United Utilities

Infobox Company
company_name = United Utilites PLC
company_
company_type = Public (lse|UU.)
foundation = 1995
location = Warrington, England, UK
key_people =
area_served =
industry = Utility - water, wastewater, electricity, gas
products = Water
revenue = £2,323 million (2007)
operating_income = £828 million (2007)
net_income = £434 million (2007)
homepage = [http://www.unitedutilities.com www.unitedutilities.com/]

United Utilities (UU) (lse|UU.) is a British utility company with its headquarters in Warrington which operates mainly in the North West England, with 9,000 employees. It serves over 20 million people around the UK and worldwide. Its shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and it is a member of the FTSE 100 Index.

Its water business is regulated under the Water Industry Act 1991

History

United Utilities was created in 1995 by the merger of North West Water and Norweb. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950908/ai_n14004928 Power over the serfs] ] It sold its telecoms business, Your Communications in 2006, and Vertex in March 2007. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2005/jun/03/utilities United Utilities to sell telecoms arm] ]

In December 2007 United Utilities sold its electricity distribution network to North West Electricity Networks, a joint venture between Colonial First State, which is part of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and US investment bank JP Morgan. Electricity North West Limited became the licensed Distribution Network Operator for the north west of England as a consequence of the sale. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2007/nov/24/jpmorgan.unitedutilities United Utilities sells its power supplies network] ]

Activities

United Utilities operates water, wastewater, electricity and gas networks. In north west England it is investing £3.5 billion between 2005-2010 to improve utility infrastructure and the environment.

Its customers include:• Northern Gas Networks – for whom it operates and maintains the gas network in the north of England, serving 2.5 million customers.• Southern Water – UU delivers water and wastewater schemes on behalf of Southern Water, serving their four million customers.• Welsh Water – UU operates and maintains assets serving 1.2 million homes in Wales.• Scottish Water – helps deliver a £1.1 billion capital investment programme.• Electricity North West Limited - UU operates and maintains electricity assets in the North West of England.

Worldwide:• Australia – provides water and wastewater services to 500,000 people in South Australia.• Central Europe – operates water and wastewater networks for two million people in Bulgaria, Estonia and Poland.• Philippines – partners Manila Water. Since 1997 the number of people with access to clean drinking water has jumped from 26% to 92%.

References

External links

* [http://www.unitedutilities.com/ Official site]
* [http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=uu&m=L&d= Yahoo profile]