1.   Also today, Cinergy Corp. of Cincinnati, Ohio, an electric and gas utility, said it was in preliminary merger talks with unidentified third parties.

2.   At most a handful and perhaps only one other gas utility has previously taken the approach in the United States for all of its customers.

3.   Because the new company is grounded in the gas utility, customers can have confidence in its stability, he said.

4.   Competition for customers is increasing among local gas utilities and among marketers seeking retail customers.

5.   Critics note Gunther, Payne and Senior Vice President Clayton H. Preble all worked previously for AGL Resources or the gas utility itself.

6.   Earlier this year, RWE and Viag swapped shareholdings in electrical and gas utilities to streamline activities.

7.   Electric utilities are using more gas to generate power at the same time gas utilities are buying fuel to put in storage to meet winter demand.

8.   Gas utilities have been storing gas at record levels.

9.   Gas utilities have preferred positions on interstate pipelines.

10.   How does Rowland successfully defend the concept of enriching out-of-state owner Kraft, and stiffing the local gas utility?