Stock Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Table Text Block

Disclosure Of Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award [Table]

We currently sponsor the following stock-based and other incentive compensation plans and agreements:

	Shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options, warrants & rights (1)	Shares available for future issuance	Details
Omnibus Performance Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (2)	866,249	4,787,707	Shares available for future issuance may be issued in the form of grants of incentive and nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights (SARs), shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units and performance cash awards to key employees.
Long-Term Incentive Plan (1999)	1,362,032	0	Plan previously provided for grants of incentive and nonqualified stock options, shares of restricted stock and performance units to key employees. No further grants will be made except for reload options that may be granted under the plan's outstanding options..
Officer Incentive Plan	5,000	0	Plan previously provided for grants of nonqualified stock options and shares of restricted stock to new-hire officers. No future grants will be made under this plan.
2006 Non-Employee Directors Equity Compensation Plan	not applicable	119,954	Grants of stock to non-employee directors in connection with non-employee director compensation (for annual retainer, chair retainer and for initial election or appointment).
1996 Non-Employee Directors Equity Compensation Plan	7,173	0	Plan previously provided for grants of nonqualified stock options and stock to non-employee directors in connection with non-employee director compensation (for annual retainer and for initial election or appointment). The plan was amended in 2002 to eliminate the granting of stock options. No future grants will be made under this plan.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	not applicable	332,205	Nonqualified, broad-based employee stock purchase plan for eligible employees.

(1)As of December 31, 2011.

(2)Includes 1,664,133 shares, previously available under the Nicor Inc. 2006 Long term incentive plan, as amended, that were assumed and now available under the Omnibus Performance Plan, pursuant to NYSE rules.

Schedule Of Compensation Cost For Share Based Payment Arrangements Allocation Of Share Based Compensation Costs By Plan [Table]

The following table provides additional information on compensation costs and income tax benefits and excess tax benefits related to our cash and stock-based compensation awards.

In millions	2011	2010	2009
Compensation costs (1)	$14	$11	$11
Income tax benefits (1)	1	2	2
Excess tax benefits (2)	1	2	2

(1)Recorded in our Consolidated Statements of Income.

(2)Recorded in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options, Vested And Expected To Vest, Outstanding And Exercisable [Table]

These awards have a performance measure that is related to annual growth in basic earnings per common share attributable to AGL Resources Inc. common shareholders and the average dividend yield. Accruals in connection with these grants are as follows:

In millions	Measurement period end date	Accrued at Dec. 31, 2011	Maximum aggregate payout
Year of grant
2009 (1)	Dec. 31, 2011	$1	$4

(1)Adjusted to reflect the effect of economic value created during the performance measurement period by our wholesale services segment.

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Stock Options Activity [Table]

The following tables summarize activity related to stock options for key employees and non-employee directors.

Stock Options
	Number of options	Weighted average exercise price	Weighted average remaining life (in years)	Aggregate intrinsic value (in millions)
Outstanding – December 31, 2008	2,475,989	$34.52
Granted	250,440	31.09
Exercised	(119,126)	27.20
Forfeited (1)	(55,735)	36.50
Outstanding – December 31, 2009	2,551,568	$34.48
Granted	0	0
Exercised	(296,008)	31.33
Forfeited (1)	(26,448)	37.85
Outstanding – December 31, 2010	2,229,112	$34.85	5.2
Granted	1,685	42.19	1.6
Exercised	(383,646)	31.11	3.0
Forfeited (1)	(23,997)	37.70	5.4
Outstanding – December 31, 2011	1,823,154	$35.61	4.6	$12
Exercisable – December 31, 2011	1,747,656	$35.81	4.5	$11
Exercisable – December 31, 2010	1,799,334	$34.92	4.9	$4
Exercisable – December 31, 2009	1,767,248	$33.94	5.3	$6

Unvested Stock Options
	Number of unvested options	Weighted average exercise price	Weighted average remaining vesting period(in years)	Weighted average fair value
Outstanding – December 31, 2010	429,778	$34.58	0.5	$3.11
Granted	1,685	42.19	0.0	3.00
Forfeited	(3,190)	31.09	0.6	1.24
Vested	(352,775)	35.40	0.0	$3.51
Outstanding – December 31, 2011	75,498	$31.09	0.1	$1.24

Schedule Of Share Based Payment Award Stock Options Valuation Assumptions [Table]

The following table shows the ranges for per share value and information about the underlying assumptions used in developing the grant date value for each of the grants made during 2011 and 2009. There were no options granted in 2010.

