National Grid PLC, the primary energy distributor for nearly every Rhode Island home, has agreed on terms with the State of New York to close on the company’s $7.3-billion takeover of KeySpan Corp. in August.

National Grid and KeySpan have reached an agreement in principle with the staff of the New York State Department of Public Service and several other parties regarding the merger.

With swift, assured movements, he shaves the top off a 35-foot power pole at the site of a planned commercial complex here and warbles, "HEADache!" as he drops the stump - a deadpan warning for helpers below to steer clear.

Bryan, 47, is one of the nation's 100,000 utility line workers, a stout breed that blends inconspicuously into the daily streetscape. Utility workers, and the infrastructure they maintain, are routinely taken for granted, but their absence will surely be noticed.