Gaz Metro Limited Partnership will acquire Central Vermont Public Service Corp. (CV) after the Vermont electricity utility determined Gaz Metro's $35.25-a-share offer was superior to a competing bid from Fortis Inc. (FTS.T).

This deal paves the way for the combination of Central Vermont with Gaz Metro's Green Mountain Power Corp. subsidiary, creating the largest electricity distributor in Vermont.

Last month, Gaz Metro topped Newfoundland-based Fortis' $35.10-a-share bid for Central Vermont, which had been agreed to in May. With the end of the Fortis deal, Central Vermont has agreed to pay Fortis a $17.5 million termination fee, plus $2 million in merger expenses.

Central Vermont values the Gaz Metro deal at $702 million, including the assumption of about $230 million of debt. The offer represents a premium of 45% over the company's closing price of $24.32 on May 27, the last trading day before the Fortis deal was announced.

-By Judy McKinnon, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2100; judy.mckinnon@dowjones.com

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