Riggs Capabilities Hero

Energy & Utility Construction Capabilities

Our Capabilities

Riggs Distler is a North American leader in utility construction, partnering with regulated utilities, municipalities, and industrial operators to build and maintain the infrastructure and utilities that keep power, gas, and data flowing 24/7. As part of Centuri, with operating roots that stretch back 115 years and a workforce of 8,600 craft professionals supported by more than 13,000 fleet assets, we combine local agility with the resources of the #2 firm on Engineering-News Record’s Top-600 Utility list. Our purpose is simple yet ambitious: Connecting People to Power. We do so safely, reliably, and with an eye on the next generation of energy solutions.

Riggs Distler’s holistic service portfolio supports our customers’ ever-increasing energy and infrastructure demands while surpassing today’s safety benchmarks. Our BLS Industry Comparison TRIR & DART safety scores outperform industry averages, demonstrating our commitment to the resources and training needed to achieve world-class safety.

Electric Infrastructure Overview Graphic

Electric
Infrastructure

Riggs Distler constructs and maintains every link of the modern utility grid, offering electric transmission, distribution, substation, and foundation services. We build and maintain overhead and underground transmission lines up to 500 kV. Recent projects include a 16-mile mountain-terrain transmission rebuild in the Rockies, a transmission line project in New Jersey that involved micropile foundations and substation upgrades, and the replacement of 445 wooden structures with steel monopoles using helicopter construction techniques.

View Centuri’s Electric Infrastructure

Natural Gas Containers Graphic

Natural Gas Infrastructure

Riggs Distler installs and rehabilitates high-pressure transmission mains, distribution pipelines, regulator stations, and cathodic protection systems. Our construction capabilities include civil works, trenchless technologies, such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), cross compression, and compressor stations.

View Centuri’s Natural Gas Infrastructure

Distributed Power Overview Graphic

Distributed Power, Renewable & Industrial

Riggs Distler delivers turnkey distributed power solutions— renewable natural gas (RNG) systems and pipelines, EV-charging infrastructure, and battery storage. Although the U.S. has a cumulative renewable energy capacity of 430GW, more expansion is needed to achieve net zero (BloombergNEF, 2024). We are helping utilities capture this opportunity. For example, Riggs installed the 20 MWh Andover Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in New Jersey, sequencing work around supply-chain delays to hit the in-service date and boost peak resilience.

View Centuri’s Distributed Power

Underground Infrastructure Graphic

Underground
Infrastructure

Riggs Distler’s capabilities include cable pulling, directional drilling, duct bank construction, electric meter installation, lead cable fault locates and repairs, primary and secondary cable replacement, primary and secondary fault locates and repairs, streetlight construction, repair and maintenance, underground fiber-optic distribution construction, URD services, and electric main installation.

View Centuri’s Underground Infrastructure

Emergency Response Overview Graphic

Emergency Response & Storm Restoration

Extreme weather is the new normal, and utilities and municipalities need partners who can mobilize quickly. Riggs’s emergency response maintains real-time visibility of crews and equipment, allowing deployment within hours. We can immediately mobilize specialized crews and equipment to integrate rapid assessment with complete storm restoration. Riggs has participated in multiple storm response efforts, such as Hurricane Helene, which is a testament to our fast response ethos.

View Centuri’s Emergency Response

As Part of Centuri, We Have Local Agility, Resources to Scale
250+

combined years serving utilities
8600

employees across North America
13000+

fleet assets

Our Approach

  1. Plan & Survey: We obtain all necessary regulatory permits before project commencement.
  2. Mobilize & Install: Crews mobilize our specialized equipment along with certified welders, linemen, and operators to self-perform the work , supported by either union or open-shop labor to match regional needs.
  3. Test & Commission: New electrical systems tests, hydrostatic pressure tests, and SCADA platforms validate asset integrity before commissioning.
  4. Restore: We restore sites to their original or improved condition through hazard cleaning and line restoration.
  5. Maintain: Post construction, we conduct inspection, quality checks, right-of-way maintenance, and overhead and underground maintenance for gas and electric assets, including substations and distribution lines.
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Safety & Quality Commitment

Riggs’s behavior-based safety programs and our BLS-based safety benchmarks ensure everyone goes home safely. Thousands of training hours and the use of certified technicians only reinforce our sustainable safety culture. By putting safety at the forefront of our business model, multiple Riggs projects had zero recordable incidents.

Our unwavering commitments to safety and quality distinguish us as an industry leader and have earned us valuable long‑term relationships with our customers. Backed by Centuri’s national safety programs.

Why Choose Riggs?

  • Scale & Stability: Coast-to-coast footprint, NYSE-listed (CTRI) public markets financial strength, and average customer relationships of 24 years.
  • Workforce Flexibility: Labor adaptability supports regional requirements without compromising craft quality.
  • Rapid Mobilization: Proven ability to marshal crews and asset fleets for storms, wildfires, and critical outages.
  • Energy-Transition Expertise: Our portfolio includes gigawatts of wind and solar projects, plus RNG and BESS successes.

Ready to Build the Future?

Riggs isn’t just another contractor; we’re backed by Centuri, a long-term strategic partner that helps you navigate a dynamic energy market. Contact us today to discuss partnership opportunities, project bids, or emergency preparedness plans. Let’s power the next century of safe, reliable, sustainable infrastructure and utilities together.

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FAQs

What types of utility construction projects does Riggs specialize in?

Our services span electric transmission and distribution, natural gas pipelines, RNG and BESS facilities, fiber and water networks, wind and solar, and complete emergency restoration.

How does Riggs ensure safety and quality on large-scale infrastructure projects?

Our unique behavior-based, scientifically proven initiatives, along with rigorous quality control checkpoints, and third-party audits keeps incident rates far below national averages.

What is Riggs’s experience with renewable energy construction services?

We have delivered numerous clean-energy infrastructure projects, including the 20 MWh Andover BESS, multiple RNG digester systems and pipelines, and the 0.5 MW, 2 MWh West Caldwell BESS project.

How quickly can Riggs mobilize for emergency restoration services?

Our national response center tracks crews and fleet 24/7 across the Eastern and Southwestern United States.

What makes Riggs different from other energy infrastructure companies?

Scale, financial strength, workforce flexibility, digital workflows and project controls, demonstrated zero-incident performance, and a century-long legacy of client partnerships.

Citations
BloombergNEF (2024, September 24). Unlocking Investment to Triple Renewables by 2030. https://assets.bbhub.io/professional/sites/24/Unlocking-Investment-to-Triple-Renewables-by-2030.pdf

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024, November 8). Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries And Illnesses – 2023. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh.pdf