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**Exhibit      3(a)**

**SOUTHERN        UNION COMPANY**

**AMENDED        AND RESTATED**

**CERTIFICATE        OF INCORPORATION**

**SOUTHERN        UNION COMPANY, **

|   | 1. | The                  name of the Corporation is Southern Union Company and the name                  under which                  the Corporation was originally incorporated is Southern Union Utilities                  Company. |
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|   | 2. | The                  Corporation’s original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the                  Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 13,                  1932. |
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|   | 3. | This                  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been duly                  adopted in                  accordance with the provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the Delaware                  General Corporation law, and restates, integrates and further amends                  the                  provisions of the Corporation’s Certificate of                  Incorporation. |
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|   | 4. | The                  text of the Certificate of Incorporation of this Corporation is                  hereby                  amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Exhibit                  A                  attached hereto. |
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**IN        WITNESS WHEREOF**
** **

**SOUTHERN        UNION COMPANY**

|   | Name: | Thomas                  F. Karam |
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|   | Title: | President                  and Chief Operating Officer |
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**EXHIBIT        A**

**FIRST**

|   | **SECOND**: | The                  name of the county and the city, town or place within the county                  in |
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**THIRD**

|   | (a) | To                  mine for, prospect for, drill -for, produce, store, refine, buy                  or in any                  manner acquire, convert or manufacture into its several products,                  and to                  market, sell, transport, and distribute natural gas, manufactured                  gas,                  artificial gas and/or liquefied petroleum gas, and any mixture                  or                  combination of any such gases, and any derivatives or products                  or residual                  products or manufactured products of such gases or any of them;                  to mine                  for, prospect for, drill for, produce, buy or in any manner acquire,                  refine, convert or manufacture into its several products, and to                  sell,                  market, distribute and transport petroleum and its derivatives,                  products                  and byproducts and to construct, lay, purchase or in any manner                  acquire,                  and to own, hold, maintain and operate, and to sell, exchange,                  lease,                  encumber or in any manner dispose of works, buildings, pipe lines,                  mains,                  distribution systems, machinery, appliances, apparatus, facilities,                  rights, privileges, franchises, ordinances and all such real and                  personal                  property as may be necessary, useful or convenient in the production,                  acquisition, sale, storage, combustion, refining, manufacturing,                  conversion, transportation and marketing of natural gas, manufactured                  gas,                  artificial gas, liquefied petroleum gas and petroleum, or any of                  them, and                  the derivatives, products or by-products thereof, however                  derived; |
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|   | (b) | To                  acquire, by purchase or otherwise, construct, lease, let, own,                  hold, sell,                  convey, equip, maintain, operate and otherwise deal in and with                  pipe                  lines, cars, vessels, tanks, tramways, refineries, reduction plants,                  land                  and interests in land and any and all other properties, conveyances,                  appliances, and apparatus for storing, transporting, distributing,                  marketing, converting, manufacturing, distilling, refining, reducing,                  preparing, or otherwise dealing in and with petroleum, gas, gasoline,                  liquefied petroleum gases, asphaltum, and any and all other minerals,                  metals and ores, and the derivatives products and by-products thereof,                  however derived; |
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|   | (c) | To                  carry on the general business of an electric light, heat and power                  company                  in all of its branches and to generate, buy or in any manner acquire,                  accumulate, distribute, market and supply electric current, light,                  heat                  and power to cities, towns, streets, buildings and places, both                  public and                  private, and to any consumer of electric energy for any purpose,                  and to                  construct, lay down, establish, fix, and to carry on the business                  of                  electrical and mechanical engineers, suppliers of electricity for                  the                  purpose of light, heat and power or otherwise; to manufacture                  or |
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|   |   | deal                  in things required for or capable of being used in connection with                  the                  generation, distribution, accumulation, sale, improvement and/or                  consumption of electricity; |
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| (d) | To                  carry on the business of telephone, telegraph and/or cable company,                  and to                  establish, work, control, regulate, manage, maintain and operate                  telephone                  lines and exchanges and to transmit and facilitate the transmission                  of                  telephone, telegraph and/or cable communications and messages;                  to                  construct, equip, maintain, operate, lease and sell telephone,                  telegraph                  and cable lines and systems and all kinds of works, machinery,                  apparatus,                  conveniences and things capable of being used in connection with                  any of                  these objects; |
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| (e) | To                  purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire, build, construct, erect,                  hold, own,                  improve, enlarge, maintain, operate, control, supervise, and manage,                  and                  to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of water and waterworks for                  the                  purpose of supplying municipalities, corporations, and individuals                  with                  water for public, corporate, business, irrigation, or domestic                  use; to                  construct, purchase, lease or otherwise acquire, maintain, and                  operate                  darns, reservoirs, settling basins, irrigation systems, pumping                  stations,                  water towers, buildings, plants, machinery, distribution systems,                  mains,                  pipes, conduits, aqueducts, meters, and all other necessary apparatus,                  appliances, rights, permits and property used or useful or convenient                  for                  use in the acquisition, distribution, measurement, and sale of                  water; |
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| (g) | To                  carry on the business of sewage disposal and to purchase, lease                  or                  otherwise acquire, build, construct, erect, hold, own, improve,                  enlarge,                  maintain, operate, control, supervise and manage sewers and sewage                  disposal plants and systems for the purpose of furnishing sewer                  and sewage                  disposal services to municipalities, corporations, and individuals;                  and to                  own and acquire all necessary apparatus, appliances, rights, permits:                  and                  property used or useful or convenient for use in connection                  therewith; |
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| (h) | To                  acquire, own, construct, erect, lay down, manage, maintain, operate,                  enlarge, alter, work and use all such lands and interests in land,                  buildings, easements, gas, electric and other works, machinery,                  plant,                  stock, pipes, lamps, meters, fittings, motors, apparatus, appliances,                  materials and things, and to supply all such materials, products                  and                  things as may be necessary, incident or convenient in connection                  with the                  production, use, storage, manufacture, combustion, conversion,                  regulation,                  purification, measurement, supply and distribution of any of the                  products                  of the Corporation; |
