Six marketers have succeeded in obtaining most of the Georgiagas market share, with Scana and Georgia Natural Gas Services(GNGS), the Atlanta Gas Light affiliate, emerging as definitivewinners, according to a study performed by Xenergy, the New YorkState Electric &amp Gas affiliate.

Market share is becoming increasingly important, the studyindicated, because the amendment passed by Georgia’s legislatureearlier this month which requires all customers to be switched byOct. 1, could be signed by Gov. Roy Barnes by the end of the month.Georgia Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker said the commissionis trying to get Barnes to sign it as soon as possible. “Thegovernor has said April 5, 12 and 16 are days blocked off forsigning things. Hopefully, the amendment will fit into one of thosedays.”

Once the bill is signed, all customers still receiving gas fromAGL will have 100 days to switch before they are assigned to amarketer based on market share. William Huss, a Xenergy vicepresident, thinks the 100-day period will begin in early May.

“What some marketers have called the ‘Hundred Day War’ willbegin on May 1,” Huss said. ” Any remaining customers who haven’tsigned up by Aug. 11 will be automatically assigned natural gassuppliers – and the process will be based upon market share. Atstake is the entire customer base of Georgia’s primary natural gasutility, AGL.”

Approximately 500,000 customers have switched suppliers. At themoment, Scana is in the lead with 240,000 customers signed. Themarketer’s offer of $50 off the first gas bill has been successful,said Roger Schrum, a Scana spokesman, but will be halted in April.”We’ll announce a new offer then,” Schrum said, but could notelaborate.

Besides Scana, GNGS has had the most success in the market.”Scana and ourselves are the two largest players in the state,”said Clif Payne, a GNGS vice president. “We are working hard andsucceeding at closing the gap between us and Scana.” Payne wouldnot, however, release how many customers GNGS has signed. He onlysaid “We have the lion’s share of the market.”

The study also names Peachtree Natural Gas, Shell EnergyServices, Columbia Energy Services, and United Gas Management ofGeorgia as suppliers that ended up with large market shares.

John Norris

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