During August, Columbia Gas customers can sign up for the 2022-23 budget plan in three ways:
•Pay the “budget payment” amount on their August bill
•Online at ColumbiaGas Ohio.com/Budget
•Call 1-800-344-4077 to speak with a customer service representative Customers avoid higher heating costs in the winter by spreading payments over 12 months. Once enrolled, customers will pay the “budget payment” amount listed on their monthly bill from August 2022 to July 2023. The amount will be the same each month, eliminating the guesswork and avoiding increased heating costs during the winter. Accounts are reviewed and adjusted, if needed, for accuracy in March. Each customer’s amount is calculated individually by looking at their previous usage rates, 30-year typical weather and the present and estimated cost of natural gas. The plan is free and open to all Columbia Gas customers.
For customers needing assistance, the Ohio Department of Development, in partnership with the PUCO, has increased the Percentage of Income Payment Plan, or PIPP, threshold from 150 percent of the federal poverty level to 175 percent. PIPP is a payment reduction program that allows eligible customers to pay just 5 percent of their monthly income or $10 for their gas service each month.
