On the Move
- Jodi Brunner
- Oct 7
- 5 min read
By Mallory Leonard • Photos Supplied
Nestled on a quiet corner off Main Street in AuSable Forks, NY, Northline Utilities head office is a piece of history. Located in a former school building on the Au Sable River, the company has renovated and modernized it to suit the needs of its day-to-day operations while preserving its history. At first glance the footprint can seem unassuming, but believe me when I say — revolutionary things are happening inside.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jamie Atkins, third-generation journeyman lineman, founder and president of Northline Utilities, LLC, to learn more about the company’s history and what makes it stand out in the industry.
In the 1970s Atkins’ father, Warren, was working on transmission power line construction projects in the North Country. He found the area offered a great quality of life and relocated his family to the region. Jamie grew up in Essex County, graduated from AuSable Valley Central School and Clinton Community College and then followed his family tradition to work in the power industry.
Fast forward to 2004. Atkins was employed by Quanta, a U.S. corporation that provided infrastructure services for the electric power, pipeline, industrial, and communications industries and had traveled the country on its behalf for years. “At the end of my contract I wanted to stay in the area I knew well, so I started Northline Utilities, LLC in 2005. I thought, let’s just stay local and be your friendly neighborhood line contractor,” he said with a smile. “Now, here we are 20 years later with 500 employees, 700 pieces of equipment, working in ten states and beyond. You could say things have evolved.”
The company’s growth has expanded how Northline operates. In the beginning, most of its work was construction services for wind farm developers and private customers such as Whiteface Mountain Ski Center, as well as colleges like Paul Smith’s. “We built all the electric infrastructure for the Chateaugay and Ellenburg wind farms in our early days,” Atkins stated. “And then we transitioned to a place where we were working more for investor-owned electrical utilities.”
He continued, “We evolved as a nuts-and-bolts mechanical construction company. Currently we provide three major aspects of electrical construction -- electrical transmission, new construction and distribution maintenance and substation construction and upgrades. Our real specialty though, is energized electric transmission maintenance and reconstruction.”
In 2024, Northline completed a major energized rebuild for a New York utility on a radial line from Whitehall to Port Henry, replacing about 300 wood-pole transmission structures with steel structures. “And we did it all without turning the power off!” Atkins offered. “That kind of work is one of our specialties.”
For Atkins, the project held significant meaning as all four generations of linemen in the family worked on the same project. Back in 1991, Jamie had worked on the line as a young apprentice, “topping out” as a Journeyman Lineman while on a crew with his father and grandfather. He returned in 2000 to be part of the first energized transmission structure replacements and more than three decades later, his son Brandon—a fourth-generation Journeyman Lineman—worked on the same line.
Currently Northline Utilities has crews in the Plattsburgh, NY division and divisions across New England assisting with the regular operation and maintenance of the electric grid and substation crews that work on ever-evolving technologies. As technology becomes more sophisticated, the technical skills and equipment its crews develop and maintain evolve as well.
Northline is a Contractor of Choice (COC) or Master Service Agreement Holder for most of the investor-owned utilities in New York State. Beyond the state, the company has two growth areas -- the Mid-Atlantic, which has brought it to New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland with prospective contracts in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and to New England, including Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
To operate successfully over such a large area, Northline operates out of four key locations. “Clifton Park is essentially our hub. It’s our project management center.” Atkins explained. “The reason for that is we can reach one third of the population of North America within a day’s drive.” Additional regional offices are located in Brewster and Liverpool, NY. An office in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine came with an entity Northline acquired (now called Northern Line Construction). Another office in New Hampshire is planned.
“Here’s where it gets interesting,” Atkins said with a grin. “In 2009 we developed a holding company called Northline Ventures.” Northline Utilities is under that umbrella, as well as several affiliate companies. Among those is NorPro, its professional services entity, providing construction management, field construction coordination and project management services, non-construction supervision and management roles for its clients.
Now, Northline, via Powerline Training Consultants, can provide specialized training for customers and its own staff. This service has taken them as far as South America, Mexico, California, Colorado, and Illinois.
Also, among Northline affiliate companies, Northline Compass, a storm response division has the ability to mobilize over 1,000 incremental storm resources and 500 pieces of equipment to provide support in times of need both inside and outside the company’s normal footprint, bringing aid as far as Florida as well as internationally.
Northline is notable, not just for its size and skill set, but Atkins explained, “It’s our culture and using humble, non-judgmental inquiring that helps us understand the WHY and how WE can add value to what our customers need. We don’t just do what they’re asking, we strive to make their lives easier and ourselves a value-add resource. The North Country is a great place to do that.”
Atkins sees value in the area where he grew up. “The North Country is full of like-minded people, good neighbors and people who want to live a life of service, contributing and adding something to make things better.” He serves as the Commissioner of the Au Sable Forks Fire Department and many Northline employees are first responders in the community and volunteers at local organizations, giving back to the area.
In an ever-evolving industry, Northline Utilities accepts and embraces change and opportunity. Its vision statement reads, “Our vision is to reinvent the electrical industry in terms of satisfying customers and quality of work life.” Northline puts its priorities at the forefront at every opportunity and employees are a high priority. The company is 20% employee-owned, with an increase in that percentage planned for the near future.
At their 14th Safety & Leadership Summit this year, over 200 Northline employees, partners and guests not only enjoyed a great day of guest speakers, golf, awards and recognitions and a great dinner, they also took part in a fundraiser for a cause. This year’s employee-chosen non-profit, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, received a $14,000 donation. “Our employees and partners are always so generous at the event. It’s amazing,” said Courtney Farbotko, who serves as the company’s Proposal Coordinator. “One of our main themes is supporting team and individual success,” Atkins added. “And our employees love to give back.”
Northline Utilities is an industry leader, revolutionizing what it does and how it does it. Its business model is impressive, and it’s pursuit of excellence is apparent in how they approach both customer and employee satisfaction. There is a small-town heart in this big company.
As I left Northline the day of my interview, I passed under a plaque above the door memorializing Howard “Hook” Atkins who started the Atkins family legacy in the power industry in 1952. It was obvious in everything I learned that day that Jamie Atkins is proud of the company and culture he has developed, as well he should be.
Northline Utilities LLC
15 School Lane
Au Sable Forks, NY 12912
(518) 647-8198
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