Michigan regulators approve Wisconsin Energy's acquisition of Integrys

The Michigan Public Service Commission has approved the proposed $9.1 billion acquisition of Integrys Energy Group Inc. of Chicago by Wisconsin Energy Corp., Integrys said Thursday.

Approvals are still pending from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Illinois Commerce Commission. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the acquisition, the largest acquisition ever proposed by Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Energy Corp. (NYSE: WEC), on April…

Duke Energy makes list of 20 companies reshaping the power grid

The editors of Greentech Media, the clean-energy business news site, have named Duke Energy one of the 20 companies reshaping grid operations in the nation’s power sector.

Greentech’s second annual Grid Edge 20 includes many of the names you would expect. Tesla is on it for its efforts in utility-scale battery storage. SolarCity, which is working with Tesla on applying those batteries to solar projects, is also on the list.

Schneider Electric, a French grid and power equipment giant, makes…

Chairman of embattled energy company steps down

Furmanite Corp. (NYSE: FRM), a Houston-based provider of industrial plant and refinery services and parts, announced that Chairman Sangwoo “Bill” Ahn will retire amid claims of poor management and cronyism by a Houston investor.

Moreover, the company has postponed its annual meeting, which was supposed to take place April 24, to May 6, a move Houston-based Mustang Capital Management LLC says is a delay tactic.

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The EquityEats space isn't just for pop-up restaurants. It now has a permanent bar.

Restaurant crowdfunder EquityEats is still working on getting more of its planned pop-ups up and running at 918 F St. NW, but it’s just unveiled the one permanent venue planned for the building: Brick & Mortar, a bar in the lower level of the former LivingSocial event space.

EquityEats — which aims to deploy new equity crowdfunding rules to fund restaurants — leased the building earlier this year for Prequel, a space it envisioned would host several pop-up restaurants at once while it was trying…

Is your contract price realistic? Prove it

A competitive price is good. But if a company bids a price far below the agency’s estimate, the pitch better include a convincing explanation for how it’s possible.

Protesting contractor: Alcazar Trades Inc.

Contracting agency: General Services Administration

Protest issue: Whether GSA performed a reasonable price realism analysis on ATI’s proposal

Decision: Protest sustained by GAO April 1, 2015

Post-mortem: The contract in question was for custodial services at the Denver Federal Center,…