After Columbia Pipeline, one of the largest in the pipeline owners in the country, was charged with practices that resulted in over-billing of end-users, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) threatened to revoke Columbia’s license. The head of Columbia proposed opening its pipeline to Citizens Energy. FERC approved the proposal and Citizens Energy entered the natural gas industry full force through its subsidiary, Citizens Gas Supply Corporation. Citizens Gas Supply soon became involved in the construction of new gathering facilities, designed to bring free-market gas into the interstate pipeline. By the end of 1986, Citizens had access to a total combined throughput of 18 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Within one year of its founding, Citizens Gas Supply was one of the nation’s largest independent movers of natural gas, buying and selling an average of 270 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, while distributing more than $160 million worth of gas per day throughout 17 states. Ultimately, Citizens Gas Supply managed to enter into agreements with 38 pipeline operators throughout the United States, making it possible for the company to purchase and transport natural gas from and to nearly every domestic geographic market. In addition to its trading activities, Citizens Gas Supply made significant investments in gathering systems, strategic pipeline interconnects, storage facilities, firm transportation, and downstream facilities. Many of these activities were pursued through joint ventures with established industry leaders, including National Fuel Gas Company and the Victoria Gas Company. In 1993, Citizens Gas Supply Corporation was sold to Western Gas Resources in Denver, Colorado, along with other natural gas-related assets of the company.