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| (i) | To                  carry on and conduct a general utility management, servicing, operating,                  engineering and contracting business; to appraise, value, design,                  build,                  construct, enlarge, develop, improve, extend and repair light,                  heat,                  power, transmission and hydraulic plants, electrical works, machinery                  and                  appliances, telegraph and telephone lines, dams, reservoirs, canals,                  bridges, piers, docks, mines, shafts, tunnels, wells, water works,                  street                  railways, interurban railways, railways and                  buildings; |
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| (j) | To                  engage in and conduct any one or more or all of the businesses                  classed as                  public utilities, particularly including but not limited to the                  businesses                  of supplying any one or more of the following, for employment in                  any                  manner for which the same may be employed, to wit: power and energy,                  in                  the form of electric current, as well as in every other form; heating                  from                  steam, hot water or otherwise; natural gas, manufactured gas, artificial                  gas and/or liquefied petroleum gas, ice, water, sewer, sewage disposal,                  telephone, telegraph or cable service, cold storage and                  warehousing; |
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| (k) | To                  obtain the grant of, purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire any                  concessions, rights, options, patents, privileges, lands and interests                  therein, rights of way, sites, properties, undertakings or businesses,                  or                  any right, option or contract in relation thereto, and to perform,                  carry                  out and fulfill the terms and conditions thereof, and to carry                  the same                  into effect and to develop, maintain, lease, sell, transfer, dispose                  of                  and otherwise deal in and with the                  same; |
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| (l) | To                  subscribe for, or cause to be subscribed for, buy, own, hold, purchase,                  receive, or acquire, and to sell, negotiate, guarantee, assign,                  deal in,                  exchange, transfer, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of, shares                  of                  the capital stock, scrip, bonds, coupons, mortgages, debentures,                  debenture                  stock, securities, notes, acceptances, drafts and evidences of                  indebtedness issued or created by other corporations, joint stock                  companies or associations, whether public, private or municipal,                  or by any                  corporate or unincorporated body, or by any government or governmental                  subdivision or agency, and while the owner thereof, to possess                  and to                  exercise in respect thereof all the rights, powers and privileges                  of                  ownership, including the right to vote thereon; to guarantee the                  payment                  of dividends on any shares of the capital stock of any of the                  corporations, joint stock companies or associations in which the                  Corporation has or may at any time have an interest, direct or                  indirect,                  and to become surety in respect of, endorse, or otherwise guarantee                  the                  payment of the principal of or interest on any scrip, bonds, coupons,                  mortgages, debentures, debenture stock, securities, notes, drafts,                  bills                  of exchange or evidence of indebtedness, issued or created by any                  such                  corporations, joint stock companies or associations; to become                  surety for                  or guarantee the carrying out and performance of any and all contracts,                  leases, and obligations of every kind of any corporations, joint                  stock                  companies, or associates and in particular of any corporation,                  joint stock                  company or association any of whose shares, scrip, bonds, coupons,                  mortgages, debentures, debenture stock, securities, notes, drafts,                  bills                  of exchange or evidence of indebtedness, are at any time held by                  or for                  the Corporation, and to do any acts or things designed to protect,                  preserve, improve or enhance the value of any such shares, scrip,                  hands,                  coupons, mortgages, debentures, debenture stock, securities, notes,                  drafts, bills of exchange or evidences of                  indebtedness; |
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| (n) | To                  improve, manage, develop, sell, assign, transfer, lease, mortgage,                  pledge,                  or otherwise dispose of or turn to account or deal with all or                  any part of                  the property of the Corporation, and from time to time to vary                  any                  investment or employment of capital of the                  Corporation; |
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| (o) | To                  borrow money, and to make and issue notes, bonds, debentures, obligations                  and evidences of indebtedness of all kinds, whether secured by                  mortgage,                  pledge, or otherwise, without limit as to amount, and to secure                  the same                  by mortgage, pledge or otherwise; and generally to make and perform                  agreements and contracts of every kind and                  description; |
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| (p) | To                  manufacture, buy, sell, deal in and to engage in, conduct and carry                  on the                  business of manufacturing, buying, selling, and dealing in goods,                  wares,                  and merchandise of every class and                  description; |
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| (q) | To                  the same extent as natural persons might or could do, to purchase                  or                  otherwise acquire, and to hold, own, maintain, work, develop, sell,                  lease,                  exchange, hire, convey, mortgage or otherwise dispose of and deal                  in,                  lands and leaseholds, and any interest, estate and rights in real                  property, and any personal or mixed property, and any franchises,                  rights,                  licenses or privileges necessary, convenient or appropriate for                  any of the                  purposes herein expressed; |
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| (r) | To                  apply for, obtain, register, purchase, lease or otherwise to acquire                  and                  hold, own, use, develop, operate and introduce, and to sell, assign,                  grant                  licenses, or territorial rights in respect to, or otherwise to                  turn to                  account or dispose of, any copyrights, trademarks, trade names,                  brands,                  labels, patent rights, letters patent of the United States or of                  any other                  county or government, inventions, improvements and processes, whether                  used                  in connection with or secured under letters patent or                  otherwise; |
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| (s) | To                  do all and everything necessary, suitable and proper for the                  accomplishment of any of the purposes or the attainment of any                  of the                  objects or the furtherance of any of the powers hereinbefore set                  forth,                  either along or in association with other corporations, firms or                  corporations, firms or individuals, and to do every other act or                  acts,                  thing or things, incidental or appurtenant to or growing out of                  or                  connected with the aforesaid business or powers or any part or                  parts                  thereof, provided the same to be not inconsistent with the laws                  under                  which the Corporation is organized; |
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**FOURTH:        **

