columbia gas Monthly payments for budget plan to increase $20

Staff report

Residential customers participating in Columbia Gas of Ohio’s Budget Payment Plan can expect to pay $20 more per month to cover the cost of heating their homes this winter, the energy-distribution company announced Wednesday.

In August, Columbia Gas set the average monthly rate for the 12-month payment plan at $67, after reviewing home usage, projected natural-gas prices and delivery costs.

But frigid weather caused spikes in consumption and the market price of natural gas, leading the company to increase the monthly payments by 30 percent to $87.

The announcement was the result of an annual review, conducted each winter, to determine the impact of weather conditions and fluctuations in the market price of natural gas. If necessary, the company adjusts monthly payment amounts to keep them in line with customers’ actual account balances, said spokeswoman Shana Eiselstein.

In the past six years, the company has made two downward adjustments when the winter was more mild than expected, she said.

“That’s a very good demonstration of the effect the weather and consumption can have on customers,” she said.

About 407,000, or 31 percent, of Columbia Gas customers participate in the Budget Payment Plan.