The Electric Power Board of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County is a mouthful. Its operating name, Nashville Electric Service (NES), sounds much better. And talking of sound, the legendary "Nashville Sound" would be hard to hear without the resources of this power distributor, which serves more than 357,000 customers in central Tennessee. NES is one of the largest government-owned utilities in the US, and operates more than 90,500 distribution transformers and about 230 substations. The company is required to purchase all its power from another government-owned operator, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

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.

CMS Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company primarily in Michigan. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Gas Utility, and Enterprises. The Electric Utility segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution, and sale of electricity. The Gas Utility segment involves in the purchase, transmission, storage, distribution, and sale of natural gas. The Enterprises segment engages in independent power production and marketing. This segment owns power generation facilities fueled mostly by natural gas and biomass. At December 31, 2009, this segment had ownership interests in independent power plants totaling 1,202 gross Megawatt. The company serves individuals and companies operating in the alternative energy, automotive, chemical, metal, food products, and various other industries. As of December 31, 2009, it served 1.8 million electric customers and 1.7 million gas customers. The company was founded in 1987 and is based in Jackson, Michigan.

Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras S.A. – Eletrobras primarily engages in the generation, distribution, transmission, and commercialization of electric power; and construction and operation of nuclear power plants in Brazil. The company also assists Brazil's Ministry of Mining and Energy in designing the country's policy for the energy sector; provides guarantees and acquires debentures of companies and holders of public electric power services; grants loans and guarantees for technical and scientific research institutions; promotes and supports research in the power sector in connection with the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power, as well as studies involving the exploitation of watershed for various purposes; contributes to the education of technical staff and qualified workers required by the Brazilian electric power sector through specialized training programs or assists national educational institutions or provides scholarships or signs agreements with foreign institutions that promote the development of specialized technical personnel; and co- operates technically and administratively with companies in which it holds interests, and with the agency of the Ministry of Mining and Energy. In addition, it manages incentive program for alternative sources of electric power, a program of the federal government that aims to enhance the diversification of the Brazilian energy model and search for regional solutions based on renewable electric power sources produced by independent agents. The company is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mesa Power Group, it takes an oil tycoon from Texas to raise the profile of wind energy in North America. Controlled by veteran oilman and renewable energy proponent T. Boone Pickens, who gained national attention with the Pickens Plan, a campaign aimed at reducing US dependence on foreign oil, the company is engaged in developing and investing in wind power projects. It acquires these projects and completes development on them through a joint venture with GE called the American Wind Alliance (AWA). It typically targets projects in Canada and the US that have secured land control, access to transmission lines, and minimum capacity of 100 megawatts.

Making money by water, Biwater provides water and wastewater treatment services to a range of customers in more than 90 countries. The company also offers water infrastructure investment, consultancy and operation; water asset management; and project management for water leisure facilities. Its Biwater Leisure unit has installed several Olympic-sized pools for almost 40 years. Its international projects include the design and installation of a wastewater treatment plant in Dubai, and a water distribution system for 4.2 million customers in Malaysia. Biwater also designs and builds desalination plants. Focusing on international growth, in 2010 it sold its UK-based Biwater Services Limited unit to MWH Global.

Siemens Water Technologies Corp. company is a leading producer of water- and wastewater-treatment equipment worldwide. Through its Water and Wastewater Systems and Water Services and Products groups, Siemens Water Technologies provides services to municipal, industrial, and institutional clients. It has more than 200,000 installations on several continents and a portfolio of more than 900 water treatment products and technologies. Among its other services are ion exchange resin recycling and thermal reactivation processes that reduce carbon expenditure. The company is a subsidiary of Siemens Industry.

Aquilex speaks softly and carries a big wrench. Through its operating subsidiaries, Aquilex Corporation provides maintenance, repair services and technical support to heavy industry worldwide. Customers include power generation facilities and other industrial plants, including cement, chemical, petrochemical, oil and natural gas processing, pulp and paper, metal refining, and steel manufacturing operations. The company was controlled by private equity firm Harvest Partners (which bought the company from First Reserve in 2007). In 2008 Harvest Partners sold the company to Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan.

Salamander Energy spends its day exploring and producing oil and gas. The company produces about 8,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day; Salamander Energy's proved and probable reserves total about 56 million barrels of oil equivalent. Established in 2005, the company focuses its exploration efforts in regions in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. Salamander Energy operates from six offices in the UK and Asia. Salamander Energy plans to expand both organically and through acquisitions.

"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.

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