Nicor Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in natural gas distribution business in the United States. Nicor Inc. distributes natural gas to approximately 2.2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers in northern Illinois. It also provides natural gas storage and transmission-related services to marketers and other gas distribution companies. The company’s gas distribution, transmission, and storage network includes approximately 34,000 miles of steel, plastic, and cast iron main; approximately 2.0 million steel, plastic/aluminum composite, plastic, and copper services connecting the mains to customers’ premises; and 8 underground storage fields. In addition, Nicor offers shipping services, including the transportation of containerized freight between Florida, the eastern coast of Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean region. It transports building materials, and food and other necessities for developers, manufacturers, and residents in the Caribbean and the Bahamas; tourist-related shipments intended for use in hotels and resorts, and on cruise ships; and interisland shipments and northbound shipments of apparel and agricultural products, as well as provides inland transportation and cargo insurance services. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated a fleet of 11 owned vessels and 4 chartered vessels with a container capacity totaling approximately 5,270 Twenty-foot equivalent units. Further, it owns and/or leases containers, container-handling equipment, chassis, and other equipment. Additionally, Nicor involves in the marketing of energy-related products and services, including warranty and maintenance contracts, as well as repair and installation services of heating, air conditioning and indoor air-quality equipment, and customer move connection services for other utilities; and wholesale marketing of natural gas supply services. Nicor Inc. was founded in 1953 and is based in Naperville, Illinois.

When the Blue Moon of Kentucky is not enough to light the way, East Kentucky Power Cooperative is there to help. The company generates and transmits electricity to 16 local distribution cooperatives, which in turn provide electricity to 519,000 customers in 87 counties in eastern Kentucky. East Kentucky Power operates more than 2,900 miles of transmission lines, and generates most of its electricity from primarily fossil-fueled power plants with more than 2,500 MW of capacity. The company also operates landfill-gas generation facilities and purchases hydroelectric power from the Southeastern Power Administration.

Volunteer Energy Cooperative is voluntarily cooperating with its members to serve their energy needs. The distribution utility serves more than 108,000 customers (who also own the cooperative) in 17 central and eastern Tennessee counties. It operates more than 8,400 miles of power lines. Volunteer Energy purchases its power supply from the Tennessee Valley Authority. The company also sells propane and provides telecommunications (Internet access and long-distance phone) services. In addition, Volunteer Energy offers its customer surge protection and security equipment.

Bangor Hydro-Electric (BHE) has dropped its hydro, but the company still has plenty of electricity. As part of the restructuring of the electric utility industry in the state of Maine, BHE has shed its generating facilities, including its hydroelectric projects, to focus on distribution and transmission. The regulated utility serves 117,000 customers in six counties in southeastern Maine. The company is also a member of the New England Power Pool. Bangor Hydro-Electric is a subsidiary of Canada's Emera, the parent company of electric utility Nova Scotia Power.

Kansas Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (KEPCo), headquartered at Topeka, Kansas, was incorporated in 1975 as a not-for-profit generation and transmission (G & T) cooperative. It is KEPCo's responsibility to procure an adequate and reliable power supply for its 19 distribution rural electric cooperative Members at a reasonable cost. Through their combined resources, KEPCo Members support a wide range of other services such as rural economic development, marketing and diversification opportunities, power requirement and engineering studies, and rate design, among others.KEPCo is governed by a Board of Trustees representing each of its 19 Members which collectively serve more than 110,000 electric meters in the eastern two-thirds of rural Kansas (see map). The KEPCo Board of Trustees meets regularly to establish policies and act on issues that often include recommendations from working committees of the Board and KEPCo staff.

Phoenix Natural Gas is the largest gas distribution business in Northern Ireland, being the owner and operator of the licence for the distribution network in the Greater Belfast Area and Larne. The distribution business is responsible for the development of the pipeline network and also for providing a 24/7 operational and transportation service platform to gas suppliers under the rules of the company's network code.The Phoenix network currently extends to 2,940 kilometres of intermediate, medium and low pressure mains, which distribute natural gas throughout the licence area, representing around 50% of the population of Northern Ireland. Phoenix Natural Gas manages the development of the both the physical network and market in Greater Belfast; already some 123,000 customers have been connected to natural gas in the 12 years it has been available to them. The business is regulated under licence by the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR).

Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative keeps the power flowing to the residences and businesses of more than 200,360 member-owners in five counties along the central Florida Gulf Coast. The power distribution utility, which was originally set up in 1941, receives wholesale generation and transmission services from the Seminole Electric Cooperative. Withlacoochee River Electric, a non-profit organization, returns any funds remaining at the end of each year to its membership. The cooperative has returned more than $190 million to its member-owners.

Cleco Corp. is an energy services company based in central Louisiana. We have been in business since 1934, and throughout our years of service, we have perfected the basics of a successful electric utility business: reasonable rates, reliable service and customer focus.Our two primary businesses are Cleco Power LLC, a regulated electric utility business serving approximately 277,000 customers in Louisiana, and Cleco Midstream Resources LLC, a wholesale energy business.Today, Cleco Power operates four power plants with 3,803 megawatts of *nameplate generating capacity and owns 2,532 megawatts of this capacity.Through Cleco Midstream Resources, our wholesale energy business, we operate one wholesale power plant with 775 megawatts of nameplate generating capacity.We use a mixture of western coal, petroleum coke (petcoke), lignite, oil, and natural gas to serve our customers. This diverse fuel mix helps Cleco deliver reliable, low-cost power to its customers. We also have access to purchased power when it's needed and when it's more cost-effective than our generation.

Organic Resource Management (formerly National Challenge Systems) has an organic approach to the disposal of waste material across Canada. Providing non-hazardous and organic waste disposal services, Organic Resource Management's services include cleaning catch basins, drains, grease-traps, and sewers; food-waste recycling; and raw material and product destruction. Organic Resource Management serves more than 8,000 commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential customers in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. In 2008 it sold the non-core assets of non-hazardous liquid waste subsidiary A&A Anderson Tank Services to McRae's Environmental Services.

Fortis wields power. The group has holdings in 10 companies, primarily regulated electricity and gas distributors, serving about 2 million customers. Its Terasen unit is the major natural gas distribution utility in British Columbia and serves approximately 940,000 customers. Newfoundland Power utility distributes electricity to 240,000 people, while Maritime Electric serves customers on Prince Edward Island. FortisOntario serves parts of Ontario, and FortisAlberta distributes electricity to 480,000 customers in Alberta. FortisBC generates, transmits, and distributes electricity in southern British Columbia. Fortis Generation operates hydroelectric plants, and Fortis Properties runs hotels in Canada.

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