Historical Timeline

For 90 years, Aquila divisions have provided safe, reliable electricity and natural gas service to our customers.

2007

• In February, Aquila announced the sale of the company in two separate transactions. In these transaction, the company's Missouri electric properties will be merged into a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy. Black Hills Corp. will acquire the company's electric properties in Colorado and its natural gas properties in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

2006

• Aquila completes sale of its Missouri natural gas distribution operations to the Empire District Gas Co., part of The Empire District Electric Co.; the sale of its Minnesota and Michigan gas operations to WPS Resources Corporation; the sale of its Kansas electric properties to Mid-Kansas Electric Company (MKEC), and the sale of its Kansas City area Everest cable, broadband Internet and telephone business to a private investment firm.
• Aquila completes sale two merchant peaking facilities.

2005

• Aquila agrees to sell selected utility assets in transactions totaling $896.7 million.
• Aquila completes exchange offer for premium income equity securities.
• Aquila outlines further repositioning initiatives; considers sale of select utility properties.

2004

• Aquila completes refinancing
• Aquila completes sale of common stock and convertible senior notes.
• Aquila completes sale of Canadian utility operations.
• Aquila completes sale of 12 independent power plants to Arclight Capital Partners.
• Aquila completes sale of its interest in Midlands Electricity in the United Kingdom.

2003

• Aquila sells remaining interest in Australia properties.
• Aquila sells remaining interest in Quanta Services.

2002

• Aquila suspends dividend, exits wholesale energy marketing and trading business.
• Aquila sells nearly $1 billion in non-strategic assets, including UnitedNetworks (New Zealand), Texas and Mid-Continent natural gas pipeline systems and natural gas/gas liquids processing assets, and California and United Kingdom gas storage.
• Aquila completes concurrent equity and debt offerings.
• Aquila purchases Midlands Electricity, fourth-largest regional electric company in the United Kingdom.
• UtiliCorp changes name to Aquila, Inc. and adopts ILA as stock symbol.
• UtiliCorp merges Aquila back into UCU.

2001

• Aquila Energy changes name to Aquila, Inc.
• UtiliCorp launches initial public offering of 20 percent of Aquila.
• Aquila breaks ground on 334-megawatt Raccoon Creek Energy Center in Flora, Ill.
• Aquila breaks ground on 320-megawatt Crossroads Energy Center in Clarksdale, Miss.
• Aquila buys $220 million natural gas storage facility in Lodi, Calif.

2000

• UtiliCorp announces record 1999 sales of $18.6 billion and third straight year of 8 percent growth in earnings per share.
• UtiliCorp announces agreement to acquire distribution and retail businesses of TransAlta Corp. in Alberta, Canada, involving 350,000 electricity customers.
• Aquila Energy helps form IntercontinentalExchange trading platform.
• Aquila Energy acquires GPU International.
• UtiliCorp acquires St. Joseph Light & Power in Missouri.

1999

• UtiliCorp acquires TrustPower assets in New Zealand.
• UtiliCorp consolidates all New Zealand assets under one new name -- UnitedNetworks.
• UtiliCorp acquires a 25 percent stake in Multinet/Ikon in Victoria, Australia.
• UtiliCorp acquires a 40-acre coal-handling facility in West Virginia.
• UtiliCorp acquires all of the 18 percent of AQP common stock held by the public.
• Aquila Energy operations move to Kansas City.
• UtiliCorp acquires 26 percent equity interest in Quanta Services.
• UtiliCorp acquires 27.2 billion cubic-foot subsurface gas storage facility in Katy, Texas.
• Aquila Energy breaks ground on 580-megawatt generating facility in Missouri.
• UtiliCorp sells West Virginia natural gas and electric distribution assets to Allegheny.
• Aquila Energy opens offices in Scandinavia, Germany and Spain to compete in deregulating energy markets on the European continent.

1998

• United Energy sells 42 percent of its common stock to the public. As a result UtiliCorp's ownership percentage was reduced from 49.9 to 34 percent, after buying another 5 percent from a partner.
• UtiliCorp acquires 78.6 percent ownership of Power New Zealand and concurrently sells the 39.6 percent interest in WEL Energy Group.
• UtiliCorp acquires TransAlta lines assets in New Zealand and concurrently sells the Power New Zealand retail business to TransAlta.

1997

• UtiliCorp restructures its U.K. operations to focus on the niche market of gas aggregation and related wholesale services.

1996

• In January, UtiliCorp announces an agreement to merge with Kansas City Power & Light Company. In September, the company terminates the agreement.
• Aquila Energy acquires 40 percent of Oasis pipeline.
• Aquila Energy begins trading gas in Canada.

1995

• Aquila Gas Pipeline acquires Tristar Gas Company.
• UtiliCorp acquires 49.9 percent ownership of United Energy in Melbourne, Australia.
• UtiliCorp creates EnergyOne, the first national portfolio of energy services in America.

1994

• UtiliCorp acquires the Kansas gas and transmission assets of Arkla.

1993

• UtiliCorp acquires the Nebraska gas distribution and transmission assets of Arkla.
• IPO of 18 percent of Aquila Energy's gas gathering and processing assets - Aquila Gas Pipeline Corporation.
• UtiliCorp begins acquisition of 39.6 percent of WEL Energy Group in New Zealand.

1991

• UtiliCorp begins operations in the United Kingdom with gas marketing joint ventures with regional electric companies.
• Aquila acquires Clajon Holdings, L.P. and combines all of its gas gathering, pipeline and processing facilities in Texas and Oklahoma to form Aquila Gas Pipeline Corporation.

1990

• UtiliCorp acquires West Virginia Power Gas Service.
• UtiliCorp acquires WestPlains Energy.
• Aquila acquires the Mooreland Pipeline assets and the Elk City Natural Gas Gathering and Processing assets from Velero.

1989

• UtiliCorp acquires Michigan Gas Utilities.

1987

• UtiliCorp acquires West Virginia Power.
• UtiliCorp acquires its first international property -- West Kootenay Power in British Columbia, Canada.

1986

• UtiliCorp acquires Peoples Natural Gas.
• UtiliCorp acquires Northern Minnesota Utilities.
• Aquila Energy is made a wholly-owned subsidiary of UtiliCorp.
• UtilCo Group is formed to invest in independent power projects.

1985

• The company changes its name to UtiliCorp United, Inc. to reflect the numerous areas of the country being served.

1984

• The company acquires Kansas Public Service.

1954

• Missouri Public Service revenues reach $10 million, up nearly 700 percent from 1940. The company continues to grow and prosper through service expansion and utility acquisitions.

1927

• West Missouri Power Company merges with Missouri Public Service Company.

1922

• The company goes public and changes its name to West Missouri Power Company.

1917

• Green Light and Power Company is formed.

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