The energy and power production industry in the United States (US) prevailed nationwide. However, Texas still reigns supreme, accounting for more than a quarter of the country’s total energy production, according to Statista in 2022. Subsequently, it’s more than expected that a Boston-bound private equity firm like Berkshire Partners (Berkshire) would extend a strategic growth investment to Electric Power Engineers (EPE) as the beginning of 2025 transpires. EPE is a leading energy and power systems engineering and consulting agency based in Austin, Texas. As this investment is received, much is in store for this partnership between EPE and Berkshire.
About Electric Power Engineers and Berkshire Partners
EPE is a reliable and resilient global consultative firm that prioritizes energy transition. The advisory agency was founded in 1968 with a dedication to planning, designing, and developing infrastructure that supports a modern integrated grid. More than 50 years later, the company’s mission remains to utilize inventive technology to create immovable grid affordability, flexibility, reliability, and resiliency. EPE boasts a highly skilled team of consultants who emphasize their attention to detail and passion for helping clients comprehensively manage intricate engineering and grid modeling complications. The Austin-based firm’s ultimate goal is to resolve differences between sectors and offer solutions to the constantly changing demands of energy systems across the US.
Berkshire is a multilateral specialist investor agency owned by its employees in public and private equity. The company’s private equity crew invests in well-established enterprises spanning business services, communications, consumer support, healthcare, industrials, and technology. Recently, Berkshire announced the closing of its eleventh private equity fund, Fund XI, holding around $7.8 billion in commitments. Since its commencement, the private equity firm has made over 150 investments, cultivating a robust history of positively partnering with management teams to expand the companies it invests in. Berkshire’s public equity team, Stockbridge, was founded in 2007 and presently oversees a potent portfolio to seek out attractive longstanding investments.
The Berkshire Investment Details
Upon receiving Berkshire’s agreement, EPE leadership has stated, “This investment from Berkshire will enable [EPE] to accelerate growth in pursuit of [the firm’s] goals, expanding [their] capabilities and enhancing [their] technological advantage, including through strategic acquisitions.”
The highly experienced EPE team preserves its profound expertise in digital transformation, energy storage, grid modernization, renewables generation, and transmission and distribution. The agency has partnered with energy and blue-chip global power clients, extending a broad array of advisory services and proprietary software solutions for customers. These services include compliance, integrated grid analytics, reliability, resource development, and utility engineering.
EPE’s CEO, Hala Ballouz, notes that the company “is continually building on its position as the industry’s premier advisory firm, focused on delivering a reliable and sustainable integrated energy future through unique expertise and software.” As the firm celebrates this Berkshire investment, Ballouz believes the collaboration will push EPE to the nationwide frontlines of energy and power production.
Final Words from EPE and Berkshire Leadership
Stephanie Badr, COO of EPE, added that the consulting firm “has a unique opportunity to influence and facilitate the unparalleled energy transformation underway in the US and across the globe.” She recognizes that the resources and experiences offered by Berkshire have historically and successfully helped high-growth industry leaders in the past. As a result, the private equity firm is “an ideal partner as [EPE capitalizes] on [the] opportunity to lead in engineering the delivery of reliable and affordable electricity.”
Blake Gottesman, the Managing Director at Berkshire, shares that “record growth in data centers, manufacturing, and electrification are creating unprecedented levels of electricity demand.” He additionally explains, “Combined with the power generation being developed to meet that demand and an increasingly complex electrical grid, [Berkshire expects] an extraordinary need for power systems engineering and knowledge over the coming decade and beyond.”
Berkshire leadership is excited to collaborate with Ballouz, Badr, and the rest of the Electric Power Engineers team as the consulting firm swiftly grows and develops completely inventive solutions.
With this investment now in place, EPE members and management will continue to control the company. EPE’s previous partnership with Lime Rock New Energy in December 2021 has since fully materialized, and significant growth was achieved throughout the collaboration. The company expects similar results from its collaborative efforts with Berkshire Partners.
