NSTAR is looking to outshine its rivals through the efficiency of its regulated electric and natural gas sales, distribution, and transmission operations. The utility holding company transmits and distributes electricity to almost 1.2 million homes and businesses through NSTAR Electric and serves some 300,000 natural gas customers in Massachusetts through NSTAR Gas. The company also markets wholesale electricity, and operates liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing and storage facilities. Its NSTAR Communications unit owns about 240 miles of fiber optic network. In 2010 the company agreed to be acquired by Northeast Utilities for about $4.2 billion.

"Hey Culligan Man!" To be sure, the phrase made famous by an ad campaign still rings in the ears of Culligan International workers. Formerly a subsidiary of Veolia Environnement, Culligan produces filters for tap water, household water softeners, microfiltration products, desalination systems, and portable deionization services for commercial and industrial users. The franchised "Culligan Man" noted in the advertising phrase delivers bottled water and water systems to consumers and businesses through more than 800 Culligan company-owned and franchised dealers in more than 90 countries. Buyout firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice owns the company.

Let's cut right to the point: construction materials and mining used to be the lifeblood of Knife River Corporation, but in recent years, its energy and utility operations have grown to be the largest portion of its business. Oil and natural gas production, power transmission, pipelines and power utilities now dominate Knife River's balance sheet. But don't count out its construction services division, which continues to produce record earnings. Knife River has operations in Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, California, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, and Wyoming. The company is a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group, Inc.

Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, Washington, probably used up its initial budget before it could hire a team of branding and identity consultants. But a dour name does not stop the power provider (commonly referred to as Grant County PUD) from operating two hydroelectric power plants on the Columbia River (2,000 MW of generating capacity) and distributing electricity to the 40,000 residents of Washington's Grant County. The district, which was formed in 1938 and went into operation in 1942, also sells power to twelve Pacific Northwest utilities and is developing a residential fiber-optic data network.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) doesn't want its name to be mud. One of the largest locally owned electric utilities in the US, SMUD serves about 592,000 residential and commercial customers in California's Sacramento and Placer counties. The utility generates half of its electricity (its 1,300-MW capacity is derived primarily from hydroelectric and cogeneration power plants) and buys the rest. SMUD also sells power to wholesale customers, and has one of the US's largest solar energy distribution systems. SMUD operates more than 10,200 miles of transmission and distibution lines across its 900-sq.-mi. service area.

China Hydroelectric Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, ownership, development, and operation of hydroelectric power projects in the People's Republic of China. The company sells electricity to the power grids. It owns 12 operating hydroelectric power projects, as well as has a controlling interest in 1 operating hydroelectric power project in the provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan, and Sichuan. As of December 31, 2009, the company has an installed capacity of 376.6 MW. China Hydroelectric Corporation was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.

Enel S.p.A. owns and operates more than 70 renewable energy plants in 20 states and two Canadian provinces. Enel North America's plants have a capacity to generate 748.5 MW of power (406 MW of wind power, 314 MW of hydropower, 21 MW of biomass power and 7.5 MW of geothermal power). Its wind farms use Vestas and GE Energy turbines; its largest project, the Smoky Hill Wind Farm in Kansas, has 155 wind turbines that alone generate 250 MW of power (enough to power 85,000 homes for a year). Enel North America's only biomass plant is located in Quebec, where it offsets 1 million tons of carbon dioxide by burning wood waste each year.

Allegheny Energy, Inc. owns and operates electric generation facilities, and delivers electric services to customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia. The company owns or contractually controls coal-, gas-, and oil-fired generation facilities, as well as hydro generation facilities. It operates in two segments, The Merchant Generation and The Regulated Operations. The Merchant Generation segment owns, operates, and manages electric generation facilities, as well as purchases and sells energy and energy-related commodities. This segment markets its electric generation capacity to various customers and markets, including certain of its affiliates, as well as uses both derivative and nonderivative contracts to manage its portfolio of contracts. As of December 31, 2009, it owned or contractually controlled 7,015 megawatts of generation capacity. The Regulated Operations segment operates electric public utility systems that include electricity generation, transmission, and distribution facilities. As of December 31, 2009, it owned or contractually controlled 2,741 megawatts of generation capacity. This segment served approximately 383,600 customers in northern West Virginia; approximately 483,400 customers in portions of West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia; approximately 102,000 customers in northern Virginia; and approximately 714,900 customers in southwestern, south-central, and northern Pennsylvania. The company is headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Tokyo Gas Co. is Japan's #1 gas co. Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd. produces and distributes natural gas to nearly 10 million households in Japan's Kanto region, which encompasses Tokyo and the surrounding area. Its gas pipeline network exceeds 50,000 kms. The company also provides district heating and cooling, operates LNG (liquefied natural gas) tankers and terminals, manages real estate properties, provides utility construction services, develops and sells gas appliances, and distributes gas in Malaysia. Tokyo Gas imports LNG and is participating in upstream development projects. To help pay down debt related its purchase of Union Fenosa in 2009 Gas Natural sold power assets in Mexico to Tokyo Gas and Mitsui for $1.2 billion.

Marietta Board of Lights and Water (doing business as Marietta Power and Water) to provide electricity and water to residents and businesses in the city of Marietta, and the counties of Marietta and Cobb. The municipal utility operates through two divisions: Marietta Power distributes electricity to more than 45,000 customers and purchases power from the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power), and Marietta Water provides water supply and wastewater collection services to more than 17,000 customers.

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