Black & Veatch is expanding its relationship with Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc. Black & Veatch will provide mentoring and training support to Milhouse, Chicago’s largest African-American owned engineering firm. The two companies will work to pursue joint opportunities in both water and power delivery.
“Diversity seeds innovation and everyone benefits when different perspectives are applied to solving complex power delivery challenges,” said Scott Dicks, Vice President and Project Director of Black & Veatch. “Milhouse and Black & Veatch’s combined relationships and expertise will create even stronger value for clients here in Chicago and beyond,” said Dicks.
Black & Veatch power delivery professionals support ComEd, Illinois’ largest electric utility, as well as the Exelon family of utilities. The collaboration agreement further enables the delivery of quality infrastructure projects that will strengthen the region’s electricity networks.
“Milhouse is focused on growth that has a positive impact on people, places, and businesses that make up a community," said Wilbur Milhouse III, Founder & President of Milhouse. “Broadening our relationship with Black & Veatch comes at a time when we are being recognized by the industry for investments in our power division. Their mentorship and expertise, coupled with our investment in increasing our operational capacity means that we are well positioned to meet the engineering needs of a changing power market.”
Black & Veatch and Milhouse have been working together to deliver wastewater projects for over five years. The growing relationship among energy and water also resulted in recently completed projects such as the design of 13.5 megawatts of combined cycle gas turbines. The turbines provide approximately half of the electrical power needs and process steam for the Blue Plaines Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant in Washington, DC. The two companies have also teamed to deliver the phosphorous recovery system at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. The Plant is part of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago which serves 2.38 million people. The system removes nutrients from the treatment process and reduces the amount of energy required to treat sewage. It also produces a marketable and sustainable fertilizer product.
Both companies have a long standing focus on advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics education (STEM) in underserved communities. As the utility industry grapples with an aging workforce and competition for new professionals, Black & Veatch and Milhouse both work to foster and support the innovators and critical thinkers of the future.
