UI Celebrates 125 Years of Energizing Connecticut, Honoring a Legacy of Providing Safe, Reliable, and Innovative Service

Hosting a day-long celebration bringing together employees and retirees, featuring photos, memorabilia, and trivia to commemorate the historic milestone


Photos and videos from the event available HERE


ORANGE, Conn. — November 12, 2024 — Today, United Illuminating (UI), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), proudly marks its 125th anniversary of providing safe, reliable, innovative service to Connecticut. To celebrate this significant milestone, UI hosted a special event at its corporate headquarters, welcoming over 200 employees, retirees, and community members. The celebration featured speeches from company executives, heartfelt stories from long-tenured employees and retirees, trivia event on UI’s history, and an exhibit showcasing photos and memorabilia from the company’s rich 125-year history of service.

“Congratulations to United Illuminating on reaching this incredible milestone of 125 years of service,” said Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid. “Your unwavering commitment to investing in innovative solutions and infrastructure improvements to meet the increasing demands of the electric grid is truly commendable. As you look ahead to the next chapter, we will continue to support your operations, especially as we invest in a cleaner, more sustainable electric grid. Through strategic infrastructure upgrades, we will ensure United Illuminating meets the evolving needs of our customers and communities, fostering continued economic growth and driving Connecticut toward a more resilient and sustainable energy future.”

UI traces its origins to 1881 with the founding of the New Haven Electric Lighting Company to illuminate New Haven. After early challenges, it reorganized in 1883 as the New Haven Electric Company. In 1899, New Haven Electric merged with the Bridgeport Electric Light Company, forming UI. The company expanded across Connecticut, serving towns in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas as the state became a manufacturing hub. For many years, UI was responsible for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity as a vertically integrated regulated utility.
In 1998, due to Connecticut’s deregulation laws, UI divested its electricity generation assets, including plants in New Haven and Bridgeport, and nuclear facilities like Connecticut Yankee and Millstone. In 2000, UI became a subsidiary of UIL Holdings Corporation, which managed both regulated and non-regulated businesses. In 2015, UIL Holdings merged with the U.S. holdings of Iberdrola to form Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a diversified sustainable energy and utility company headquartered in Orange, Connecticut, which now maintains operations in 24 states across the nation.

Today, UI serves 17 towns, owning and operating the transmission and distribution infrastructure that powers its communities. With a legacy of innovation, service, safety, and reliability, UI remains a cornerstone of Connecticut’s energy landscape as it celebrates 125 years, lighting the way to a bright, energized future for its communities.

“Celebrating 125 years of service is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our employees, both past and present, who have laid the foundation for our continued success,” said Frank Reynolds, President and CEO of UI. “Their efforts have built a culture focused on meeting the evolving needs of our customers and businesses. As we look to the future, we remain committed to innovation, staying ahead of the curve to meet the growing demands of tomorrow’s electric needs. Together with our more than 500 employees, I look forward to continuing to provide safe, reliable service while embracing technological advancements that will help us energize the next 125 years and beyond.”
UI’s 125th anniversary celebration began with remarks from Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra and UI President and CEO Frank Reynolds. The event honored longtime employees and retirees, featuring short videos of 30-year UI veterans and retirees sharing their personal journeys, career reflections, and cherished memories of UI’s culture and mission. Attendees explored displays of photos, equipment, gear, and memorabilia, showcasing UI’s rich history. The celebration concluded with a trivia contest, featuring questions about UI’s milestones and operational changes over the past 125 years.

During the celebration, the Government and Community Relations Team, along with the Avangrid Foundation, organized a food drive to support Connecticut Foodshare, highlighting their dedication to volunteerism and local community support. Since 2016, the Avangrid Foundation has contributed over $4,806,368 to 97 nonprofit organizations in Connecticut. Additionally, UI employees have volunteered more than 5,775 hours, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to giving back to the community.

“We are privileged to have built a longstanding partnership with United Illuminating over the past decade and value their decision to move their headquarters to our Orange community,” said James Zeoli, First Selectman of the Town of Orange. "They have been a significant contributor to the ongoing development of our community, encouraging other large businesses to join us, creating new jobs, and driving economic growth.”

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