Bay Area county utilities keep focus on environmental impact West County Wastewater (WCW) of California and OPTERRA Energy Services today announced significant progress on WCW’s comprehensive “Clean & Green” energy improvement project that modernizes critical infrastructure, strengthens energy resilience, and significantly reduces WCW’s environmental impact, according to an October 8 press release. The project includes a microgrid for backup power, solar energy installations,

Another indicator of spiked investment in nuclear energy Recent filings from major energy companies provide substantial hints as to which way the wind is blowing when it comes to investment in certain energy sources. In this case, another step was taken toward building a new nuclear plant. Terrestrial Energy Inc., a leader in Generation IV molten salt nuclear plants supplying electricity and high-temperature industrial heat, confirmed that it has submitted its Thermal and Ele

A new manufacturing and technology facility at a community college Elgin Community College's (ECC), featured in past issues of EA for its technical programs (including the March '25 cover), recently opened a brand new, 150,000-square-foot Manufacturing and Technology Center (MTC). The facility was designed to advance workforce development and meet the needs of local employers. This cutting-edge facility, opened in August 2026, expands ECC’s academic programs in manufacturing,

Kaida named president and CEO following Kishida's resignation Nidec has named Michio Kaida president and CEO following Mitsuya Kishida's resignation, the company confirmed last week. The electric-motor manufacturer announced that Mitsuya Kishida resigned as representative director, president and CEO, and Michio Kaida, previously executive vice president and chief technology officer, was appointed president and CEO. The change comes amid Nidec's response to accounting and gov

Cutsforth webinar on common brush rigging failures October 21st Cutsforth, the industrial condition monitoring company based in Ferndale, Washington, is hosting a useful webinar later this month. The session will focus on common brush rigging failures related to generators. Topic: Seeing Inside the Generator: Common Brush Rigging Failures and Proven Solutions Where: Live online via Zoom When: Wednesday, October 21st at 9 AM PT/12PM ET Subject Matter Experts: Jason Kammerer &

SCE extends more than $1 billion in compensation offers for Eaton fire Marking a milestone in the continued support of the greater Altadena community and its recovery from the Eaton Fire, Southern California Edison reports that it has offered more than $1 billion in compensation through its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, according to an October 1 press release from the California utility. The voluntary program provides eligible community members with a fair, fast and

Fleetguard recognizes truckers with an appreciation day Fleetguard, a Nashville brand of Atmus Filtration Technologies, is celebrating National Truckers Appreciation Day this weekend. This celebration, set for Sunday, October 4th, "honors the dedicated people who keep goods moving, communities connected and everyday life running here in the United States of America," according to a Fleetguard press release dated October 1. One of Fleetguard's stated goals is to protect the en

Battery Show 2026 preview When it comes to battery technology and its applications in electric vehicles, the home of the automobile has become an annual mecca. The Detroit-hosted Battery Show is set to enter its 12th year, running from October 12th to 15th at Huntington Place in the Motor City. Here's a synopsis of this year's agenda. Conference tracks and topics will include: 1) Battery Chemistry, Materials and Cell Innovation: solid-state commercialization, silicon anodes,

FirstEnergy names new VP of Generation Project Development FirstEnergy Corp., the Akron, Ohio-based utility, has named Jon Dormo its Vice President of Generation Project Development, per a September 3 press release. Reporting to Chris Beam (FirstEnergy's President of West Virginia and Maryland) Dormo is set to "lead efforts to plan and develop new power generation projects that help meet customers' future energy needs," FirstEnergy said. It's something many utilities consider

NTN hosts latest charity event in Chicagoland NTN Bearing Corporation of America recently hosted its latest Community Spirit & Engagement Event in partnership with the D54 Education Foundation and its annual Run to Read event, the company said in a September 30 press release. On Thursday, September 10, 2026, a team of dedicated NTN volunteers assembled 900 race-day participant packets for the 22nd Annual Run to Read, the foundation's largest community fundraiser. Run to Read

NIBS president Guszcza appointed to construction safety committee The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) announced that George Guszcza, NIBS President and Chief Executive Officer, has been appointed to the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee (NCSTAC), in a September 23 press release emailed to EA. This federal advisory committee provides guidance to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on carrying out its responsibilities unde

CAMI's newest test interface board for customized connectors CAMI Research Inc., the Acton, Mass., manufacturer of the familiar CableEye automation-ready cable and harness test system, has released the CB61 test interface board that can be customized with 1mm pitch SMT connectors such as the SD50 Hirose family, according to a September 23 press release e-mailed to EA. The product is rated to 500 Vdc/Vac, and CAMI noted that connectors are not included. A leader in the develop

ABB partnering with Ferrari for marine electrification ABB announced a technology partnership with Ferrari Hypersail September 14 that brings the former company's electrification expertise to what it calls "the world’s most ambitious offshore challenge." As an electrification partner, ABB reportedly will support the challenge with expertise across marine power, Direct Current (DC) technology and advanced electrical systems, according to a company press release. Ferrari Hypers

Dryad wins contest for ultra-early wildfire detection Dryad Networks, a Berlin-based environmental company focused on ultra-early wildfire detection, was awarded $800,000 in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition for its performance in the Autonomous Wildfire Response finals in Alaska, per a September 23 press release. Dryad advanced from an original field of approximately 300 entrants in the four-year competition. In June 2026, three finalists were challenged to autonomously detect

Schreiber Foods to expand Missouri operations, adding jobs Schreiber Foods announced September 23 it will invest more than $267 million to expand its process-cheese network by building a new manufacturing facility in Carthage, Missouri. The investment will reportedly help Schreiber meet growing customer demand "while strengthening its ability to deliver the exceptional quality, food safety and service customers depend on," the company said in a press release that day. A forkl

Construction outfit partners up for infrastructure innovation Granite Construction announced today that it has joined Plug and Play's Real Estate & Construction program in Silicon Valley. Through the partnership, Granite will collaborate with emerging technology companies, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs to identify innovative solutions that can help transform the way infrastructure is planned, built, and maintained. One of the largest diversified construction and constru

The latest from the BLS and IMTS The United States continues to see renewed manufacturing investment and output growth, but sustaining reindustrialization depends on accelerating productivity. At IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show this week, the manufacturers and job shops that build America are finding the technologies, ideas, and connections that translate capital investment into greater efficiency, resilience, and long-term competitiveness. U.S. manufac

California aviation company announces early delivery of new aircraft Elroy Air today announced that Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: VTOL) has expanded its early delivery reservations for the Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft, reserving 10 additional early delivery positions for a total of 15. Bristow previously secured early delivery slots for five Chaparral drones and announced a pre-order agreement for up to 100 Chaparral drones. This announcement follows the first autonomous,

LADWP gets new rating assigned by KBRA KBRA (Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC) has assigned a long-term rating of AA to the Department of Water and Power of the City of Los Angeles, CA ("LADWP") Power System Revenue Bonds, 2026 Series C. The outlook is stable, KBRA said in a September 16 press release. The long-term rating reflects the stable operating and financial performance of LADWP's Power System. LADWP is the exclusive provider of electric and water utility services within

Electromechanical technicians have opportunities if they know where to look Employment of electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 1,400 openings for electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers