Columbia Gas Proposes Base Rate Hikes for Ohio Customers
Columbia Gas of Ohio customers could see significant increases in their minimum monthly bills starting from 2028, regardless of how much natural gas they use. The utility has filed a preliminary proposal for a base rate increase with the Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) of Ohio.
The proposed base rate would jump from $53.26 to $68.05 per month in 2028, another $5.11 to $72.92 per month in 2029 and an additional $4.41 to $77.12 monthly in 2030 for residential customers. This means that customers would pay these amounts regardless of their usage or other gas-powered appliances.
The estimated cost for a household using 10 mcf (or 10 thousand cubic feet of natural gas) per month would be $137.56 per month in 2028, up from an estimated $122.77 under current rates and gas estimates.
Columbia Gas of Ohio serves nearly 1.5 million customers across 61 of Ohio's 88 counties.
The utility explained that the increase is necessary to recover costs for operating its natural gas infrastructure, including the replacement of aging infrastructure, system monitoring technology, and emergency response capabilities.