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Energy Transfer Equity and Southern Union File Application with Missouri Public Service Commission as Step toward Completion of Merger

Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) and Southern Union Company (NYSE:SUG) today announced they have filed a joint application with the Public Service Commission of the State of Missouri (Commission), requesting an order from the Commission authorizing SUG to take certain actions to allow ETE to acquire the equity interests of SUG, including its subsidiaries. This request pertains to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger dated July 4, 2011 by and between ETE and SUG, and upon approval from the Commission, will represent another positive step toward completion of the merger that is scheduled to close in the first quarter of 2012.

Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE:ETE) is a publicly traded partnership, which owns the general partner and 100 percent of the incentive distribution rights (IDRs) of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (ETP) and approximately 50.2 million ETP limited partner units; and owns the general partner and 100 percent of the IDRs of Regency Energy Partners LP (RGNC) and approximately 26.3 million RGNC limited partner units. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. web site at www.energytransfer.com.

Southern Union Company (NYSE:SUG), headquartered in Houston, is one of the nation’s leading diversified natural gas companies, engaged primarily in the transportation, storage, gathering, processing and distribution of natural gas. The company owns and operates one of the nation’s largest natural gas pipeline systems with more than 20,000 miles of gathering and transportation pipelines and one of North America’s largest liquefied natural gas import terminals, along with serving more than half a million natural gas end-user customers in Missouri and Massachusetts. For further information, visit www.sug.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future, including statements regarding the anticipated benefits and other aspects of the proposed transactions described above, that are forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of the management teams of ETE or SUG. Among those is the risk that conditions to closing the transactions are not met or that the anticipated benefits from the proposed transactions cannot be fully realized. An extensive list of factors that can affect future results are discussed in the reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by ETE and SUG. Neither ETE nor SUG undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events.

Additional Information

In connection with the transaction, ETE and SUG will file a joint proxy statement / prospectus and other documents with the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to carefully read the definitive joint proxy statement / prospectus when it becomes available because it will contain important information regarding ETE, SUG and the transaction.

A definitive joint proxy statement / prospectus will be sent to stockholders of SUG seeking their approval of the transaction. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement / prospectus (when available) and other documents filed by ETE and SUG with the SEC at the SEC’s web site, www.sec.gov. The definitive joint proxy statement / prospectus (when available) and such other documents relating to ETE may also be obtained free of charge by directing a request to Energy Transfer Equity, L.P., Attn: Investor Relations, 3738 Oak Lawn Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75219, or from ETE’s web site, www.energytransfer.com. The definitive joint proxy statement / prospectus (when available) and such other documents relating to SUG may also be obtained free of charge by directing a request to Southern Union Company, Attn: Investor Relations, 5444 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77056, or from SUG’s web site, www.sug.com.

ETE, SUG and their respective directors and executive officers may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information concerning the interests of the persons who may be “participants” in the solicitation will be set forth in the joint proxy statement / prospectus when it becomes available.

The information contained in this press release is available on the ETE web site at www.energytransfer.com.

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Contacts:

Energy Transfer Equity
Investors:
Energy Transfer Equity
Brent Ratliff, 214-981-0700
or
MacKenzie Partners
Dan Burch, 212-929-5748
or
Lawrence Dennedy, 212-929-5239
or
Media:
Brunswick Group
Steve Lipin, 212-333-3810
or
Mark Palmer, 214-459-8181
or
Granado Communications Group
Vicki Granado, 214-599-8785
or
Southern Union Company
Investors:
Richard N. Marshall, 713-989-2000
or
Media:
John P. Barnett, 713-989-7556

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