Northeast Utilities
Encyclopedia
Northeast Utilities is a publicly-traded, Fortune 500
energy company headquartered in Berlin, Connecticut
, with several regulated subsidiaries offering retail electricity and natural gas service to more than 2.1 million customers in New England
.
NU is New England's largest public utility
, with more than 3,140 circuit miles of electric transmission lines, 32,802 pole miles of distribution lines throughout the region, and a natural gas distribution system encompassing 2088 square miles (5,407.9 km²) in Connecticut.
. In 1967, Holyoke Water Power Company (HWP) joined the NU System, followed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) in 1992.
In October 2010, Northeast Utilities announced that it would merge with NSTAR
, with the resulting company retaining the Northeast Utilities name. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.
CL&P is Connecticut's largest electric utility, serving more than 1.1 million customers. This subsidiary serves residential, municipal, commercial and industrial customers in approximately 149 cities and towns.
PSNH is New Hampshire's largest electric utility, serving more than 475,000 homes and businesses throughout the state. This subsidiary owns three fossil fuel-fired generating plants and nine hydroelectric facilities, jointly capable of generating more than 1,110 megawatts of electricity.
WMECO is a main distributor of electricity in western Massachusetts, serving more than 200,000 customers.
Yankee Gas is Connecticut's largest natural gas distribution company, delivering natural gas to approximately 200,000 customers in approximately 71 cities and towns. This subsidiary delivers natural gas to thousands of Connecticut homes for heating, hot water, cooking (indoors and outdoors), fireplaces and outdoor lighting.
In November 2005, the company announced it would sell its unregulated competitive businesses, including generation and energy services. In November 2006 the company had essentially completed the divestiture of its competitive businesses.
Among organizations, Northeast Utilities was the third biggest contributor to Representative Christopher Murphy (CT-5),
the fourth biggest contributor to Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2),
and the sixth biggest contributor to Representative John Larson (CT-1), during the July 2009 to June 2011 period. During the longer four year period from July 2007 to June 2011, Northeast Utilities and it executives donated
$56,900 to Rep. Christopher Murphy ,
$38,100 to Rep. Joe Courtney ,
$30,000 to Rep. John Larson,
$11,800 to Rep. Jim Himes (CT-4), and
$6,000 to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3).
and NSTAR
to build a new High-voltage direct current
(HVDC) line from Windsor, Quebec
(connecting with the Quebec grid
) to a location in central New Hampshire. It is projected that the line will either run in existing right-of-way adjacent to the HVDC line that runs through New Hampshire, or it will connect to a right-of-way in northern New Hampshire that will run through the White Mountains. This 180- to 190-mile line, projected to carry 1,200 megawatts, will carry electricity to approximately one million homes. The issue of buying hydropower from Hydro-Québec has been an issue during the Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010
.
With United Illuminating, an upgrade to the the 69-mile (112 km), 345 kilovolt Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
was energized in 2009 at a cost of $900 million.
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
energy company headquartered in Berlin, Connecticut
Berlin, Connecticut
Berlin is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 19,866 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1785. The geographic center of Connecticut is located in the town. Berlin is residential and industrial, and served by the Amtrak station of the same name...
, with several regulated subsidiaries offering retail electricity and natural gas service to more than 2.1 million customers in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
.
NU is New England's largest public utility
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
, with more than 3,140 circuit miles of electric transmission lines, 32,802 pole miles of distribution lines throughout the region, and a natural gas distribution system encompassing 2088 square miles (5,407.9 km²) in Connecticut.
History
NU was formed on July 1, 1966, with the merger of Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P), Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO), and The Hartford Electric Light Company under a single parent company, creating the first new multi-state public utility holding company since the enactment of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935
The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 , , also known as the Wheeler-Rayburn Act, was a law that was passed by the United States Congress to facilitate regulation of electric utilities, by either limiting their operations to a single state, and thus subjecting them to effective state...
. In 1967, Holyoke Water Power Company (HWP) joined the NU System, followed by the Public Service Company of New Hampshire (PSNH) in 1992.
