Wisconsin Energy to acquire Integrys Energy Group for $9.1 billion in cash, stock and assumed debt - creating a leading Midwest electric and gas utility

Ashby, United Kingdom – October 1, 2009. Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and security solutions, today announced it has completed the strategic transformation and brand migration of TAC to Schneider Electric.

Schneider Electric is now uniquely poised to directly offer customers a full range of solutions across its core competencies of power, data centres, industrial automation, building management and security. This convergence enables customers worldwide to realize optimal energy and security efficiencies, and the associated savings in capital and operating expenses.

"This brand migration is more than just a name change; this is a new way of approaching our energy management business and customers' needs," said Dave Beradi, UK Managing Director of Schneider Electric's Buildings Business, formerly TAC UK.

Read more: TAC is now the Buildings Business of Schneider Electric

 

Milan, 18 May 2009. Prysmian, a worldwide leading Group in the sector of cables and systems for energy and telecommunications, has been awarded a new contract worth €47 million by Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA) for the development of a power transmission turnkey project serving Doha, Qatar’s capital city. This new agreement follows the similar €168 million contract secured in 2008 by a Prysmian led consortium for the construction of a high voltage underground cable system, and further confirms the strategic role Prysmian is playing in the Middle East as a major utilities partner for the current power transmission network expansion program.   Prysmian’s know-how and experience in the supply of integrated turnkey solutions has been key once again to success in this challenging and technological market environment. The Doha project requires the provision of engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning services for Extra High Voltage underground power cables on three 22 km circuits for a total of 66 km of 400 kV cable and associated accessories, as part of the power transmission system expansion. The total project execution time is 22 months.   “More than ever, in this critical worldwide economical moment, the unique technical and commercial skills of a company like Prysmian is required by the major Utilities to support their transmission expansion plans, in a close cooperative manner; this is our work-team daily objective”, declares Giovanni Caradonna, Middle East Branch General Manager.   The Middle East region has been targeted as a strategic area of expansion for Prysmian. Currently the Group has offices and facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Manama (Bahrain) and Kuwait. Other relevant projects under development in the region are: Emirates Aluminum Company Ltd. (EMAL) for the supply and installation of high voltage cables and systems for the world’s largest aluminum smelter facility under construction in Abu Dhabi; Fujairah (UAE) and Doha (Qatar) main Transmission Projects (high voltage cables); Burj Dubai, the highest tower in the world (fire protection power cables); Palm Island Dubai - Logo Island interconnection (submarine medium voltage cables); the Dubai Metro – the world biggest fully automated metro project.   Read more: Prysmian Awarded 47 Million Euro Contract In Qatar For A Power Transmission Project By Qatar...

Every household in the UK to be smart meter enabled by 2020

The Government has unveiled plans for every home in the UK to be equipped with smart meters by 2020. Some 26 million electricity and 22 million gas maters will need to be fitted by that date at an estimated cost of £7 billion.

The responsibility for this roll out will lie with the energy providers in what some are calling the biggest programme of work since British Gas converted appliances across 17 million homes in the 1970’s.  However, according to the Energy Saving Trust, if everyone in the UK switched to smart metering British householders could save £1.2 billion a year and the equivalent of 7.4 million tones of CO2 emissions, figures already being delivered in mainland Europe.

Read more: Smart meter data collection and process agility delivered by Cordys

Vertex Business Services, the leader in Customer Management Services for Utilities in North America, announces the signing of a three-year contract extension with Piedmont Natural Gas (PNG).  It is the third contract extension for this successful partnership which began in 2006 and will continue through 2011.

PNG is one of the fastest growing gas distributors in North America. PNG focuses upon regulated natural gas distribution in their core southeast US market where they currently serve over one million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Read more: Vertex Business Services signs three-year contract extension with Piedmont Natural Gas