2.2.0.25falsefalse006010 - Disclosure - PROPOSED MERGER WITH AGL RESOURCEStruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $c00012http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000072020duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00u000Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170u001Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0u002Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0gas_NotesToFinancialStatementsAbstractgasfalsenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalseNotes to Financial Statements [Abstract]3false0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationDisclosureTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div><table style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" align="center" border="0"><tr style="LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5" valign="top"><td style="WIDTH: 18pt"><div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">1.</font></div></td><td><div align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">PROPOSED MERGER WITH AGL RESOURCES</font></div></td></tr></table></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">In December 2010, Nicor entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with AGL Resources, which Nicor expects will be complete in the second half of 2011.  In accordance with the Merger Agreement, each share of Nicor common stock outstanding at the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement), other than shares to be cancelled and Dissenting Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement), will be converted into the right to receive consideration consisting of (i) $21.20 in cash and (ii) 0.8382 shares of AGL Resources common stock, subject to adjustments in certain circumstances.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">Completion of the proposed merger is conditioned upon, among other things, shareholder approval by both companies and the receipt of various regulatory approvals.  AGL Resources filed a registration statement with the SEC to register the AGL Resources common stock to be issued in the merger, and the SEC permitted that registration to become effective on April 29, 2011.  AGL Resources and Nicor also filed their pre-merger notifications under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and were granted early termination of the waiting period on April 18, 2011.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">In January 2011, Nicor, Nicor Gas and AGL Resources filed a joint application with the ICC for approval of the proposed merger.  The approval by the ICC is a condition to completion of the merger.  The application did not request a rate increase and included a commitment to maintain the number of full-time equivalent employees involved in the operation of Nicor Gas at a level comparable to current staffing for a period of three years following merger completion.  On April 28, 2011, the Staff of the ICC and several intervenors who are participating in the proceeding submitted initial testimony, which is available on the ICC’s website, recommending that the ICC deny the joint application or that it impose various requirements on the joint applicants as conditions of approval.  Rebuttal testimony from the joint applicants will be submitted to the ICC in late May.  The ICC has eleven months to act upon the application.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The merger may also be subject to review by the governmental authorities of various other federal, state or local jurisdictions under the antitrust and utility regulation or other applicable laws of those jurisdictions.  For example, AGL Resources provided a voluntary notice of the merger to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (“NJBPU”), which included a description of the transaction, described the benefits of the transaction and explained why AGL Resources does not believe that the approval of the NJBPU is required to complete the merger.  AGL Resources provided a similar notice to the Maryland Public Service Commission.  It is possible that one or more state commissions will open proceedings to determine whether they have jurisdiction over the merger.  In the event that any reviewing authorities are determined to have jurisdiction over the merger transaction, there can be no assurance that the reviewing authorities will permit the applicable statutory waiting periods to expire or that the reviewing authorities will terminate the applicable statutory waiting periods at all, or otherwise approve the merger without restrictions or conditions (which are difficult to predict or quantify) that would have a material adverse effect on the combined company if the merger were completed.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights for both Nicor and AGL Resources, and further provides for the payment of fees and expenses upon termination under specified circumstances.  For additional information relating to the proposed merger, please see the joint proxy statement / prospectus contained in the registration statement on Form S-4 that was filed with the SEC by AGL Resources on April 29, 2011.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">For the quarter ended March 31, 2011, the company has incurred and expensed approximately $1.5 million of merger transaction costs.  This amount does not include the cost of company personnel </font><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">participating in efforts to develop integration plans for the combined entity.  No other adjustments have been made to the financial statements as a result of the proposed merger.</font></div><div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5"><br /></div>1.PROPOSED MERGER WITH AGL RESOURCESIn December 2010, Nicor entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with AGLfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringDescription of a business combination (or series of individually immaterial business combinations) completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire disclosure (including data and tables) regarding business combinations, including leverage buyout transactions (as applicable).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141 -Paragraph 51, 52 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 88-16 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph 67-73 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 141R -Paragraph F4 -Subparagraph e -Appendix F falsefalsePROPOSED MERGER WITH AGL RESOURCES12PROPOSED MERGER WITH AGL RESOURCESUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue