In this issue:

• Moving forward: The vision of the new Consumers' Counsel
• Views on utility issues
• Spending less to stay cool
• Programs available to lower electric bills, save money
• Water conservation can lower your bills
• Q & A: Long-distance service plans and fees

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Moving forward: The vision of the new Consumers' Counsel

On April 5, Janine Migden-Ostrander was sworn in as Consumers' Counsel. A brief introduction with biographical information was included in the March/April edition of Consumers' Corner. In this edition, Migden-Ostrander outlines her vision for the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility advocate.

Prior to being selected as Consumers' Counsel by the OCC's Governing Board, I developed a plan of action that outlines my priorities for an office that must constantly be proactive in how it represents the interests of Ohio's 4.5 million residential electric, natural gas, telephone and water consumers.

Throughout the plan, I discuss how the OCC can help build a better future that:

• Provides affordable energy
• Contributes to national energy reliability and independence
• Ensures reliable, quality utility services
• Presents opportunities for consumers to save money
• Empowers consumers to manage their energy and telephone usage

These are long-term goals, but they can only be reached if we spend each day striving to move toward their accomplishment.

Frontline advocacy

The OCC's toll-free hotline allows our representatives to investigate and resolve complaints, and serves as a resource to provide information about utility services. Under my vision, the professionals in our Consumer Response Center will have enhanced capabilities to monitor problems with Ohio utilities and be equipped to identify patterns of inadequate service, billing errors and other complaints.

Reaching consumers

Our outreach and education staff travels throughout the state to provide presentations on a variety of utility topics to community groups. I look forward to enhancing the OCC's outreach to the Hispanic population and other ethnic groups who need important information about establishing utility services and consumer protection standards.

Trust and accountability

While laws and guidelines apply to every state agency, under my direction, an enhanced code of conduct is being established for OCC employees. The OCC is also reviewing its policies related to how long records are kept and how requests for those documents are fulfilled.

Partnerships

Another important element to my vision for the OCC is having an open dialogue with you - the consumer. I look forward to holding public forums and meeting with community leaders, consumer groups and other organizations to forge partnerships. The OCC is strong, but we need the support and assistance of nonprofit organizations and community leaders throughout Ohio.

I look forward to serving as an advocate for affordable, quality utility services and the protections that you - the electric, natural gas, telephone and water consumers of our state - deserve.

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Views on utility issues

Consumers' Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander has extensive experience with utility issues. The following are some of her issue-specific goals that will help protect Ohio's residential consumers and provide lower rates and more choices.

Electricity

• Ensure that market rules are created and enforced that protect consumers when the cap on generation rates ends on December 31, 2005. The rules must allow effective competition in order to produce lower prices.

• Work toward creating fully developed wholesale markets, which would improve the flow of electricity and result in more choices and options to residential consumers.

• Examine rate structures throughout Ohio and help produce lower rates. For example, time of day rates could offer lower rates to customers who use energy during off-peak hours.

• Foster the development of energy efficiency programs.

Natural gas

• Support the continued development of the competitive markets in Ohio's natural gas choice programs.

• Identify ways to reduce demand through energy efficiency programs and manage natural gas usage in order to stabilize or lower consumers' bills.

Telecommunications

• Support consumer protection standards for customers using cell phones and emerging technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which provides telephone service through a broadband connection.

• Continue the OCC's opposition to raising the wholesale price of SBC Ohio's local telephone service, which forces competitors to raise their prices and eliminate choices.

• Ensure that emerging technologies and high-speed Internet access are available to rural consumers.

Water

• Ensure that water quality and safety are protected in a cost effective manner.

• Advocate for compliance with safe drinking water standards.

• Seek innovative ways to lower consumers' bills while improving the quality of their water service.

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Spending less to stay cool

As we approach the hot days of summer, it's time to think about ways to save money and still stay cool. By using energy more efficiently to cool a home, consumers can reduce their monthly electric bills by up to 40 percent.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) offers the following tips to help consumers make their homes more energy efficient and save money:

• To reduce air conditioning costs set the thermostat 10 to 15 degrees higher while away from home. This will reduce your monthly cooling costs by up to 10 percent.

• Close drapes in hot weather to block out the sun and keep the home cool.

• Use kitchen and bath ventilation fans sparingly. These fans can pull out an entire houseful of cool air in just one hour.

• Caulk and weather-strip any doors and windows where cool air can escape.

• Make sure all air filters are clean.

• On cooler days, open windows and use fans to cool the home.

• Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes. Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.

• Use a microwave instead of an oven or stovetop to prepare food.

There are also programs designed to reward consumers for controlling the amount of electricity they use during certain times of the day.

Most consumers use the bulk of their electricity beginning in the early morning through early evening (on-peak hours). American Electric Power (AEP) and Cincinnati Gas & Electric (CG&E) offer a voluntary "time-of-day" reduced electric rate to consumers who use the majority of their electricity during off-peak hours. On a time-of-day rate, customers pay a higher rate for electricity used during peak hours, and another lower rate for electricity used during off-peak times.

For AEP customers, off-peak hours are from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday - Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday. For CG&E customers, the off-peak times vary depending on the season, but generally run from late evening to early morning during the week and all day Saturday and Sunday. The key to saving money on this program is that customers who choose this rate must use the majority of their electricity, like running an air conditioner, dishwasher or washing machine, during the off-peak hours.

For more information about time-of-day rates, set-up costs and any penalties or requirements of the program, contact your local electric company.

For more energy efficiency tips to help you save money this summer and all year round, call the OCC toll free at1-877-PICKOCC for a free copy of the "Energy Efficiency" brochure or visit the OCC website at www.pickocc.org.

