September 28, 2016 – The Ontario Energy Association (OEA) has jointly recognized the three heads of a new utility merger for its Leader of the Year Award—the first time in OEA history that more than one recipient has been honoured in the same year.

Congratulations to Brian Bentz, president and CEO of PowerStream, Max Cananzi, president and CEO of Horizon Utilities, and Peter Gregg, president and CEO of Enersource.

The three executives were selected because of their efforts to merge their respective electricity utilities, OEA says, and jointly purchase the assets of Hydro One Brampton. Pending Ontario Energy Board (OEB) approval, the still-to-be-named new company will become the second-largest municipally-owned utility in North America, based on number of customers served.

After the transaction closes, the new utility will deliver electricity and related services to nearly one million residential and commercial customers in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe area.
The ‘Leader of the Year’ award was presented at the OEA’s Energy Awards Gala held this week in Toronto at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.

“I am honoured that the OEA has recognized the joint efforts of Max, Peter and I to help transform the electricity sector for the benefit of our stakeholders,” said Bentz.

Gregg nodded to the employees of each company, saying it is their efforts “that has brought us this far.”

 “We have all worked hard to ensure that our utilities are leaders in the sector,” added Cananzi.