By the numbers:
1.4 million — Columbia gas customers across Ohio
$62.88 — Expected average bill per month for Columbia customers for 2015-2016 heating season
$80 per month — Last year’s forecast
Falling natural gas prices will mean the smallest average bills in a decade for thousands of Clark and Champaign county customers this winter.
Customers on Columbia Gas of Ohio’s budget payment plan will likely average $62.88 per month this winter, said Shanelle Hinkle-Moore, the company’s external affairs specialist. That price is down from an average of about $80 per month last year.
“This is the lowest average projected amount in nearly a decade,” she said. “These lower costs are a reflection of the lower cost of natural gas.”
The budget plan allows customers to spread the cost of their heating bills evenly throughout the year, and allows a customer’s bills to remain the same each month. It was designed to help take the guesswork out bills for customers that choose to enroll.
The company has about 39,000 customers overall in Clark County and about 5,400 in Champaign County.
Budget accounts still vary for each customer, depending on issues like historical gas usage patterns, the projected cost of natural gas on the wholesale market and rates for service and delivery. The company can also adjust payment amounts to keep them on track with actual balances.
The company serves about 15, 900 customers in the local service area, which includes parts of Logan, Champaign, Clark and Madison counties. Columbus Gas serves about 1.4 million customers statewide.
In general, the heating season can be tough for many residents, particularly low-income families, said Bowen Chaney, HEAP program director at Opportunities for Individual Change of Clark County. The agency serves as the Community Action Agency for Clark County residents, administering programs that include the Department of Development’s Home Energy Assistance Program and Emergency HEAP program.
The programs provide assistance to help cover utility costs to residents who meet income and other requirements, Chaney said. The lower natural energy prices have little direct impact on the HEAP programs, he said.
But OIC also often acts as an intermediary between utility companies and county residents who need assistance. The agency often helps consumers enroll in budget plans once they regain some financial stability.
The HEAP program runs between November and March and typically serves about 3,000 residents annually, Chaney said.
About the Author