Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Press Room

Contact: Marty Berkowitz (614) 387-2962
berkowitz@occ.state.oh.us

Natural Gas Public Hearing on Monday

Customers Have Opportunity to Make their Voices Heard

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nov. 29, 2012 – On Monday, December 3rd, customers will have the opportunity to voice their opinions about proposals that could affect the pricing of natural gas from Columbia Gas of Ohio and other providers.

The public hearing will be held at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), at the following location and time:

Monday, December 3rd
10:00 a.m.
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
180 East Broad Street
Hearing Room 11-A
Columbus, Ohio 43215

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) reached a settlement with Columbia Gas of Ohio (Columbia), the staff of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and natural gas marketers in this case. Other participants in the case may have proposals. The outcome of the case, including the settlement, will be decided by the PUCO.

The settlement protects residential consumers' ability to purchase natural gas at a standard rate through Columbia at least until April 2017. Under the settlement, the standard rate for residential consumers could not be eliminated unless Columbia first asked the PUCO in the future for permission to eliminate it. In that event, the PUCO would then hold public hearings and decide whether to grant or deny Columbia’s request. The option of a standard rate has been very beneficial to consumers for reducing their cost to purchase natural gas. Full details about the settlement and its effects on consumers are included in OCC’s press release.

The settlement has different provisions for non-residential customers. OCC did not join the part of the settlement that could lead, as early as 2014, to an end of the auction-based standard rate for non-residential customers.

The settlement, OCC's testimony and other records can be viewed on the PUCO's case docketing system under Case Number 12-2637-GA-EXM.

Customers can also use the PUCO website's docketing system to send comments to the PUCO regarding the case.

For more information about how to testify at a PUCO public hearing, OCC’s fact sheet can be downloaded here.

About the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility consumer advocate, represents the interests of 4.5 million households in proceedings before state and federal regulators and in the courts. The state agency also educates consumers about electric, natural gas, telephone and water issues. For more information, please visit the OCC website at www.pickocc.org.