MCMURRAY, Allegheny County — Pennsylvania American Water has announced it is using a $180,000 grant for an alternative energy demonstration project at Oneida Valley Water Treatment Plant in Oakland Township.

The grant, from the Pennsylvania Energy Department Authority, will help the water company buy and install a turbine generator system, which will capture the hydrokinetic energy that is created when raw water flows into the treatment plant.

The water will flow through the turbine and into the regular treatment areas.

The energy generated by the turbine will go to help run the plant by generating an average of 30 kilowatts on a continuous basis.

That electricity should offset about 6 percent of the treatment plant's annual energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 170 tons per year.

CRANBERRY TWP — MSA has completed buying General Monitors of Lake Forest, Calif., which develops fixed systems for gas and flame detection.General Monitors, a privately held company with about 225 employees, had 2009 revenues of about $80 million. It was founded in 1961 by four aerospace engineers and provided hydrogen gas monitoring safety equipment for the U.S. space program.MSA, which has facilities in Cranberry, is buying the company for $280 million. The purchase is expected to strengthen MSA's position in the global oil, gas and petrochemical markets.

CRANBERRY TWP — Joni Falascino has been appointed vice president, Major Projects Delivery for Nuclear Automation, for Westinghouse Electric.Falascino, who takes over the position Nov. 1, will focus on the global alignment of Nuclear Automation's major instrumentation and control projects delivery, ensuring that project management and processes interface appropriately between Westinghouse product lines and regions. She also will provide oversight of Nuclear Automation project controls and scheduling functions.Falascino has nearly 25 years of Westinghouse experience, and joins Nuclear Automation from her most recent position of director, Major Component Replacements and Engineering, in the Engineering Services business segment of the Nuclear Services product line.She holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master's degree in telecommunications from the University of Pittsburgh. She will be located at the company's headquarters facility in Cranberry Township.

The Tri-County Technology Consortium has canceled a recruiting event that was to be held Thursday at Domenico's in Cranberry Township.The group will hold its regular monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 2 at the Armstrong Education Trust Building, 81 Glad Drive, Kittanning.The consortium is open to technology, communications and IT professionals as a networking group. For information, go to www.tricountytechnology.org.

Best Insurance Agency of Butler has received the Allstate Foundation's Agency Hands in the Community grant award for its commitment to volunteerism.The grant program recognizes Encompass independent insurance agents for outstanding community service with a $1,000 donation to a charitable organization. Part of the Allstate group, Encompass is one of the nation's largest companies to provide protection through independent insurance agencies.To qualify for the grant, agents must show evidence of volunteer work that has had a positive impact on the community.Best's grant will go to the Victims Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe). VOICe fits with one of The Allstate Foundation's primary focus areas: economic empowerment for survivors of domestic violence.