Vectren Corp. has cleared the final regulatory hurdle andexpects to close its acquisition of The Dayton Power & LightCo. by the end of this month, adding nearly 305,000 residential,commercial, industrial and government customers to its established650,000 customer base.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approved the mergerlast week. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio already hasapproved the acquisition, and the U.S. Department of Justice alsonotified Vectren that it would not challenge the move (see Daily GPI,June 28).

Vectren offers gas and/or electricity in its service area, whichcurrently covers about two-thirds of Indiana. The merger willcombine its service with DPL’s natural gas business, which iscontiguous to Vectren’s distribution system in East CentralIndiana.

Vectren CEO Niel C. Ellerbrook said the company was “quiteanxious” to welcome its new customers and employees, and expects toclose the transaction by Oct. 31.

DPL, based in Dayton, OH, agreed to sell its retail gasdistribution business last December for $425 million in an all-cashsale (see Daily GPI, Dec. 16, 1999). Atthe time, the sale was to Indiana Energy Inc. Vectren was formed inlate March when Indiana Energy and SIGCORP Inc. merged. Vectren, a$1.9 billion holding company, already is the largest combined utilityin Indiana, composed of Southern Indiana Gas & Electric co.,Indiana Gas Co. and Vectren Energy of Ohio.

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