CALGARY--(CCNMatthews - Nov. 3) - AltaGas Income Trust (AltaGas or the Trust) (TSX: ALA.UN) announced today that it has closed the purchase of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of iQ2 Power Corp. (iQ2), a privately held, Alberta-based power retail business. The acquisition was initially announced on September 6, 2005 and has an effective date of July 1, 2005.

iQ2 has a strong position in the retail electricity business in Alberta, serving over 700 agricultural, industrial and commercial clients with a total demand of approximately 60 megawatts. Power is sold over a variety of contract terms, both through customer aggregations and direct sales to end-users. In addition to its core power retailing business, it has also entered the natural gas retailing business.

In connection with the acquisition, AltaGas has retained the management and employees of iQ2. The business will be integrated with the AltaGas Energy Services business, and like that business will be a fee for service and fixed margin based business without commodity trading exposure.

David Cornhill, Chairman and CEO of AltaGas remarked, "Our acquisition of iQ2's assets marks AltaGas' entry into the Alberta retail power marketplace and enhances our capability across Canada in the Energy Services segment of our business." He added, "We look forward to the employees of iQ2 joining our team, building strong relationships with their existing clients and growing our national retail energy services business."

AltaGas moves energy from its source to the end-user, adding value through the process. The Trust has consolidated assets totalling over $1 billion and a market capitalization of approximately $1.4 billion. Its steadily expanding asset base today includes natural gas gathering and processing facilities, interests in ethane and natural gas liquids extraction plants, and transmission pipelines. AltaGas distributes natural gas to Alberta customers through AltaGas Utilities Inc., to customers in the Northwest Territories through Inuvik Gas Ltd. and in Nova Scotia through its interest in Heritage Gas Limited. The Trust provides energy services to customers, including marketing of natural gas and natural gas liquids, sale of power from its power purchase based arrangements and, as a leading energy agency business, specializes in the procurement and supply of energy to end-users.

AltaGas' Trust Units are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ALA.UN. The Trust is included in the S&P/TSX Capped Income Trust Index and the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Trust Index.

When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "estimate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include operating performance, regulatory and environmental issues, weather and economic conditions, competition and financing availability. For additional information on these and other factors, see the reports filed by AltaGas with Canadian securities regulators. AltaGas disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information or future event. 
 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Media 
Dennis Dawson 
(403) 691-7534 
Email: dennis.dawson@altagas.ca 


or


Investment Community 
Stephanie Labowka-Poulin 
(403) 691-7136 
Email: stephanie.labowka-poulin@altagas.ca 


or


Investor Relations 
1-877-691-7199 
Email: investor.relations@altagas.ca
Website: www.altagas.ca