Despite Low Natural Gas Prices, Columbia Gas Encourages Enrollment in Budget Payment Plan
COLUMBUS, Ohio – As Ohioans continue to enjoy low natural gas prices but still look for ways to best manage tight household budgets, Columbia Gas of Ohio encourages its customers to enroll in the Budget Payment Plan.
The average monthly budget amount for 2010-11 is $81. Natural gas prices, which have tumbled from record highs two years ago, have been stable, allowing the Budget Payment Plan amount to remain about the same as 2009-10, when it averaged $78.
Spreading natural gas costs evenly over a 12-month period allows a consumer to lessen the impact of winter heating bills, freeing up funds in the household budget to help pay other expenses.
Each customer’s budget billing amount is different, and is based on the historical gas usage patterns for their home, the projected cost of natural gas on the wholesale market and current rates for service and delivery. Based on these factors, some customers’ budget amounts may be higher or lower than the average.
Customers are encouraged to enroll in the Budget Payment Plan this month. Waiting beyond August will raise the payment amount as there are fewer months in the budget year over which to spread the costs of winter heating.
Columbia reviews budget accounts in March to determine the impact of weather conditions and swings in the market price of natural gas. The company may adjust budget customers’ payment amounts, if necessary, to keep them on track with actual account balances.
To enroll in the Budget Payment Plan, customers can:
- Pay the promoted amount shown on their August bill, plus any non-utility charges for security deposits, optional services, or fuel fund contributions, instead of the current amount due
- Enroll online at ColumbiaGasOhio.com -- click on Manage Your Account and log in to enroll any time. The Budget Payment Plan is just one of many online services that allow customers to manage “Your Account. Your Way.”, including Direct e-Bill electronic billing and free online bill pay.
- Call 1-800-344-4077 – select option 1 from the main menu and follow the appropriate prompts for information on the budget plan.
Reduce Gas, Electric and Water Bills Through Columbia’s Home Performance Solutions Program
Besides the Budget Payment Plan, Columbia Gas has another program to help customers manage their energy costs. The Home Performance Solutions program offers rebates of up to 70 percent on qualified energy-efficiency improvements that can reduce a home’s annual energy consumption by 30 percent or more, saving up to $6,000 on utility bills over the life of the improvements. The program includes a home energy audit, a $500 value that costs only $50. That amount is refunded if the customer has any of the recommended energy-efficiency improvements installed. Columbia’s rebates can be combined with Federal Energy Tax Credits, manufacturers’ rebates and other incentives to reduce overall costs even more. To schedule an energy audit or obtain more information about the program, Columbia customers should call 1-877-644-6674.
Know What’s Below
Columbia Gas is concerned about its customers’ physical as well as financial security. The company urges anybody planning outdoor projects this summer to call 811 at least two business days before any excavation begins. Dialing 811, required by law, automatically directs callers to the Ohio Utilities Protection Service, which alerts utilities and underground facility owners to identify and mark their lines. More than 256,000 underground utility lines are struck each year in the United States, and up to 35 percent could be prevented by calling 811.
Columbia Gas of Ohio, with headquarters in Columbus, is one of the nine energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). Serving approximately 1.4 million customers in 61 of Ohio’s 88 counties, it is the largest natural gas utility in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve approximately 3.8 million gas and electric customers primarily in seven states.