	2011	2009
Expected life (years)	7	7
United States Constant Maturity Treasury Rate used for risk-free interest rate %	2.51%	2.30%
Weighted average expected volatility %	14.81%	12.9%
Weighted average dividend yield %	4.3%	5.5%
Fair value of options granted - per share	$3.00	$1.24

Schedule Of Nonvested Performance Based Units Activity [Table]

A performance share unit award represents the opportunity to receive cash and shares subject to the achievement of certain pre-established performance criteria. In 2011 we granted performance share unit awards to a select group of officers. These awards have a performance measure that relates to the company's relative total shareholder return relative to a group of peer companies. Accruals in connection with these grants are as follows:

In millions	Measurement period end date	Accrued at Dec. 31, 2011	Maximum aggregate payout
Granted in 2010	Dec. 31, 2012	$4	$12
Granted in 2011	Dec. 31, 2013	$2	$13

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans By Exercise Price Range [Table]

Information about outstanding and exercisable options as of December 31, 2011, is as follows.

	Options outstanding			Options Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices	Number of options	Weighted average remaining contractual life (in years)	Weighted average exercise price	Number of options	Weighted average exercise price
$17.55 to $21.92	6,410	0.1	$21.28	6,410	$21.28
$21.93 to $26.30	10,763	1.0	23.82	10,763	23.82
$26.31 to $30.69	84,375	1.6	26.93	84,375	26.93
$30.70 to $35.08	443,664	5.0	32.23	368,166	32.46
$35.09 to $39.46	1,234,766	4.7	37.41	1,234,766	37.41
$39.47 to $43.85	43,176	5.0	41.09	43,176	41.09
Outstanding - Dec. 31, 2011	1,823,154	4.6	$35.61	1,747,656	$35.81

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Nonemployee Director Stock Award Plan Activity [Table]

The following table summarizes activity during 2011, related to stock awards for our non-employee directors.

	Shares of restricted stock	Weighted average fair value
Issued	20,858	$40.62
Forfeited	0	0
Vested	20,858	$40.62
Outstanding	0	0

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Restricted Stock Units Award Activity [Table]

The following table summarizes the restricted stock awards activity for our employees during the last three years.

	Shares of restricted stock	Weighted average remaining vesting period (in years)	Weighted average fair value
Outstanding – December 31, 2009 (1)	341,245		$33.93
Issued	205,030		36.34
Forfeited	(16,153)		34.13
Vested	(129,222)		35.19
Outstanding – December 31, 2010 (1)	400,900	2.4	$30.80
Issued	311,600	3.0	39.48
Forfeited	(25,784)	1.8	36.22
Vested	(209,362)	0	34.68
Outstanding – December 31, 2011 (1) (2)	477,354	2.6	$34.40

(1)Subject to restriction.

(2)Includes 82,222 restricted shares with nonforfeitable dividend rights.

Schedule Of Share Based Compensation Employee Stock Purchase Plan Activity [Table]

Under the ESPP, employees may purchase shares of our common stock in quarterly intervals at 85% of fair market value, we record an expense for the 15% purchase price discount. Employee ESPP contributions may not exceed $25,000 per employee during any calendar year.

	2011	2010	2009
Shares purchased on the open market	65,843	60,017	63,847
Average per-share purchase price	$40.55	$37.07	$31.45
Purchase price discount	$401,346	$333,639	$298,968