Midlands Business Journal • MAY 8, 2020 •
Energy & Utilities
A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal
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May 8, 2020
Energy and utilities industry focuses on diversity in resources, aids customers during pandemic by Gabby Christensen
Despite the obstacles generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy and utilities sector is rapidly changing in today’s landscape, according to area experts. From shifts in energy generation resources to customer preferences, Laura King-Homan, chair of communications for Nebraska Power Association, said Nebraska utilities plan for the future while ensuring reliability and affordability for customers. “We are also keeping an eye on changing customer preferences toward electric vehiPorter cles and energy technology to see how we can help them navigate these options and use them to meet their individual energy goals,” she said. According to King-Homan, the emergence of COVID-19 has not slowed down the work of Nebraska utilities to serve customer-owners. “We understand that customers need our energy now more than ever to stay connected to work, school and loved ones far away,” she said. “To keep them connected, our employees are practicing health safety guidelines so they can stay healthy and keep providing reliable energy to customers.” King-Homan said Nebraska’s public power utilities quickly recognized the economic impact that the COVID-19 directed health measures could have on customers and moved to temporarily suspend disconnections of electric service due to nonpayment. “Nebraska utilities are proud of our public power history,” she said. “To live up to that promise, we will continue to focus on our record of providing reliable energy to customers, while incorporating a diverse mix of generation resources, including solar and wind. As COVID-19 continues to change the way we live our lives, we will also need to maintain a healthy workforce to maintain reliable service.” During the pandemic, Kelley Porter, manager of customer and corporate communications at Lincoln Electric System, said LES continues to help customers who are struggling by temporarily suspending disconnections for nonpayment and waiving late fees. “We’ve recently changed our outbound calling guidelines to make courtesy calls to customers who are significantly behind on their electric bills, offering to set up a flexible payment plan and sharing helpful financial resourc-
Steve McGreer, president at Asset Environments. She said LES is also urging the public to es,” Porter said. “LES asks customers to stay vigilant as there’s an uptick in pandemic-related keep their distance from utility crews to help scams. While we are making courtesy calls to them deliver safe, reliable service during this certain residential and business customers who pandemic. “Electric work is essential, especially may need our assistance, we will never demand during severe weather season,” Porter said. immediate payment by phone.”
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“We ask our crews to follow guidelines of medical professionals when working in the field. Residents can help by not approaching crews and keeping a safe social distance of six feet or more.” Steve McGreer, president of Asset Environments, said one interesting long-term trend in the industry is that the total fossil fuel consumption in the U.S. has leveled and is showing signs of decreasing. “This is due to several factors including reduced heavy industry in the U.S., less coal use, greater energy efficiency and growth in the renewable energy sector,” McGreer said. With the on-going pandemic, he said it will be interesting to see the long-term impacts of extremely low prices at the pump. Additionally, McGreer noted reduced pollution levels, especially in urban areas, as fewer people are driving and using energy. He said this provides a window into what pollution levels could look like if efforts continue to decarbonize the economy. “This is a time of real change in the energy industry,” McGreer said. “Renewables are getting cheaper all the time, electrical energy storage is becoming possible, electric cars have arrived and end users are reducing their consumption. Change is hard and there will be winners and losers as we transition, but the technology, economics and environmental issues are all too compelling to remain at a status quo.”
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Energy & Utilities — inside MAY 8, 2020
THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS
THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:
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VOL. 46 NO. 19
McGill Restoration focuses on infrastructure jobs for regional opportunities by Richard D. Brown
Marking 20 years amidst global pandemic, Sanwick Remodeling maintains workload. – Page 2
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Essay draws on early influences to forge career at Dvorak Law Group. – Page 4
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Avoid these common marketing mistakes by sticking to sound fundamentals. – Page 21
Family-owned McGill Restoration is a 35-year-old construction company with 110 employees, a varied portfolio of projects ranging from parking garages and U.S. Department of Transportation projects to industrial work and general masonry modernization. The Florence-based firm has utilized almost all of its three acres at 28th & Grebe streets and is building up business in Lincoln where it has a 12-employee branch. Owner/President/COO Timothy F. McGill said McGill Restoration, which is aiming for $23 million in annual sales this year — about a 15 to 17% increase over 2019 — is looking for as many as 40 acres in far northwest Omaha for its expansion. “I think big,” McGill said. “We’ll use six or seven acres for now and have the rest for the future growth of our business that could be $50 million in annual revenues in 10 years.” McGill, 42, the third generation of his family to be involved in the Continued on page 9.
Owner and President Timothy F. McGill … Infrastructure work maintains bulk of projects for the firm. (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)
LifeLoop expands into national brand with innovative software by Michelle Leach
Five years after LifeLoop got its start as a way to keep families of loved ones in senior communities “in the loop,” pandemic-related circumstances are bringing things full circle, reinforcing what motivated Amy Johnson and Philip Lee to start the firm in the first place. “We started LifeLoop to initially solve the problem of families understanding what was going on with
loved ones from day-to-day — did they to go dinner? Did they go to their favorite card group? How do you as a family understand what is going on?” said Johnson, co-founder and CEO. “We built the whole platform around that concept.” The “engagement” at the heart of LifeLoop’s software product has been put on high relief in an environment whereby senior commuContinued on page 9. Michala Anderson, branch manager at Robert Half.
From 3D printers to Zoom meetings, tech an ally across multiple industries by Michelle Leach
Co-founder and CEO Amy Johnson, left, and Marketing Manager Andrea Clauson … Technology provides invaluable lifeline for seniors, family members and communities’ staff as industry facilities isolate to protect public health.
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series sharing firsthand experiences from local organizations on how their respective industries are adapting to COVID-19. As restrictions are eased, organizations that represent the various stages of one’s personal and business journey reflect on the often unexpected changes made thus far, and on the lasting effects of COVID-19.
Graham Construction is applying its expertise in controlling construction dust, spanning 37 certified infection control and 10 certified health care constructor professionals, to handle threatening airborne particles. “When one of our longstanding hospital customers said they needed help turning regular patient rooms into spaces that could contain patients with Continued on page 3.