If You are a Commercial or Industrial Entity that Bought Natural Gas in Wisconsin, A Class Action Settlement May Affect You.
IMPORTANT: A SETTLEMENT WITH ADDITIONAL DEFENDANTS HAS BEEN REACHED
A new settlement has been reached with the following: The Williams Companies, Inc., Williams Merchant Services Company LLC (f/k/a Williams Merchant Services Company, Inc.), and WPX Energy Marketing, LLC (f/k/a Williams Power Company, Inc.) (collectively “Williams”). Notice of the first Settlement was sent on/around February 15, 2017. Notice of the second settlement was sent on/around April 25, 2019. Notice of this third Settlement that has been reached was sent on/around May 14, 2020.
You or your company may have purchased natural gas for your own use or consumption in Wisconsin from January 1, 2000 through
October 31, 2002.
The lawsuits allege that Defendants (listed below) and Co-Conspirators engaged in an unlawful agreement or conspiracy to manipulate the prices
of natural gas during the Class Period. Plaintiffs further claim that certain commercial and industrial purchasers who purchased natural gas
other than from utilities or local distribution companies and for their own use or consumption in Wisconsin may recover for the effect that
the alleged conspiracy had on the prices of the natural gas they purchased. Plaintiffs allege that, as result of the unlawful conspiracy,
they and other commercial and industrial purchasers paid more for natural gas than they would have absent the conspiracy. Defendants deny
Plaintiffs’ claims.
Courts previously approved settlements with other defendant groups: AEP, Coral, Duke, El Paso, ONEOK and CMS in Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin,
and CenterPoint in Wisconsin only. Williams has now agreed to settle the pending lawsuits in Wisconsin. Williams has reached a settlement with
respect to claims based on purchases in Wisconsin. This notice does not relate to any claims you might have against any of the Defendants for
purchases made in Kansas, Missouri, or any state other than Wisconsin. The case is also continuing against the remaining Defendants. Additional
money may become available in the future as a result of a trial or future settlements, but there is no guarantee that this will happen.
A new settlement has been reached with the following: The Williams Companies, Inc., Williams Merchant Services Company LLC
(f/k/a Williams Merchant Services Company, Inc.), and WPX Energy Marketing, LLC (f/k/a Williams Power Company, Inc.)
(collectively “Williams”).
Your legal rights may be affected whether you act or don’t act. The Notice
includes information on the settlements and the lawsuits. Please read the entire Notice carefully.
These rights and options—and deadlines to exercise them—are explained below:
| YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT | |
|---|---|
| DO NOTHING | Remain a member of the Wisconsin Settlement Class |
| File a Claim By July 26, 2023 |
If you did not receive a payment in the prior settlement(s) you may
download or
file a claim on the Settlement Website. If you filed an accepted claim under the previous settlements in the Wisconsin actions in 2017, 2019 or 2020, payment in this settlement will be based on the data provided with you earlier claim(s). No additional claim form is required to participate though you may amend your prior claim if you have additional information. The estimated deadline to file a claim form, postmarked or submitted online, is no later than July 26, 2023, pending Court approval. |
| Opt-Out By June 5, 2023 |
If you exclude yourself from the Wisconsin Settlement Class, you will not get any money from the settlements, and you may not intervene as a
party plaintiff in any of the Actions. You will also retain rights to sue any of the Settling Defendants about claims concerning the sale of
natural gas during the Class Period. To request exclusion, you must mail your exclusion request, postmarked no later than June 5, 2023. |
| Object By May 30, 2023 |
You can ask the Court to deny approval of the settlements by filing an objection. You can’t ask the Court to order a larger settlement; the Court
can only approve or disapprove the settlements. Any such objection must be mailed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, postmarked no later than May 30, 2023. The Court’s address is: Clerk of Court, U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 120 North Henry Street, Room 320, Madison, WI 53703, with reference to Natural Gas Settlement, Case Nos. 07-cv-76-jdp, 09 cv 240-jdp. The objection must also be mailed, postmarked no later than May 30, 2023, to Class Counsel or the Settlement Administrator, and to counsel for each of the Settling Defendants. |
| Final Approval Hearing | The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing at 1:00 p.m. CST on June 30, 2023 at the Courtroom of the Honorable James D. Peterson, United States District Court, 120 N. Henry Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53703. The hearing may be moved to a different date or time without additional notice, so it is a good idea to check the Settlement Website for information. At this hearing, the Court will consider whether the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. If there are objections, the Court will consider them at that time. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the settlement. We do not know how long it will take for the Court to make these decisions. |
