Formation of UtiliPRO Joint Venture Announced to Provide Home Warranty Services
02 Février 2010 - 4:47PM
PR Newswire (US)
UtiliPRO partners include AGL Resources, DTE Energy, TECO Energy
ATLANTA, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AGL Resources (NYSE:AGL),
Detroit-based DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) and Tampa-based TECO Energy,
Inc. (NYSE: TE) have launched a joint venture to provide home
warranty products and services under the brand name "UtiliPRO."
UtiliPRO initially is offering a home warranty appliance repair
program that will cover both natural gas and electric appliances.
The program is being launched in Georgia before spreading into
Florida and other parts of AGL Resources' service territory, which
includes parts of Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey.
"Given current economic conditions, this is an ideal time to launch
this new business," said John W. Somerhalder II, chairman,
president and CEO of AGL Resources. "UtiliPRO will help people
manage unplanned and expensive repairs of their most important
appliances." UtiliPRO, which was established in late 2009, is based
in Atlanta and headed by President and CEO Kevin McCrackin.
McCrackin most recently served as director of Business Development
at DTE Energy, where he headed the utility's successful home
warranty program." "Kevin brings more than 25 years of energy
business experience to this position, the majority of which
centered on emerging growth opportunities - businesses like
UtiliPRO," said Jerry Norcia, president and COO of Michigan
Consolidated Gas Company, a subsidiary of DTE Energy. McCrackin
said the backing and experience of three well-regarded utilities -
AGL Resources, DTE Energy and TECO Energy - with a desire to
provide valued products and services during these challenging times
will differentiate UtiliPRO from traditional home warranty
providers. "UtiliPRO combines the utility business appreciation for
effective, efficient processes that deliver consistent, quality
service with in-the-home, beyond-the-meter products and services
that extend the public trust of their utility into a more direct
customer relationship," McCrackin said. More information about
UtiliPRO's home warranty products and services is available at
http://www.utilipro.com/ or by calling 1-866-300-5574. About AGL
Resources AGL Resources (NYSE:AGL), an Atlanta-based energy
services company, serves approximately 2.3 million customers in six
states. The company also owns Houston-based Sequent Energy
Management, an asset manager serving natural gas wholesale
customers throughout North America. As an 85-percent owner in the
SouthStar partnership, AGL Resources markets natural gas to
consumers in Georgia under the Georgia Natural Gas brand. The
company also owns and operates Jefferson Island Storage & Hub,
a high-deliverability natural gas storage facility near the Henry
Hub in Louisiana. For more information, visit
http://www.aglresources.com/. About DTE Energy DTE Energy
(NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved
in the development and management of energy-related businesses and
services nationwide. Its operating units include Detroit Edison, an
electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern
Michigan, MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million
customers in Michigan and other non-utility, energy businesses
focused on gas pipelines and storage, coal transportation,
unconventional gas production, and power and industrial projects.
Information about DTE Energy is available at
http://www.dteenergy.com/. About TECO Energy, Inc. TECO Energy,
Inc. (NYSE:TE) is an energy-related holding company. Its principal
subsidiary, Tampa Electric Company, is a regulated utility in
Florida with both electric and gas divisions (Tampa Electric and
Peoples Gas System). Other subsidiaries include TECO Coal, which
owns and operates coal production facilities in Kentucky and
Virginia, and TECO Guatemala, which is engaged in electric power
generation and distribution and energy-related businesses in
Guatemala. For more information about TECO Energy, visit
http://www.tecoenergy.com/. DATASOURCE: AGL Resources CONTACT: Alan
Chapple of AGL Resources, 24-Hour Media Line: +1-866-757-6646,
Office: +1-404-584-4095, Cell: +1-404-783-3011, Web Site:
http://www.aglresources.com/
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