In October 2010, Northeast Utilities announced that it would merge with NSTAR
NSTAR
NSTAR is a utility company that provides retail electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in eastern and central Massachusetts, including the Boston urban area....
, with the resulting company retaining the Northeast Utilities name. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.
Corporate Structure
Northeast Utilities has four main subsidiaries. These are CL&P, PSNH, WMECO, and Yankee Gas Services Company (Yankee Gas).CL&P is Connecticut's largest electric utility, serving more than 1.1 million customers. This subsidiary serves residential, municipal, commercial and industrial customers in approximately 149 cities and towns.
PSNH is New Hampshire's largest electric utility, serving more than 475,000 homes and businesses throughout the state. This subsidiary owns three fossil fuel-fired generating plants and nine hydroelectric facilities, jointly capable of generating more than 1,110 megawatts of electricity.
WMECO is a main distributor of electricity in western Massachusetts, serving more than 200,000 customers.
Yankee Gas is Connecticut's largest natural gas distribution company, delivering natural gas to approximately 200,000 customers in approximately 71 cities and towns. This subsidiary delivers natural gas to thousands of Connecticut homes for heating, hot water, cooking (indoors and outdoors), fireplaces and outdoor lighting.
In November 2005, the company announced it would sell its unregulated competitive businesses, including generation and energy services. In November 2006 the company had essentially completed the divestiture of its competitive businesses.
Political Connections
As a large utility company, Northeast Utilities, Connecticut Light and Power, and its other subsidiaries are regulated by state and federal legislators. The company has been generous with election campaign contributions to several Connecticut politicians.Among organizations, Northeast Utilities was the third biggest contributor to Representative Christopher Murphy (CT-5),
the fourth biggest contributor to Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2),
and the sixth biggest contributor to Representative John Larson (CT-1), during the July 2009 to June 2011 period. During the longer four year period from July 2007 to June 2011, Northeast Utilities and it executives donated
$56,900 to Rep. Christopher Murphy ,
$38,100 to Rep. Joe Courtney ,
$30,000 to Rep. John Larson,
$11,800 to Rep. Jim Himes (CT-4), and
$6,000 to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3).
HVDC transmission
Northeast Utilities has signed on a joint venture with Hydro-QuébecHydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
and NSTAR
NSTAR
NSTAR is a utility company that provides retail electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in eastern and central Massachusetts, including the Boston urban area....
to build a new High-voltage direct current
High-voltage direct current
A high-voltage, direct current electric power transmission system uses direct current for the bulk transmission of electrical power, in contrast with the more common alternating current systems. For long-distance transmission, HVDC systems may be less expensive and suffer lower electrical losses...
(HVDC) line from Windsor, Quebec
Windsor, Quebec
Windsor is a town of 5,300 people, part of the Le Val-Saint-François Regional County Municipality in the Estrie region of Quebec, Canada, for which it is the seat....
(connecting with the Quebec grid
Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system
Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system is an expansive, international power transmission system located in Quebec, Canada with extensions into the Northeastern United States...
) to a location in central New Hampshire. It is projected that the line will either run in existing right-of-way adjacent to the HVDC line that runs through New Hampshire, or it will connect to a right-of-way in northern New Hampshire that will run through the White Mountains. This 180- to 190-mile line, projected to carry 1,200 megawatts, will carry electricity to approximately one million homes. The issue of buying hydropower from Hydro-Québec has been an issue during the Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010
Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2010
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick was re-elected to a second term. Also competing were the Republican Party nominee, businessman Charlie Baker; independent candidate and State Treasurer Tim Cahill; and...
.
Major Projects
Northeast Utilities has participated in a number of projects to improve the reliability of the power grid in southwest Connecticut. The first project was construction of the $350 million 345 kilovolt Bethel-Norwalk transmission line through the western part of the state, and was constructed entirely by Northeast Utilities.With United Illuminating, an upgrade to the the 69-mile (112 km), 345 kilovolt Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
Middletown-Norwalk transmission line
The Middletown-Norwalk Transmission Line is a 69-mile , 345-kilovolt AC transmission line between Middletown and Norwalk in the U.S. state of Connecticut...
was energized in 2009 at a cost of $900 million.