Morgantown, WV, Dec. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hope Gas (Hope) today announced that it closed the acquisition of Southern Public Service Company (Southern Public). The acquisition of Southern Public adds approximately 6400 new customers across six counties. This is Hope’s third acquisition of 2023. The company previously acquired approximately 900 miles of pipelines from Equitrans and Peoples Gas WV which included approximately 400 miles of pipelines.
“Hope Gas continues to grow and provide service to more West Virginian families and businesses,” said Morgan O’Brien, CEO of Hope Gas. “Our investors at Ullico have committed over a billion dollars in investment in West Virginia in just about a year’s time. I welcome our new customers and employees to Hope Gas. We are committed to providing you with operational excellence and the highest level of customer service through all 37 West Virginia counties that we now serve.”
In June 2023, Hope unveiled its new headquarters office in Morgantown, West Virginia. “Over the last year, Hope Gas has been dedicated to helping create family sustaining jobs throughout the Mountain State,” continued O’Brien. “As the only utility company with its corporate headquarters in West Virginia, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing safe and reliable service to all our customers. And, in January 2024, we will be opening our Customer Contact Center in Morgantown. Soon, all Hope Gas customer service and billing inquiries will be handled right here in West Virginia. Our customer service representative positions are new jobs for the state. This dedicated team is already in place and going through extensive training to best serve our customers starting in January.”
Southern Public customers will be served by the new Hope Gas Customer Contact Center starting in late 2024. Hope Gas and Southern Public are working together for a seamless transition for customers. It is important to note, Southern Public customers should continue to contact Southern Public to report any gas emergencies until the transition is complete. The contact numbers for Southern Public are:
• Logan – 304-752-2752
• Madison – 304-369-1140
• Man – 304-583-9871
• Mason – 304-773-5715
• Milton – 304-743-3501
• Montgomery – 304-442-2311
• Main Office – 304-743-1700
Southern Public customers should also continue to contact Southern Public for customer service and billing inquiries during the transition period. Hope will communicate all details on the transition and timing with customers.
Founded in 1898, Hope Gas is already one of the largest local natural gas distribution companies in West Virginia. The Hope Gas vision is to be a leader in the energy industry in the Mountain State and to empower and improve communities through the safe delivery of local, abundant, and reliable energy. Hope Gas now serves more than 131,000 homes and businesses. It owns and operates over 7000 miles of natural gas pipelines throughout the state.
Hope Gas was acquired from Dominion Energy in September 2022. Since then, Hope has directly added more than 250 family-sustaining jobs in West Virginia, established its corporate headquarters in Morgantown with a state-of-art call center and gas control center, invested in improving the state’s pipeline infrastructure and increased the number of customers for which it provides service by nearly 17%. In addition, Hope has partnered with contractors to employ more than 400 West Virginians in family-sustaining jobs through our ongoing pipeline replacement efforts. Hope also has enhanced its partnership with local gas producers to further support their growing businesses across the state.
“We have built our business plan around growth, reliability and driving economic development throughout the state,” continued O’Brien. “This acquisition continues Hope’s growth and our investment in building the future of West Virginia. We will leverage West Virginia’s rich energy supply and distribution system as a benefit to economic development. It is a key piece in attracting other businesses to this beautiful state. We are proud to have served West Virginia customers for 125 years and are excited about the future of the Mountain State.”
Explore career opportunities with Hope Gas at HopeGasJobs.com.
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About Hope Gas: Hope Gas is a Local Distribution Company (LDC) that proudly provides gas service to more than 131,000 residential, industrial, and commercial customers in thirty-seven West Virginia counties. We monitor and maintain over 7000 miles of pipelines that safely deliver West Virginia natural gas to many homes and commercial and industrial sites. We currently employ over 450 employees working right here in our beautiful Mountain State with the sole purpose of staying true to our company’s mission and vision in West Virginia. Learn more at HopeGas.com.
About Hope Utilities: Hope Utilities owns natural gas and water distribution utilities across nine states. We provide service to more than 233,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in the communities we serve. We currently operate natural gas utilities in Indiana, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, and West Virginia; and water and wastewater utilities in Arizona, Michigan, and Texas. Hope’s growth strategy is built on being a trusted member of the communities we serve, providing our customers with safe, reliable, and cost-effective utility service. Learn more about Hope at HopeUtilities.com.