**FOURTH,        **

|   | (a) | The                  number of shares constituting that series and the distinctive designation                  of each such series; |
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|   | (b) | The                  dividend rate on the shares of that series, whether dividends shall                  be                  cumulative, and, if so, from which date or dates, and the relative                  rights                  of priority, if any, of payment of dividends on shares of each                  series; |
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|   | (c) | Whether                  each series shall have voting rights, in addition to the voting                  rights                  provided by law, and, if so, the terms of such voting                  rights; |
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|   | (d) | Whether                  each series shall have conversion privileges, and, if so, the terms                  and                  conditions of such conversion, including provision for adjustment                  of the                  conversion rate in such events as the Board of Directors shall                  determine; |
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|   | (e) | Whether                  or not the shares of each series shall be redeemable, and, if so,                  the                  terms and conditions of such redemption, including the date or                  date upon                  or after which they shall be redeemable, and the amount per share                  payable                  in case of redemption, which amount may vary under different conditions                  and at different redemption dates; |
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|   | (g) | The                  rights of the shares of each series in the event of voluntary or                  involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation,                  and                  the relative rights of priority, if any, of payment of shares of                  each                  series; and |
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|   | (h) | Any                  other relative rights, preferences and limitations of each                  series. |
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**FIFTH:        **

**SIXTH:        **

**SEVENTH**

**EIGHTH:        **

*(15).        *

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|   | (1) | to                  fix the times for the declaration and payment of                  dividends; |
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|   | (2) | to                  fix and vary the amount to be reserved as working capital or for                  any other                  proper purpose or purposes; |
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|   | (3) | to                  authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and liens upon all                  the                  property and assets of the Corporation, or any part thereof whether                  at the                  time owned or thereafter acquired, upon such terms and conditions                  as it                  may determine; |
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|   | (5) | to                  make and alter by-laws of the Corporation, subject to the right                  of the                  stockholders to make and alter by-laws of the Corporation; provided,                  however, that the directors shall not modify or repeal any by-law                  hereafter made by the stockholders; |
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|   | (7) | to                  borrow or otherwise raise moneys, without limit to amount, for                  any of the                  purposes of the Corporation; to authorize the issue of bonds, debentures,                  notes or other obligations of the Corporation, of any nature or                  in any                  manner, secured or unsecured, for moneys so borrowed; to authorize                  the                  creation of mortgages upon, or the pledge or conveyance or assignment                  in                  trust of, the whole or any part of the property and assets of the                  Corporation, real or personal, whether at the time owned or thereafter                  acquired, including contracts, choses in action and other tights,                  to                  secure the payment of any bonds, debentures or notes or other obligations                  of the Corporation and the interest thereon; and to authorize the                  sale or                  pledge or other disposition of the bonds, debentures, notes or                  other                  obligations |
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**FOURTH        **

**NINTH:        **

**TENTH:        **

**ELEVENTH:**

**TWELFTH:        **

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