Electricity usage of common household appliances
Appliance	Hours used per month	Approximate cost per month*
Small room air conditioner (750 Watts)	120 - 360	$6.75 - 20.25
Central air conditioner (3,500 watts)	120 - 360	$31.50 - 94.50
Ceiling fan (60 watts)	30 - 330	$0.14 - 1.50
Washing machine (500 watts)	7 - 40	$0.26 - 1.50
Dryer (5,000 watts)	6 - 28	$2.25 - 10.50
Electric range/oven (1,200 watts)	10 - 60	$.90 - 5.40
Refrigerator (17 cubic feet, 500 watts)	150 - 300	$5.63 - 11.25
* Rates are based on a cost per kWh of $0.075. To find out the exact cost of using an appliance in your home, multiply the watts number found on the appliance by the number of hours used and divide by 1000. Then take that number and multiply it by the price you pay your electric company per kWh (located on your electric bill) to determine the operating cost for that appliance.

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Programs available to lower electric bills, save money

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility advocate, offers the following information about several programs that consumers can use to help stay current with their electric bills and avoid disconnection.

Budget Billing

Budget billing programs allow consumers who are current on their payments to spread the amount they owe over a 12-month period. Consumers can begin a budget billing program at any time during the year by contacting their electric company.

Payment Plans

Most electric companies offer individual payment plans for their customers who are facing disconnection. Consumers can offer to pay a portion of the amount due over a period of time to avoid disconnection. The company in turn may accept or reject the proposed payment plan. If the company rejects the consumer's offer, it must provide an option of participating in either the 1/3 (pay 1/3 of debt plus current bill each month) or 1/6 (pay amount due in six equal payments) payment plan.

Home Weatherization Assistance Program

Ohio's Home Weatherization Assistance Program (HWAP) is a federally funded low-income residential energy efficiency program. The no-cost program, offered through the Office of Energy Efficiency, aims to reduce energy use in homes. Eligible households can receive:

• Attic, wall and basement insulation

• Heating system replacements or repairs

• Health and safety testing and inspections

All measures of energy efficiency are based on an on-site energy audit and cost effective guidelines developed using a computerized energy audit. Individualized education on additional energy efficient recommendations is an important component of the program.

Eligible households must be at or below 150 percent of the federal government's poverty guidelines, participate in the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) or receive Supplemental Security Income. After a residence has been weatherized, the average household saves $153 per year on its energy bills. Consumers can apply for this program through the HEAP application.

Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP)

PIPP is a low-income program that enables customers to pay a percentage of their income towards their monthly energy bills. The remaining account balance is carried over each month and continues to accumulate. Consumers are responsible for paying the accumulated amount once they are no longer eligible for the PIPP program. Consumers are eligible for PIPP if they participate in the HEAP program or are at or below 150 percent of the poverty level.

For more information on available financial assistance programs call the OCC toll free at 1-877-PICKOCC(1-877-742-5622) or visit the website at www.pickocc.org.

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Water conservation can lower your bills

As the hot summer months arrive in Ohio, more consumers are spending time outdoors watering their lawns and gardens. During these months, the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility advocate, urges consumers to find ways to cut back on water usage which may result in saving money on utility bills.

The OCC offers these simple and cost efficient water conservation tips for both indoor and outdoor usage:

• When watering your yard and flower beds, try to do so during the cooler times of the day or on cloudy days. This helps to avoid rapid evaporation and allows more water to reach the roots.

• When using a sprinkler, place it where it will cover the most area you want watered. Look at using a soaker hose and a timer to water only the areas that need watering.

• If you want to wash your car, think about pulling it onto the grass. The water running off the car will help to water the lawn, leaving less area to water later.

• While washing your car, remember to turn the hose off in between rinses.

• Your toilet uses the most water of any item in the house. Older models can use between five and seven gallons of water per flush while new, low-flush toilets use a maximum of 1.6 gallons per flush.

• Check all faucets, both inside and out, for leaks. While a small leak may not look like much of a problem, you could be losing close to 140 gallons of water each month.

For more information on ways to conserve water, consumers can request copies of the OCC's Guide to Water Conservation by contacting the OCC toll free at1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) or online at www.pickocc.org.

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Q & A: Long-distance service plans and fees

Q. Do all long-distance plans charge a monthly service fee?

A. No. While many long-distance plans with low per-minute rates charge a monthly fee, options are available without automatic charges or minimum usage fees. Consumers should take these fees and their monthly long-distance usage into consideration when choosing a plan.

Q. In addition to per-minute rates and monthly services fees, are there other charges to consider when choosing a long-distance provider?

A. Yes. For example, some long-distance companies have recently added monthly "regulatory" charges of as much as $1.95 to customers' bills. While companies claim most of these charges are based on increased expenses, most of these charges are not mandated by any regulatory agency. Consumers should ask about any monthly surcharges or fees and use that information to help in their price comparison.

Q. Do consumers need to take any steps once they have set up an account with a new long-distance provider?

A. Yes. Consumers should contact their local telephone company and notify it of their new long-distance choice. They should also contact their old long-distance company to close their account. Consumers should review each monthly bill to ensure that all charges are accurate.

Q. Why are some consumers charged a long-distance billing fee on their local telephone bill?

A. Some long-distance companies are now charging a monthly fee, typically $1.50, to have charges placed on customers' local telephone bill. This allows consumers to receive a single bill that includes both local and long-distance charges. Consumers who do not wish to pay the billing fee may be able to receive a separate bill from their long-distance provider or pay their long-distance bills online at no additional cost. These customers should contact their long-distance provider for details on their options