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During their Monday night committee meeting, the Marietta City Council Water and Sewer Committee discussed a possible Dominion Energy rate increase with the Ohio Consumers Counsel.
The OCC is an independent residential utility consumer advocacy group out of Columbus that is currently analyzing and collecting evidence from Dominion Energy's rate increase proposal to take to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to say that the price hike is too high for consumers.
According to Dominion Energy and OCC, the gas company is asking PUCO for a 30% hike in what it charges consumers for natural gas distribution. The increase, if approved, will cost a typical residential consumer more than $100 a year. They are also asking consumers for additional charges such as added on monthly charges (riders) of $8.78 per month this year, with Dominion requesting more add on charges of up to $29.69 per month by 2032.
"The price hike is way too much for consumers who are already hardshipped," said Angela O'Brian from OCC. "It's devastating to the consumers. They can and need to voice their concerns with PUCO."
OCC encourages citizens affected by this rate increase proposal to voice their concerns with PUCO in three different ways; local public and virtual hearings (to be scheduled), commenting online through the PUCO website, and by sending a letter by mail to PUCO.
The OCC will be updating the current consumer alert on their website and social media with the dates, times, and locations of the public and virtual hearings once they are announced.
Water and Sewer Chairman Ben Rutherford asked O'Brian why Dominion Energy was asking for the price increase.
"They have stated they haven't had a rate case in 16 years, although they have had price increases since then," O'Brian said. "Dominion says since costs are higher, the increase is needed."
The OCC has also included on their website the PUCO docket with all the fillings from Dominion Energy.
"It's an uphill climb," said JP Blackwood with the OCC. "But we do our best."
Questions to Dominion Energy have been sent and are awaiting answers.
For more information on the Dominion Energy price hike visit www.occ.ohio.gov/dominion-rate-increase-2024. To file a public comment on the PUCO website visit https://bit.ly/dominion-rate-case-23 or send a letter to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio referencing the Dominion Energy and PUCO Case 23-894 at 180 E. Broad St., 11th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. For the PUCO docket with the Dominion Energy fillings visit https://bit.ly/dominion-rate-case-23.
Gretchen Dowler can be reached at gdowler@newsandsentinel.com