February 24, 2025
Des Plaines, IL

Utilization Technology Development, NFP (UTD), a utility collaborative managed by GTI Energy, proudly announces the addition of three new member organizations: Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy; Énergir; and New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG). The addition of Énergir, headquartered in Quebec, marks a significant milestone as UTD strengthens its membership with a second Canadian utility. UTD’s growing network of members collectively serves more than 35 million gas customers.

UTD’s newest members bring diverse expertise and regional perspectives to an expanding collaborative in North America. With a commitment to accelerating energy efficiency, innovation, and market transformation in gas end use, UTD is developing technology solutions that address safety, resilience, and affordability for the customers they serve.

“As the energy market continues to evolve, utilities play a critical role in efficiently delivering energy to residential, commercial, industrial and transportation end users,” said Ron Snedic, President, UTD. “We are thrilled to welcome Piedmont Natural Gas, Énergir, and New Jersey Natural Gas to UTD as their commitment to innovation for their customers aligns with UTD’s efforts to advance sustainability, enhance energy efficiency, and maximize safety of our energy systems.”

“Our customers are the central focus of our business decisions,” said Carl Peterson, Director, Sales Operations & Product and Services, Piedmont Natural Gas. “I embrace the opportunity to collaborate with GTI Energy and other UTD members to enhance our ability to meet the evolving needs of our customers, ensuring they have access to the most efficient and sustainable energy technologies available.”

“This partnership with UTD aligns with Énergir’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, allowing us to leverage shared knowledge, expertise, and resources to develop transformative technologies in an evolving landscape,” said Brigitte Samson, Senior Executive Director for Customer Energy Solutions, Énergir. “By working together, we will enhance our ability to deliver more efficient energy solutions to our customers, while also staying at the forefront of industry advancements.”

“UTD offers an important forum for engagement among utilities, which is critical to advance groundbreaking solutions for gas end use,” said Jerry Ryan, Managing Director of Innovation at New Jersey Natural Gas. “This collaboration will explore innovative approaches and technologies, enabling us to better serve our customers with more efficient, sustainable, and forward-thinking energy solutions.”