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Updated:
Originally Published:
By the start of the 1980s, Beta Engineering was done moonlighting.
For nearly a decade, Beta had survived on after-hours effort and borrowed resources. But as the power industry shifted and client needs evolved, Beta stepped forward—with its first real team, its first real backlog, and its first true opportunity to prove what kind of company it was going to be.
That first project? Dolet Hills.
The Dolet Hills Power Station was a lignite-fired generating plant in northwest Louisiana—a major investment by the Louisiana electric utility Cleco and a turning point for Beta. According to Cleco’s own 90th anniversary history book, it was a project born from crisis: the 1970s energy shocks had sent fuel prices soaring, and utilities like Cleco were racing to reduce their dependence on natural gas. Dolet Hills was part of that pivot. It was also Beta’s first full-scale substation job.
Beta supported the project in the field, gaining hands-on experience with Cleco’s standards and expectations. It was a major test—one that called for long hours, practical problem-solving, and full ownership. Dolet Hills wasn’t just another support role. It was Beta’s first chance to fully deliver on its promise as a utility EPC partner.
The project officially entered commercial operation in 1986, but Beta’s path to that milestone started with a smaller, less certain moment—one bid, taken on as practice, that changed everything.
That early vote of confidence from Cleco helped kickstart Beta’s trajectory—something Kenny Robison, now CEO and an owner of Crest Industries, still points to as foundational to the company’s legacy.
The early 1980s were still gritty. Beta didn’t have much infrastructure or overhead, but the company was gaining traction. Project Manager Steve Besson recalls drawing up proposals and estimating projects at night, then driving to the construction site in the morning.
“There wasn’t a lot of structure,” Steve said, “but there was commitment. If something needed doing, you didn’t ask who owned it. You just did it.”
As Cleco’s power needs grew, so did Beta. The company started taking on more projects, hiring its own employees, and separating itself from DIS-TRAN and Mid-State Electric, Crest's other companies serving the electric power industry. Still, the line between “Beta” and the rest of the Crest family remained blurry. Tools, trucks, and talent were often shared—but the sense of identity was starting to harden.
By the mid-1980s, Beta had become a name people in the industry recognized. Not flashy. Not loud. But known for being dependable.
Beta didn’t start with a strategic plan. It started with people who knew how to get things done—and who didn’t back away from tough problems. That mindset solidified in the 1980s. Even when projects were small and margins tight, expectations were high.
One of those early projects was the 69kV wood pole transmission line for Cleco’s Dolet Hills Power Station. Kenny Robison was still in college when his dad, Tucker Robison, the founder of Crest Industries and Beta, asked him to help with the first takeoff. At the time, they planned to bid the job just for practice. But they got it.
That was Beta’s way from the beginning: step up, figure it out, and deliver.
“You didn’t wait to be told what to do,” Kenny said. “You just took responsibility. That was the culture.”
That sense of pride—of owning the outcome—drove everything.
It also shaped the way Beta built relationships. Clients weren’t just customers. They were partners. And projects weren’t just deliverables. They were opportunities to earn trust.
While Cleco was navigating a turbulent utility landscape—marked by rising fuel costs, changing regulations, and major capital projects like Dolet Hills—Beta was quietly building its reputation. Not with bold marketing. Not with awards or headlines. Just with follow-through.
There was no guaranteed pipeline. Each project still felt like a one-shot chance to show what the team could do. The stakes were high because every drawing, every site walk, and every decision had to speak for itself. There was no room for shortcuts—only the work, and how well it held up.
And slowly, that work started to speak louder. Word got around. Beta was a small name, but one people started to associate with grit, ownership, and getting it done.
By the end of the decade, Beta was no longer just an idea or a side project. It was a company—still lean, still hungry, but proving it belonged.
Beta was founded in 1975 as part of the Crest Industries family of companies, and that first project with Cleco didn’t just shape Beta—it helped fuel Crest’s early growth.
Nearly 40 years later, the partnership continues. In 2025,Crest awarded the We Win Together Award to Cleco, honoring their decades-long commitment to collaboration, community impact, and shared success across central Louisiana.
Read more about Cleco’s recognition and community leadership
The Dolet Hills Power Station, once a steady source of lignite-fired energy in DeSoto Parish, officially shut down in 2021—nearly five years ahead of its original retirement schedule. Today, the site is being repurposed for something completely different: a 240-megawatt solar farm. Cleco and renewable energy firm DESRI are partnering to transform the area into a utility-scale solar project capable of powering 45,000 homes.
It’s a full-circle energy story—from fossil fuels to renewables—all on the same grid infrastructure.
