Dominion Energy, which supplies natural gas to roughly 90% of Utah, has a new name and a new owner.
Enbridge Gas, based in Canada, finalized its purchase of Dominion’s Utah natural gas utility and gas supply company on Saturday. The new ownership includes a new name — Dominion will now do business as Enbridge Gas — but executives say it’s one of the only changes customers will notice.
“I want to assure customers that we share a commitment to the safe delivery of reliable, affordable natural gas to residents and businesses, keeping homes warm and businesses operating competitively,” Michele Harradence, Enbridge’s executive vice president, said in a letter posted online. “While the name has changed, Enbridge Gas Utah, Enbridge Gas Wyoming and Enbridge Gas Idaho will continue to offer you the same safe, reliable service you have come to expect.”
Enbridge said rates customers pay for gas and service will not change. The company said customer service contact information and service contracts also will stay as they are.
What will change, according to the announcement, is the company’s name and logo. Enbridge Gas’ name and logo will replace Dominion Energy’s on all branded materials by 2025.
Customers will also, at some point, need to start making checks out to Enbridge Gas instead of Dominion Energy, and customers who pay bills directly through their bank will eventually need to change the payee details. But none of those changes need to happen yet, according to Dominion’s website. Dominion/Enbridge will notify customers ahead of time.
Dominion’s natural gas branch, Questar Gas Company, supplies roughly 1.2 million homes and businesses across Utah, Wyoming and Idaho, according to its website.
Enbridge bought both Questar Gas and Wexpro Company, which supplies natural gas directly to Questar, for $4.3 billion. Enbridge acquired Dominion’s Utah cash assets — roughly $3 billion — as well as its $1.3 billion in debt.
Saturday’s sale was a piece in a larger, $14 billion grab. Enbridge bought Dominion’s Ohio natural gas utility in March for $6.6 billion, and plans to close on its North Carolina utility later this year. The sales will make Enbridge the largest gas utility platform in North America, according to an investor presentation, serving roughly 7 million people.
“We are excited to welcome another strong gas utility to Enbridge,” Harradance said in a news release Monday. “We welcome Questar Gas and Wexpro employees into the Enbridge family of companies and look forward to building long-term productive relationships with all of their stakeholders in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.”
In 2017, Dominion supplanted Questar Gas as the familiar name for Utah natural gas customers.
Shannon Sollitt is a Report for America corps member covering business accountability and sustainability for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.
