Five senior AGL Resources officers are leaving the company forearly retirement or other business interests, the company said.Leaving the company are Thomas Benson, President and COO of AtlantaGas Light; Robert Goocher, COO of AGL Resources Services; VerleneCobb, vice president corporate communications; Charlie Lail, seniorvice president operations improvement; and Marvin Wyatt Jr., vicepresident operations support. All but Benson’s position are beingeliminated as part of CEO Walter M. Higgins effort to betterposition AGL for gas deregulation in Georgia, which is scheduled totake place later this year. Higgins took over as CEO in February.AGL said an acting president of Atlanta Gas Light will be announcedwithin the next several days as will other internal reassignments.

AGL Resources blamed lower gas usage per customer in itsdistribution business for an income decline in its second quarter,which ended March 31. Consolidated net income was $45.1 million inthe second quarter, down from $49 million for the same period ayear ago. Basic earnings per share were 79 cents versus 88 centsfor the second quarter in fiscal 1997. Margins for the utility weredown $11.1 million, or 6%. However, AGL reported an increase inincome from its energy marketing joint ventures.

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