Xcel Energy has accelerated its energy engine into utility markets across the US. The utility holding company distributes electricity to 3.4 million customers and natural gas to 1.9 million in eight states; Colorado and Minnesota account for the majority of its customers. Its regulated utilities -- Northern States Power, Public Service Company of Colorado, and Southwestern Public Service -- have more than 20,500 MW of primarily fossil-fueled generating capacity. Xcel also has 35,200 miles of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. Pushing green energy sources, in 2008 Xcel announced that it would develop solar-generated power plants in Colorado as part of its green energy initiative.

Lyntegar Electric Cooperative is based in the agricultural heart of the Texas Panhandle, where the summer heat sizzles and the winter ice storms freeze. The rural power cooperative provides electric utility services to customers in Borden, Dawson, Gaines, Garza, Hockley, Lynn, Martin, Terry, and Yoakum counties. The cooperative also sells electric grills and provides internet and television services. In addition, Lyntegar Electric Cooperative produces Typically Texas Cookbooks, which share collections of recipes used by cooperative member-consumers.

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.

Infiltrator Systems is not connected to The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, spy satellites, or any other relic of Cold War espionage. The company is the world's leading maker of plastic leachfield products used to handle commercial and residential wastewater. Infiltrator Systems' leachfield drainage chambers are a direct and cost-effective replacement for stone and pipe leachfields, and create a footprint only half the size of traditional leachfields. The products, which are made at facilities in Kentucky and Utah, are sold throughout the US. The company estimates that one in four septic systems in the US uses Infiltrator Systems' products.

San Jose Water, the primary subsidiary of SJW, provides water utility services to approximately 225,000 customers (about 1 million people) in California's Santa Clara County. To obtain its water supply, San Jose Water taps wells and surface sources and buys water from the Santa Clara Valley Water District. It also collects local mountain surface water from the watershed in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which is then treated at San Jose Water's two treatment plants. This local surface water accounts for about 7% of the water utility's total supply. Purchased water accounts for more than 40%.

ALLETE provides light to the northern climes. Most of its business is classified within its regulated operations, which include electric, gas, and water utilities located in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Those operations are conducted through subsidiaries Minnesota Power (about 145,000 customers) and Superior Water, Light and Power (about 35,000 customers for its electric, gas, and water utilities). ALLETE's other segment includes coal mining operations, emerging technologies related to electric utilities, and a real estate business (large land tracts in Florida). Subsidiary BNI Coal operates a mine in North Dakota that supplies, primarily, two generating co-ops, Minnkota Power and Square Butte.

First Wind, wind is the first and last item in its business model. The vertically integrated energy company (formerly UPC Wind) develops, owns, and operates wind energy plants in the Northeastern and Western US, and Hawaii. Its six projects in Hawaii, Maine, Vermont, New York, and Utah generate more than 500 MW of electricity. First Wind, which targets states with high energy prices, renewable energy requirements, and favorable wind conditions, plans to have more than 2,000 MW of capacity by the end 2014. The company was formed in 2002 by individuals experienced with building wind power plants in Italy. In 2010 First Wind began construction of its 102 MW Utah-based Milford Wind project.

Integrys Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated electric and natural gas utility company in the United States and Canada. It provides natural gas utility services in Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, Integrys Energy Group, Inc. served approximately 1,669,000 residential, commercial and industrial, transportation, and other customers. It had approximately 22,000 miles of natural gas distribution mains; and approximately 1,010 miles of natural gas transmission mains. The company also generates and distributes electric energy form coal, natural gas, fuel oil, hydroelectric, and wind resources in Wisconsin and Michigan. It served approximately 489,000 residential, commercial and industrial, wholesale, and other customers. In addition, Integrys Energy offers nonregulated energy supply and services; and electric transmission services. Integrys Energy Group, Inc. was formerly known as WPS Resources Corporation and changed its name to Integrys Energy Group, Inc. in February 2007. Integrys Energy Group, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as a diversified utility company that primarily engages in regulated energy and unregulated energy businesses. The company’s Regulated Energy segment provides natural gas distribution services in Delaware, Maryland, and Florida; and electric distribution services in Florida to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as offers natural gas transmission services primarily to other utilities and industrial customers in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Its Unregulated Energy segment sells natural gas to commercial and industrial customers in Florida, Delaware, and Maryland; and distributes propane in Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, southeastern Pennsylvania, and Florida.This segment also markets propane to wholesale customers, including independent oil and petrochemical companies, resellers, and propane distribution companies in the southeastern United States. As of December 31, 2009, the company distributed natural gas to approximately 118,000 customers; electricity to approximately 31,000 customers; and propane to approximately to 49,000 customers. It also operated a 384-mile interstate natural gas transmission pipeline. In addition, the company engages in non-energy operations, which include the provision of information-technology-related business services and solutions for enterprise and e-business applications in the United States and internationally. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation was founded in 1859 and is based in Dover, Delaware.

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.

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