plant in Watts, Los Angeles, it is in fact a member-owned cooperative that provides electricity to consumers and businesses in southern Ohio. An affiliate of the nationwide Touchstone Energy Cooperative network, the electric cooperative provides power to more than 110,000 customers over more than 11,000 miles of power lines. In addition to distributing electricity, South Central Power also provides outdoor lighting, surge suppression products, security systems, water heater switches, and other energy-related services.

The Native American inhabitants of Georgia may have used flint to spark the fires that brought light to their dwellings. Central Georgians today rely on the Flint Electric Membership Corporation, which does business as Flint Energies, to light their homes. Flint Energies serves 250,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers (through 82,500 meters) in 17 counties, Fort Benning, and the city of Warner Robins. The customer-owned cooperative operates more than 6,250 miles of distribution line and about 50 substations. Flint Energies first flicked the switch in 1937.

Portland General Electric (PGE) keeps many Birkenstock-shod feet warm: The company, formerly a subsidiary of Enron, generates, purchases, and distributes electricity to about 815,750 customers in Oregon. PGE's service territory covers 52 cities, including Portland and Salem. Its hydroelectric, coal-fired, and gas-fired plants had a generating capacity of more than 2,600 MW in 2009, and it purchased another 1,920 MW of generating capacity. PGE also markets wholesale electricity and natural gas to other utilities and marketers in the western US. In keeping with the "green" image of Portland residents, PGE leads the nation in residential customers who purchase power from renewable sources.

GDF SUEZ Energy North America (GDF-SENA) manages GDF Suez Energy International's energy business in Canada, Mexico, and the US. The company develops and operates electricity and cogeneration facilities, markets and sells energy products and services, and imports and distributes natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG). It serves both commercial and industrial customers. (GDF-SENA)'s primary unit (GDF SUEZ Energy Generation NA) owns and operates 60 power, cogeneration, steam, and chilled-water facilities, including those in construction, representing a capacity of 7,500 MW of electricity generation, 6 million pounds per hour of steam, and 42,000 tons per hour of chilled water.

Environmental, Safety & Health, Inc. (ES&H) will follow through. Serving US companies and government agencies, ES&H provides training and services for safety, health, environmental, and regulatory concerns. The company also offers general contractor services for construction, demolition, and remediation projects. Clients include corporations like Schering-Plough and Alcoa, as well as districts or regional divisions of government agencies like the FAA and US Army Corps of Engineers. Founded in 1997, ES&H is based in Tennessee and operates offices in Delaware and Louisiana.

Origin Energy focuses on integrating businesses within the energy industry, primarily in gas production, power generation, and energy retailing in Australia and New Zealand (through Contact Energy). It also invests in renewable energy technologies. The company is the #2 retailer of natural gas, electricity, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Australia with some 2 million customers (mostly in Victoria). Origin explores for and produces gas and oil in Australia and New Zealand and supplies markets in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. The company focuses on the Bass and Otway Basins offshore Victoria, the Perth Basin in Western Australia, Queensland's coal seam gas areas, and New Zealand's Taranaki Basin.

Powerco is the second-largest distributor of electricity and gas in New Zealand (behind state-owned Genesis Energy). Powerco's network extends across the upper central and lower central North Island and services to 415,000 customers. Its infrastructure represents about 46% of the gas connections and 16% of the electricity connections in New Zealand. The company's Powerco Transmission Services unit is a leading provider of wind farm connections to New Zealand's national grid. Powerco is 58%-owned by investment firm Queensland Investment Corp. and 42% by Australia-based infrastructure group Babcock & Brown Infrastructure.

Not-for-profit holding company Glas Cymru owns Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, one of the largest regulated water and sewerage companies in the UK. Welsh Water distributes water and provides wastewater services to 1.3 million household customers and more than 100,00 business customers in Wales and England. It has a network of about 560 service reservoirs. The company supplies 850 million liters of drinking water daily through its 27,000-km network of water mains. Its sewer system includes 19,000-km of sewers and more than 800 wastewater-treatment works. Formed in 2000, Glas Cymru bought Welsh Water from Western Power Distribution in 2001. Western Power Distribution had acquired Hyder, Welsh Water's parent, in 2000.

United Water is a part of global water player SUEZ Environnement, and is one of the largest water companies in the US. The company distributes water and provides wastewater services to about 7 million people, including residential, commercial, and industrial customers. United Water provides services through a number of utility subsidiaries and through its contracts with several municipalities. The company operates almost 250 municipal water systems and owns utilities in 20 states across the country.

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.

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