New Low-Income Energy Resources in Ohio

On December 17, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved additional funding for gas company low-income energy programs, along with changes to the gas Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP). The Commission approved agreements executed by Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE) and other intervener groups with the Dominion East Ohio, Vectren and Columbia Gas companies as part of a bad debt tracker proceeding.

New funding will be added as follows: Dominion's weatherization program, Housewarming, will receive an additional $500,000 in funding for the next five years; Columbia Gas's WarmChoice weatherization program will receive an additional $500,000 for the next five years, and Vectren will initiate a new weatherization program in the Dayton area funded at $175,000 per year over the next five years. Additionally, Dominion and Columbia will each contribute $175,000 to fuel funds in their respective service territories. Cleveland Housing Network will operate the Dominion program.

All three companies will implement a new arrearage crediting program for PIPP customers. Under the program, customers making 12 annual payments on time will see 1/3 of their arrearages eliminated. Continuing to make payments for a second 12 months eliminates half of the remaining arrears. Making full, on-time payments for a third 12 months eliminates all PIPP arrearages. At that point, households who continue to make timely payments will have their arrearages zeroed out annually. Households that fail to make a payment start the program over but retain the arrearage forgiveness earned to date.

Pleadings in the case can be viewed at http://www.puc.state.oh.us (go to Docketing, enter the Document Information System (DIS) and put Case No. 03-1127 in the search box.) Or, for more information, contact Dave Rinebolt, OPAE, (419) 425-8860, drinebolt@aol.com. For more information about the Ohio PIPP, go to http://www.puc.state.oh.us/PUCO/Consumer/information.cfm?doc_id=93#PIPP

Page Last Updated: December 7, 2005