Czechs want to power up, they turn to state-controlled EZ, (the lead company of CEZ Group) which produces, distributes, and sells electricity and heat to 3.5 million customers in the Czech Republic. EZ, formed by the government in 1992, is now publicly traded, although in 2008 the government continued to control 63% of its stock. Subsidiaries and affiliates of EZ form what is known as the CEZ Group, which has operations in coal mining and power generation and marketing across Central and Southeastern Europe. The CEZ Group serves 7 million customers and has about 12,200 MW of generating capacity.

West Texas Gas is 100%-owned by CEO J. L. Davis. With a deep understanding the utility of natural gas, natural gas utility West Texas Gas distributes more than 25 billion cu. ft. of natural gas, propane, and other petroleum products to more than 25,000 residential, commercial, agricultural, and governmental customers in Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle region. West Texas Gas, Inc., the fourth-largest investor-owned public utility in Texas, also operates retail gasoline stations and convenience stores and has gas gathering, production, transmission, and marketing operations.

Connexus Energy connects more Minnesotans to electricity than any other cooperative. The member-operated organization distributes power to more than 123,000 customers in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Connexus buys its power from generation and transmission cooperative Great River Energy and distributes it through more than 9,050 miles of power line. It also operates 43 electrical substations. Residential customers account for the bulk of sales in a territory that comprises parts of Anoka, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Sherburne, and Washington counties.

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.

New Universe International Group supplies injection molds and plastic products primarily to global manufacturers of automotive parts and medical equipment, while its environmental businesses, owned by subsidiary New Universe Environmental Technologies, provide removal and treatment of industrial and medical waste in China. The company's plastics products are exported to customers in Europe, the Far East, and the US including Canon, Ford, Volvo, and Whirlpool. The company is controlled by CEO Xi Yu who owns parent company New Universe Enterprises.

Anglian Water provides regulated water, wastewater, and environmental services to some 6 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers, primarily in eastern England. The main operating subsidiary of AWG, it provides water services to 4.2 million customers across East Anglia and the East Midlands, supplying 1.2 billion liters of water daily. Anglian Water maintains a network of more than 37,000 km of water mains and treats wastewater (from 5.5 million customers) at its more than 1,100 sewage treatment works. The company also manages water and wastewater systems for the City of Hartlepool in northern England.

Guangzhou Development Industry helps keep the lights on in China's Pearl River Delta. Established in 1997, the company is the largest power producer in Guangzhou province, with stake in about 10 coal-fired power plants with 2,100 MW of generating capacity. Guangzhou's energy logistics division operates an 80,000-ton deep-water coal-loading terminal and a 340,000-ton coal storage field. Nansha Oil Terminal, its joint venture with BP, has expanded Guangzhou's oil products distribution services throughout the region. The company is also a shareholder in Guangzhou Northern No. 2 Ring Expressway, a key toll road operating in the Pearl River Delta

Vattenfall, which provides power to 4.7 million retail customers in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the UK. The Nordic region's largest utility group has about 33,000 MW of generating capacity in the region from interests in nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, and fossil-fueled power plants; it also markets wholesale energy and operates district heating facilities. State-owned Vattenfall is focusing on its growing its presence across Europe. In 2009 it acquired Belgium-based Nuon (renamed Business Group Benelux) in a $10.9 billion deal, boosting its position as a major European energy group

Energieversorgung Weser-Ems (EWE) is a German powerhouse. Operating through some 30 subsidiaries and associated companies, EWE is a multi-service energy company primarily involved in distributing natural gas and electricity. In the past few years, however, EWE has expanded its activities to include telecommunications and information technology. EWE is Germany's fifth-largest energy company, serving more than one million electricity customers and providing about 770,000 customers with natural gas. Subsidiary EWE NaturWatt sells electricity exclusively from renewable sources. In 2008, German electricity distributor EnBW agreed to buy 26% of EWE for just more than $3 billion.

PowerVerde (formerly known as Vyrex) has abandoned its quest for a molecular fountain of youth. These days, it's only interested in power. The development-stage biotech company had been researching antioxidants to develop cures for respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, and other conditions related to aging. Unable to continue funding its activities, however, Vyrex executed a reverse merger with PowerVerde, which has designed a power system that generates electricity with zero emissions. The system, created by the company's founders George Konrad and Fred Barker, uses solar-heated water to power an environmentally friendly motor.

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