Ford Motor Company and Texas utility TXU Energy on Aug. 12 announced that they have teamed up to create a new retail energy offering for Ford electric SUV and truck customers in Texas.

Power outages, wildfires, rooftop solar systems, and demand response programs create a need for utilities to communicate with customers quickly and clearly. Utilizing omnichannel communication systems can help ensure customers stay in the know and also help utilities respond to the many outage-related calls and emails from customers.

Tennessee public power utility EPB has named Janet Rehberg to serve as president of its recently established Strategic Initiatives business unit.

Sacramento, California-based public power utility SMUD on Aug. 15 reported that its newest substation “recently attracted national recognition for its bold, geometric architecture and innovative lighting installations,” with recognitions from the Sacramento Business Journal, Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals and the Sacramento Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineering.

A new 93,000-square-foot research facility in Washington State “that will accelerate the development of energy storage for the nation’s electrical grid and transportation sector” was dedicated on Aug. 13, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reported.

City officials representing public power utility Idaho Falls Power recently broke ground on the city’s latest power generation facility and clean energy research park.