Atlanta Gas Light

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC), commonly known as Atlanta Gas Light, is the largest natural gas wholesaler in the Southeast U.S., and is the AGL in AGL Resources. It was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Atlanta, as is AGL Resources. It provides distribution to more than 1.6 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in 243 communities throughout the state of Georgia.

Although there was no public push to do so, the natural gas market in Georgia was deregulated by law in 1997, so customers can no longer deal directly with AGL and instead have to go through marketers. The nearly 20 different marketers selling the same natural gas handle sales to residential and commercial customers, execute billing, and oversee related customer service needs. AGL still handles all gas leaks and other emergency and safety-related issues, as well as the monthly reading of all gas meters, and turning service on and off to customers. Georgia prohibits service from being turned off for non-payment if temperatures are forecast to be below freezing in the following three days.

In late September 2007, the Georgia Public Service Commission voted to allow AGL to construct a pipeline from the shipping terminal at Elba Island to connect with other pipelines across the state, via a pipeline that already runs across the mid-state. This will allow liquid natural gas to be pumped into the system, providing a backup source in case hurricanes or other problems interrupt service from Louisiana.

[edit] Georgia Natural Gas

Since the deregulation, AGL operates its own marketing subsidiary, Georgia Natural Gas. It was originally Atlanta Gas Light Services (AGLS), however the PSC prohibited the use of such a similar name in July 1998, because of the potential for unfair competition.