The transaction between the two companies included the transfer of nearly 84,000 residential and commercial meters.

Net cash proceeds will be redeployed to fund growth opportunities in the remaining jurisdictions Atmos Energy serves.

The company expects to record a net of tax gain on the sale of about $6m, subject to final purchase price adjustments.

For the ten months ended 31 July 2012, the company said these operations provided about $7m of net income.

US-based Atmos Energy provides natural gas marketing and procurement services primarily in the Midwest and Southeast, and manages company-owned natural gas pipeline and storage assets.