Atlanta Gas Light Services, the retail marketing subsidiary ofGeorgia LDC Atlanta Gas Light, reached a compromise with retailmarketers and state regulators last Wednesday, and agreed to changeits name to Georgia Natural Gas Services. The company will retainthe use of its flame logo, however.

“This compromise settlement will permit us to use our logo whichmakes a visual reference to our identity and helps consumersquickly recognize our company,” said Atlanta Gas Light ServicesPresident Stephen Gunther. “We believe that giving consumers moreinformation about the company from which they buy gas is ineveryone’s best interest.”

The settlement resolves a name issue lawsuit that resulted inthe Fulton County Superior Court on July 17 issuing a stay order ofa PSC decision that had denied the company the use of its name andlogo. Under the settlement, the parties found Atlanta Gas LightServices was not in violation of the Georgia Natural GasDeregulation Act. The PSC will now vacate its order and issue a newone reflecting the terms of the agreement. In other terms of thesettlement, marketers, including competing affiliates of regulatedutilities, and the PSC agreed not to oppose the certification ofSouthStar, a joint venture between Atlanta Gas Light Services,Dynegy, Inc. and Piedmont Natural Gas Company, to market gas asGeorgia Natural Gas Services.

The utility’s marketing affiliate agreed to continue to use adisclaimer to inform consumers that they will accrue no advantagewith the utility by choosing Georgia Natural Gas Services.

“This settlement assures that consumers will get accurate andmeaningful information,” said Jim Hurt, director of the Consumers’Utility Counsel Division of the Governor’s Office of ConsumerAffairs. “The CUCD had stated in a brief prior to the PSC decisionthat the Atlanta Gas Light Services name did not constitute aviolation of the deregulation act and recommended the use of such adisclaimer.” The marketing affiliate of Atlanta Gas Light has beenusing a disclaimer voluntarily for several months.

Rocco Canonica

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