CLEVELAND — Debbie Coon of Elyria is wondering how much higher her Columbia Gas bill could be climbing this winter, as the utility asks the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to approve an increase in fixed charges over the next 5 years.
Coon told News 5 she's already paying more than $150 a month to heat her 700-square-foot home and believes the proposed increase in fixed charges is unfair to low-income customers who must pay more no matter how they try to conserve energy and use less natural gas.
Coon said the proposed increase comes at a time when rampant inflation is hitting working families and seniors especially hard.
"I think it's ridiculous, especially for the people on fixed incomes, the seniors, the under-privileged people," Coon said. “How are they supposed to keep their gas on, there’s a lot of people going without gas right now and it’s just starting to get winter. I think what they should do is make it per cubic foot and make it more fair for everyone around, not just slamming everybody,” Coon added.
Robert Kelter with Environmental Law and Policy Center, which focuses on energy cases and consumer education, believes the proposed $36 to $56 in fixed cost is not an equitable increase. Kelter believes the proposal gives Ohio Columbia Gas customers even less incentive to save energy.
“It means that the smaller users are paying more than ever for their gas, and the wealthier customers who are the biggest users are actually paying less in terms of percentage of Columbia’s costs," Kelter said. “Columbia should be doing everything that it can to help their customers conserve energy through their energy efficiency program, but they made a deal to cancel those energy efficiency programs.”
However, Mike Haugh, Director of Analytical Services for the Ohio Consumers' Council, told News 5 he didn't think the Columbia Gas of Ohio energy efficiency program was working very well. Haugh said the council was able to shave $24 per month off of Columbia Gas' initial proposal and get the utility to agree to fund some crucial programs.
“We were able to negotiate the $3.5 million dollars to help low income customers with bill payment assistance, and then on top of that the $70 million dollars that’s going to go to low income weatherazation," Haugh said. “With the energy efficiency program, only 11% of the customer were using it, and of that, the other 89% of customers were paying for that 11% who were taking advantage of this program. We didn’t feel it was a very effective program."
Columbia Gas of Ohio quickly responded to our story, characterizing the proposed price increase in the following statement:
Columbia Gas of Ohio filed a stipulation on Oct. 31 in the company’s pending rate case with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. This stipulation benefits Columbia’s ratepayers and is in the public interest by bringing a compromised resolution to this proceeding with a majority of the parties. Pending PUCO approval, a typical residential customer’s bill will increase by $3.76 per month.
The PUCO was also quick to respond and said legal briefs on the proposed increase are due to be filed by the intervening parties on Dec 9 and Dec 23, and after that, it will be up to the five-member commission at the PUCO to issue a ruling this winter in early 2023.
The commission also invited Columbia Gas customers to file public comments on the proposed increasethrough its website, and take a closer look at how the PUCO reviews its rate case proposals.
More information on the proposed Columbia Gas of Ohio cost increase can be found inthis News 5 report.
Meanwhile, Coon had a simple message for the PUCO as it deliberates.
“I think you ought to take a second look at this and really think about the people in the State of Ohio," Coon said. "Because there’s a lot of people who are struggling.”
