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

Natural gas auction produces low price for Dominion consumers choosing
the standard offer

COLUMBUS, OH – Feb. 20, 2013 –Dominion East Ohio customers who purchase their natural gas at the utility’s standard offer rate will continue paying a low rate. Today, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved the results of yesterday’s competitive auction that determined part of the standard offer rate for natural gas.

The standard offer, technically called the “standard choice offer” or “SCO,” is the rate customers pay if they choose to purchase their natural gas supply through Dominion rather than through a contract with an energy marketer.

“Once again, the auction has given Dominion’s standard offer customers a great low-price option for natural gas.” said Consumers’ Counsel Bruce Weston. 

Consumers may view their Dominion bill or call Dominion at 1-800-362-7557 to confirm their present rate plan.  To purchase natural gas on the rate plan that is based on Dominion’s auction, consumers need to specifically ask Dominion for its “standard choice offer” rate.

At yesterday’s auction, 13 energy marketers bid for the right to supply natural gas through Dominion’s pipelines to customers who are purchasing natural gas at the utility’s standard offer. The auction’s resulting low bid, 60 cents per thousand cubic feet of natural gas, was identical to the result one year ago. This amount will continue to be added to the wholesale natural gas price each month.

The five winning energy marketers also won the right to have their names listed on customers’ bills. In April, customers may see a different marketer’s name listed on their bill. However, the standard offer price will be the same, no matter which energy marketer’s name appears on the bill.

Dominion will continue to be responsible for pipeline repair, meter-reading, billing and other customer service issues.

Recently, OCC reached a settlement with Dominion and others to preserve residential consumers’ ability to purchase natural gas from Dominion at the standard offer rate until at least April 2016. The standard offer will be eliminated for non-residential (business) customers in April of this year.

Consumers should review all of their options before signing a contract with an energy marketer. OCC publishes a fact sheet that compares price offers from energy marketers to the price of Dominion’s standard offer. This will help consumers make smart energy choices. Click here or visit http://www.pickocc.org/gas/choice.shtml  for price comparison information.

To download information about the PUCO’s approval of yesterday’s auction results, visit the case docket at Dominion case number 07-1224-GA-EXM.

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.