Missouri Gas Energy
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Natural gas distribution |
| Founded | 1867 |
| Headquarters | Kansas City , United States |
Area served | Western Missouri, United States |
| Products | Natural gas distribution, compressed natural gas (CNG) services |
| Parent | Spire Inc. |
Missouri Gas Energy (MGE) was a natural gas distribution firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, with additional offices located in St. Joseph, Lee's Summit, Warrensburg, Joplin, Republic, Neosho, and Monett. The company provided service to more than 155 communities throughout western Missouri. Initially operating as a division of Southern Union Company, MGE was later sold to Spire Inc. Its activities were overseen by the Missouri Public Service Commission.
The primary focus of MGE was the delivery of natural gas. Additionally, the company supported the advancement of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles within its service region and took a leading role in the Midwest CNG Coalition, a partnership that included Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa.
Southern Union Company sold MGE to Energy Transfer Equity, and subsequently, on September 1, 2013, Spire Inc (previously known as The Laclede Group) acquired the company.
History
The origins of MGE trace back to 1867 with the establishment of the Kansas City Gas Light & Coke Company. Prior to the advent of pipeline technology enabling long-distance transport of natural gas, coal-derived gas was utilized for illumination and heating purposes. In 1895, the company reorganized under the name Kansas City Gas Company and merged two years later with Missouri Gas Company to form Kansas City Missouri Gas Company.
The discovery of natural gas in southeast Kansas in 1873 prompted development of pipeline infrastructure. By 1905, both Wyandotte County Gas Company and Kansas City Gas Company began supplying natural gas to Kansas City through separate municipal franchises but under shared ownership.
Legal disputes over franchise rights delayed the provision of service on the Missouri side until 1906; these conflicts involved businessman Hugh J. McGowan and Mayor Jay H. Neff before resolution was achieved.
Henry L. Doherty established Henry L. Doherty & Company in 1905 and Cities Service Company in 1910, acquiring numerous natural gas properties across Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska—including the Kansas City Gas Company and Wyandotte County Gas Company in 1924.
In 1925, Doherty consolidated these assets into The Gas Service Company based in Kansas City, which served over 250 communities spanning four states until 1983.
The Gas Service Company was purchased by Kansas Power and Light Company (KPL) in 1983. Following KPL’s merger with Kansas Gas & Electric in 1992 to create Western Resources (now Westar Energy), Western Resources divested its Missouri natural gas holdings to Southern Union Company in 1994. Southern Union managed these operations under the Missouri Gas Energy name.
In 2012, Energy Transfer Equity—a diversified natural gas pipeline enterprise headquartered in Dallas—acquired Southern Union and MGE. Later that year, Spire announced its intent to purchase MGE along with New England Gas from Energy Transfer Equity; this transaction finalized in late 2013. Under Spire’s ownership, MGE became one of the largest natural gas distributors nationwide.
By 2012, MGE served a customer base exceeding 500,000 across more than 155 communities in western Missouri.