Company History
In the fast growing field of alternative energy development, co-generation and small power production hydroelectric power generation continues to provide valuable service and offers tremendous additional potential in terms of its reliable, "non-polluting", "inflation-proof" contribution to the national energy picture. William Harris and Chuck Alsberg recognized this potential for additional capacity as early as 1978 when they incorporated the North American Hydro Company.
Employed as electrical field engineers for a Wisconsin electric utility, Harris and Alsberg were afforded the opportunity to travel the utility's service area. During the course of those travels, they became fascinated with the prospects for revitalizing the many small hydroelectric plants they found abandoned across the Wisconsin countryside. Shortly after incorporating and acquiring their first hydroelectric plant, Harris and Alsberg resigned from the electric utility for the purpose of pursuing their goal of hydro plant development and ownership on a full-time basis.
With the added efforts of Randall Reeks, an original investor and partner to Alsberg and Harris in the North American Hydro venture, the enlarged company began to acquire hydroelectric properties throughout Wisconsin and the midwest. Reeks left his position with a Chicago-based manufacturer of electric utility equipment in 1983 to devote full-time attention to North American Hydro's business efforts. An auto accident while returning from a job site in the fall of 1991 resulted in his untimely death.
Coincident with North American Hydro's beginning in 1978 and its early site acquisition and development efforts, the United States Congress passed the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA). PURPA's provisions were designed to encourage utilities to deal with small, non-utility power producers, such as the abandoned hydro plants Alsberg and Harris had recognized, on a basis that encourages small power development.
