PERC ownership

PERC today is largely owned by two private entities, USA Energy Group, LLC (USA Energy) and PERC Holdings, LLC.

For many years, many of the municipalities that sent their waste to PERC also had an ownership in the company, collectively owning about 24%. Under the terms of an agreement with the Municipal Review Committee (MRC), which represented those communities, most of the municipal ownership was sold back to PERC’s private owners as of 2018.

USA Energy Group, LLC

USA Energy is PERC’s majority owner and managing general partner. USA Energy is a special purpose corporation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that was formed in 2003 to own, operate and maintain renewable energy facilities utilizing municipal solid waste, refuse derived fuel, biomass, hydro or similar alternative energy sources in the generation of electricity.

USA Energy acquired PERC in April of 2004 and since that time has overseen the investment of more than $100 million in the PERC facility and its operations. A 2015 top-to-bottom review of the PERC facility by international engineering firm HDR noted that “As a result of the good historical preventative and routine maintenance programs and practices, the equipment at the PERC Facility appears to be in better condition than other similar equipment at other WtE facilities of similar size and age.”

USA Energy is led by John Noer, its president, and Robert Knudsen, vice president for operations. Both have decades of experience in senior management and engineering with power plants, utilities and independent power producers.

PERC Holdings, LLC

PERC Holdings, led by principals Kevin Nordby and the late Kevin Tritz, joined USA Energy in purchasing PERC in 2004 and continues to hold a minority interest in the company. Kevin Nordby has extensive experience in all facets of waste management, including hauling, recycling, composting and processing. He owns Specialized Environmental Technologies, which deals with all levels of the waste hierarchy in Minnesota, including the operation of a waste-to-energy plant similar in size to PERC.

Municipal owners

In addition to its private owners, seven communities that are served by PERC continue to have an ownership interest in the facility as Limited Partners:

  • Enfield
  • Greenbush
  • Hancock
  • Hermon
  • Orland
  • Penobscot County
  • Searsport