Updated:
June 30, 2025
Updated:
Originally Published:
By the start of the 1980s, Beta Engineering was done moonlighting.
For nearly a decade, Beta had survived on after-hours effort and borrowed resources. But as the power industry shifted and client needs evolved, Beta stepped forward—with its first real team, its first real backlog, and its first true opportunity to prove what kind of company it was going to be.
That first project? Dolet Hills.
The Dolet Hills Power Station was a lignite-fired generating plant in northwest Louisiana—a major investment by the Louisiana electric utility Cleco and a turning point for Beta. According to Cleco’s own 90th anniversary history book, it was a project born from crisis: the 1970s energy shocks had sent fuel prices soaring, and utilities like Cleco were racing to reduce their dependence on natural gas. Dolet Hills was part of that pivot. It was also Beta’s first full-scale substation job.
Beta supported the project in the field, gaining hands-on experience with Cleco’s standards and expectations. It was a major test—one that called for long hours, practical problem-solving, and full ownership. Dolet Hills wasn’t just another support role. It was Beta’s first chance to fully deliver on its promise as a utility EPC partner.
The project officially entered commercial operation in 1986, but Beta’s path to that milestone started with a smaller, less certain moment—one bid, taken on as practice, that changed everything.
That early vote of confidence from Cleco helped kickstart Beta’s trajectory—something Kenny Robison, now CEO and an owner of Crest Industries, still points to as foundational to the company’s legacy.
The early 1980s were still gritty. Beta didn’t have much infrastructure or overhead, but the company was gaining traction. Project Manager Steve Besson recalls drawing up proposals and estimating projects at night, then driving to the construction site in the morning.
“There wasn’t a lot of structure,” Steve said, “but there was commitment. If something needed doing, you didn’t ask who owned it. You just did it.”
As Cleco’s power needs grew, so did Beta. The company started taking on more projects, hiring its own employees, and separating itself from DIS-TRAN and Mid-State Electric, Crest's other companies serving the electric power industry. Still, the line between “Beta” and the rest of the Crest family remained blurry. Tools, trucks, and talent were often shared—but the sense of identity was starting to harden.
By the mid-1980s, Beta had become a name people in the industry recognized. Not flashy. Not loud. But known for being dependable.
Beta didn’t start with a strategic plan. It started with people who knew how to get things done—and who didn’t back away from tough problems. That mindset solidified in the 1980s. Even when projects were small and margins tight, expectations were high.
One of those early projects was the 69kV wood pole transmission line for Cleco’s Dolet Hills Power Station. Kenny Robison was still in college when his dad, Tucker Robison, the founder of Crest Industries and Beta, asked him to help with the first takeoff. At the time, they planned to bid the job just for practice. But they got it.
That was Beta’s way from the beginning: step up, figure it out, and deliver.
“You didn’t wait to be told what to do,” Kenny said. “You just took responsibility. That was the culture.”
That sense of pride—of owning the outcome—drove everything.
It also shaped the way Beta built relationships. Clients weren’t just customers. They were partners. And projects weren’t just deliverables. They were opportunities to earn trust.
While Cleco was navigating a turbulent utility landscape—marked by rising fuel costs, changing regulations, and major capital projects like Dolet Hills—Beta was quietly building its reputation. Not with bold marketing. Not with awards or headlines. Just with follow-through.
There was no guaranteed pipeline. Each project still felt like a one-shot chance to show what the team could do. The stakes were high because every drawing, every site walk, and every decision had to speak for itself. There was no room for shortcuts—only the work, and how well it held up.
And slowly, that work started to speak louder. Word got around. Beta was a small name, but one people started to associate with grit, ownership, and getting it done.
By the end of the decade, Beta was no longer just an idea or a side project. It was a company—still lean, still hungry, but proving it belonged.
Beta was founded in 1975 as part of the Crest Industries family of companies, and that first project with Cleco didn’t just shape Beta—it helped fuel Crest’s early growth.
Nearly 40 years later, the partnership continues. In 2025,Crest awarded the We Win Together Award to Cleco, honoring their decades-long commitment to collaboration, community impact, and shared success across central Louisiana.
Read more about Cleco’s recognition and community leadership
The Dolet Hills Power Station, once a steady source of lignite-fired energy in DeSoto Parish, officially shut down in 2021—nearly five years ahead of its original retirement schedule. Today, the site is being repurposed for something completely different: a 240-megawatt solar farm. Cleco and renewable energy firm DESRI are partnering to transform the area into a utility-scale solar project capable of powering 45,000 homes.
It’s a full-circle energy story—from fossil fuels to renewables—all on the same grid infrastructure.
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