Organization and Nature of Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Organization and Nature of Operations [Abstract]

Organization and Nature of Operations

1.     Organization and Nature of Operations

Vectren Corporation (the Company or Vectren), an Indiana corporation, is an energy holding company headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.  The Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Vectren Utility Holdings, Inc. (Utility Holdings), serves as the intermediate holding company for three public utilities:  Indiana Gas Company, Inc. (Indiana Gas or Vectren North), Southern Indiana Gas and Electric Company (SIGECO or Vectren South), and Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio, Inc. (VEDO).  Utility Holdings also has other assets that provide information technology and other services to the three utilities.  Utility Holdings' consolidated operations are collectively referred to as the Utility Group.  Both Vectren and Utility Holdings are holding companies as defined by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Energy Act).  Vectren was incorporated under the laws of Indiana on June 10, 1999.

Indiana Gas provides energy delivery services to approximately 563,000 natural gas customers located in central and southern Indiana.  SIGECO provides energy delivery services to approximately 141,000 electric customers and approximately 110,000 gas customers located near Evansville in southwestern Indiana.  SIGECO also owns and operates electric generation assets to serve its electric customers and optimizes those assets in the wholesale power market.  Indiana Gas and SIGECO generally do business as Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana.  VEDO provides energy delivery services to over 310,000 natural gas customers located near Dayton in west central Ohio.

The Company, through Vectren Enterprises, Inc. (Enterprises), is involved in nonutility activities in four primary business areas:  Infrastructure Services, Energy Services, Coal Mining, and Energy Marketing.  Infrastructure Services provides underground construction and repair services.  Energy Services provides performance contracting and renewable energy services.  Coal Mining mines and sells coal.  Energy Marketing markets and supplies natural gas and provides energy management services.  Enterprises also has other legacy businesses that have invested in energy-related opportunities and services, real estate, and leveraged leases, among other investments.  All of the above are collectively referred to as the Nonutility Group.  Enterprises supports the Company's regulated utilities pursuant to service contracts by providing natural gas supply services, coal, and infrastructure services.