Agreement Reached to Extend Energy Efficiency Programs

Cost-effective, energy efficiency programs will continue to be available for Columbia Gas of Ohio customers after the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) says they reached an agreement with the natural gas utility and others Monday.

Under the agreement, Columbia Gas will spend approximately $20 million per year for new and existing energy efficiency programs for residential and business customers between 2012 and 2016.

“Columbia Gas of Ohio has been a leader in energy efficiency among natural gas utilities, and this new settlement between the Consumers’ Counsel and Columbia will bring even more benefits to Ohio customers,” Interim Consumers’ Counsel Bruce Weston said. “This expansion of existing efficiency programs will help even more Ohioans save money by reducing their use of natural gas.”

The OCC was an instrumental part of developing and introducing energy efficiency programs for Columbia Gas customers. Since 2009, the utility has offered customers low-cost home energy audits and rebates for installing cost-effective home energy improvements such as high-performance showerheads and programmable thermostats.

Both of these residential programs, along with an energy efficient homes construction program, will be continued and four new programs will be added starting in January. The new residential programs are:

• Online Energy Audit – An online audit that helps customers determine how efficient their homes are and provides information on appropriate low-cost actions and available rebates for energy efficiency;
• High Efficiency Heating System Rebates – A program that provides rebates to landlords or rental property owners who replace natural gas heating systems with high-efficiency natural gas models;
• Home Energy Report –High-usage customers are provided, under this program, with information about their monthly natural gas consumption along with ways they may be able to increase their savings; and
• Energy Efficiency Education for Students – A program that offers energy efficiency education to up to 18,000 students per year. Students in grades 5-12 who participate will receive an energy efficiency kit as part of the curriculum.

Under the agreement, Columbia Gas’ WarmChoice program will be able to serve an additional 1,000 customers per year through whole house weatherization. The increased funding for the program will serve 2,600 customers per year who are at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level ($33,525 for a four-person household).

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio must approve the agreement before the energy efficiency programs can be continued.