NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) Aug. 18, 2004--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today that it raised its corporate credit rating on energy provider Aquila Inc. to 'B-' from 'CCC+' and removed the rating from CreditWatch, where it was placed with developing implications on July 21, 2004. The outlook is negative. Kansas City, Mo.-based Aquila has about $2.5 billion of debt. The rating action is based on Aquila's termination of a long-term, prepaid natural gas supply contract with the Municipal Gas Authority of Mississippi (MGAM) and an agreement with the American Public Energy Agency (APEA) to terminate two long-term natural gas supply contracts on Sept. 30, 2004. "The termination allows the company to regain access to a substantial portion of
