Cinergy
Encyclopedia
Cinergy Corp. was an energy company based in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
subsidiary Union Light, Heat & Power (ULH&P) with Plainfield, Indiana
–based PSI Energy (Public Service Indiana).
The company, under its various operating names, has operated a Holiday Model Train Display that has attracted over 9 million visitors since the event's inception in 1946. The authentic display measures 36½ feet by 47½ feet long and imitates an O gauge
, in which a quarter-inch on the model is equivalent to one foot on a real train.
In 1996, Riverfront Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati was renamed "Cinergy Field" in a sponsorship deal with Cinergy. The stadium was demolished by implosion in December 2002 to make way for Great American Ballpark.
The same year, Cinergy announced a friendly acquisition by the larger Charlotte, North Carolina
-based Duke Energy
. The acquisition was completed on April 3, 2006. The combined company retains the Duke Energy name. Until the acquisition, Cinergy still operated under the names of the three local utilities (e.g., Cinergy/CG&E in Cincinnati); since the acquisition, the names of the three former Cinergy utilities and Duke Power, the former Duke Energy utility subsidiary, have been phased out, although signs bearing the former logos still remain at some substation
s. Duke, in partnership with railway company CSX
, continues to host Cinergy's annual train display in Cincinnati.
, prompting the New York State government to sue the company and forcing the company to install modern pollution control equipment. The Ontario
government, across the border in Canada
, has followed suit at the request of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
have identified Cinergy as the 49th-largest corporate producer of air pollution
in the United States, with roughly 29 million pounds of toxic chemicals released annually into the air. Major pollutants indicated by the study include sulfuric acid
, hydrochloric acid
, chromium
compounds, and manganese
compounds.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
History
Cinergy was created on October 24, 1994, from the merger of the Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company (CG&E) and KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
subsidiary Union Light, Heat & Power (ULH&P) with Plainfield, Indiana
Plainfield, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,396 people, 7,051 households, and 4,914 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,023.1 people per square mile . There were 7,449 housing units at an average density of 414.3 per square mile...
–based PSI Energy (Public Service Indiana).
O scale
O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s...
, in which a quarter-inch on the model is equivalent to one foot on a real train.
In 1996, Riverfront Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati was renamed "Cinergy Field" in a sponsorship deal with Cinergy. The stadium was demolished by implosion in December 2002 to make way for Great American Ballpark.
The same year, Cinergy announced a friendly acquisition by the larger Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
-based Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
. The acquisition was completed on April 3, 2006. The combined company retains the Duke Energy name. Until the acquisition, Cinergy still operated under the names of the three local utilities (e.g., Cinergy/CG&E in Cincinnati); since the acquisition, the names of the three former Cinergy utilities and Duke Power, the former Duke Energy utility subsidiary, have been phased out, although signs bearing the former logos still remain at some substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
s. Duke, in partnership with railway company CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, continues to host Cinergy's annual train display in Cincinnati.
Environmental record
In May 2006, Cinergy was fingered as a key contributor to major pollution in the American MidwestMidwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
, prompting the New York State government to sue the company and forcing the company to install modern pollution control equipment. The Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
government, across the border in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, has followed suit at the request of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
have identified Cinergy as the 49th-largest corporate producer of air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
in the United States, with roughly 29 million pounds of toxic chemicals released annually into the air. Major pollutants indicated by the study include sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
, hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
, chromium
Chromium
Chromium is a chemical element which has the symbol Cr and atomic number 24. It is the first element in Group 6. It is a steely-gray, lustrous, hard metal that takes a high polish and has a high melting point. It is also odorless, tasteless, and malleable...
compounds, and manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
compounds.
External links
- Cinergy is now Duke Energy
- Merger Information – signage and logo information prior to the merger (archived)