vocabulary:
  name: WGL Holdings Vocabulary
  description: >-
    Domain vocabulary for WGL Holdings, an integrated energy holding company covering
    regulated natural gas distribution, retail energy marketing, midstream services,
    and energy storage in the Mid-Atlantic United States.
  version: '1.0'
  created: '2026-05-03'
  modified: '2026-05-03'
  tags:
    - Energy
    - Natural Gas
    - Utilities
    - Mid-Atlantic

  terms:

    - term: WGL Holdings
      definition: >-
        The parent holding company for Washington Gas, WGL Energy Services, WGL Midstream,
        and Hampshire Gas. Acquired by AltaGas on July 6, 2018.
      tags:
        - Corporate

    - term: Washington Gas
      definition: >-
        The regulated natural gas distribution utility subsidiary serving more than
        1.2 million customers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Founded in 1848,
        it is one of the oldest gas utilities in the United States.
      tags:
        - Regulated Utility

    - term: WGL Energy Services
      definition: >-
        The unregulated retail energy subsidiary selling natural gas and electricity
        to commercial, industrial, and residential customers across multiple states.
      tags:
        - Retail Energy

    - term: WGL Midstream
      definition: >-
        The midstream subsidiary of WGL Holdings focused on acquiring and optimizing
        natural gas storage and transportation assets.
      tags:
        - Midstream

    - term: Hampshire Gas
      definition: >-
        A natural gas storage subsidiary of WGL Holdings operating underground storage
        facilities in Hampshire County, West Virginia.
      tags:
        - Storage

    - term: AltaGas
      definition: >-
        The Canadian energy infrastructure company that acquired WGL Holdings on
        July 6, 2018. AltaGas operates utilities, midstream, and power generation assets.
      tags:
        - Corporate

    - term: Natural Gas Distribution
      definition: >-
        The regulated business of delivering natural gas through local pipeline networks
        to end-use residential, commercial, and industrial customers.
      tags:
        - Operations

    - term: Retail Energy Marketing
      definition: >-
        The unregulated business of purchasing and reselling natural gas and electricity
        to customers at competitive market prices outside traditional utility tariffs.
      tags:
        - Operations

    - term: Midstream Services
      definition: >-
        Energy infrastructure services including natural gas gathering, processing,
        transportation, and storage between production and distribution.
      tags:
        - Operations

    - term: Underground Gas Storage
      definition: >-
        The practice of injecting natural gas into underground formations (depleted
        reservoirs, aquifers, salt caverns) during low-demand periods for withdrawal
        during high-demand seasons.
      tags:
        - Infrastructure

    - term: Utility Tariff
      definition: >-
        A schedule of regulated rates and terms under which a public utility provides
        service, subject to approval by state utility regulatory commissions.
      tags:
        - Regulatory

    - term: Public Utility Commission
      definition: >-
        A state government regulatory body that oversees rates, service quality, and
        operations of regulated utilities such as Washington Gas.
      tags:
        - Regulatory

    - term: Green Button
      definition: >-
        A data access initiative enabling utility customers to download or share their
        energy usage data in a standardized XML format.
      tags:
        - Data Standard

    - term: Distribution System Operator
      definition: >-
        The entity responsible for operating, maintaining, and developing the local
        distribution network for natural gas delivery to end customers.
      tags:
        - Operations

    - term: Carbon Neutrality
      definition: >-
        A service offered by WGL Energy Services allowing customers to offset their
        carbon emissions from natural gas or electricity consumption through renewable
        energy certificates or carbon offset credits.
      tags:
        - Sustainability

    - term: Renewable Energy Certificate
      definition: >-
        A market-based instrument representing the environmental attributes of one
        megawatt-hour of electricity generated from renewable sources.
      tags:
        - Sustainability

    - term: Customer Energy Usage
      definition: >-
        Data representing a customer's historical consumption of natural gas or
        electricity, typically measured in therms (gas) or kilowatt-hours (electricity).
      tags:
        - Data

    - term: Therm
      definition: >-
        A unit of heat energy used in natural gas billing, equal to 100,000 British
        Thermal Units (BTU). Natural gas usage is billed in therms or CCF (hundred
        cubic feet).
      tags:
        - Measurement

    - term: Pipeline Capacity
      definition: >-
        The maximum volume of natural gas that can be transported through a pipeline
        system at a given time, subject to pressure and physical constraints.
      tags:
        - Infrastructure