Southern Co., AGL Resources file merger request with Virginia officials

Southern Co. and AGL Resources announced on Monday that they have submitted a joint filing, which requests regulatory approval for their proposed merger, to the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Should the merger be approved and move forward, both companies anticipate that they will have the second largest client base among electric utility companies, with approximately nine million customers between them. Their combined generation capacity is expected to be approximately 46,000 megawatts of electricity. According to the announcement, the combined companies will operate approximately 200,000 miles of electrical transmission and distribution lines.

AGL Resources is the parent company to Virginia Natural Gas and serves approximately 287,000 natural gas distribution customers in Virginia Beach.

If the merger is approved by the corporation commission, both companies expect the transaction to be completed within the second half of 2016.

Southern Co. and its associated companies serve approximately 4.5 million customers in the southeastern region of the U.S. and feature electricity generation through nuclear facilities, renewable energy production, coal and natural gas facilities.

AGL Resources specializes in the distribution of natural gas, retail operations and wholesale services. The company and its subsidiaries serve approximately 4.5 million utility customers in seven states through its regulated distribution services.