PLANNED MERGER WITH ALTAGAS LTD. On January 25, 2017 , WGL entered into an agreement and plan of merger (Merger Agreement) to combine with AltaGas in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $6.4 billion . The Merger Agreement provides for the merger of a newly formed indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AltaGas with and into WGL, with WGL continuing as the surviving corporation in the merger (the Merger) and becoming an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AltaGas. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, at the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement) of the Merger, WGL shareholders will receive $88.25 in cash, without interest, for each share of WGL common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement). The Boards of Directors of each of WGL and AltaGas have unanimously approved the Merger, which is expected to close during the second calendar quarter of 2018. Consummation of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of specified closing conditions, including, among others, the approval of the Merger by the holders of more than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of WGL common stock, which approval occurred on May 10, 2017, and approvals required from certain antitrust and other regulatory bodies. A status of each of these conditions is described below. The Merger Agreement also contains customary representations, warranties and covenants of both WGL and AltaGas. These covenants include, among others, an obligation on behalf of WGL to operate its business in the ordinary course until the Merger is consummated, subject to certain exceptions. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, the Outside Date (as defined in the Merger Agreement) for consummation of the Merger was January 25, 2018. The Merger Agreement permits either WGL or AltaGas to extend the term of the Merger Agreement should the Merger not be consummated by such date. On January 11, 2018, WGL and AltaGas mutually agreed in writing to ex