Utility Bill Assistance form Columbia Gas of Ohio.

Columbia Gas has numerous programs that can assist customers with paying their utility and heating bills. They have created a $1.8 million emergency energy bill assistance fund that goes towards helping customers who are having difficulty paying their utility or heating bills but don't qualify for existing or other government energy assistance programs. Much of the money will go towards ensuring people do not have their service disconnected.

The funds from this emergency program are available to thousands of people across the state. The money is targeted at utility-bill payment assistance and is being offered to Columbia Gas of Ohio customers with total household incomes of between 175 percent and 200 percent of federal government poverty guidelines. So what this means is that for a family of four, the household income could be up to $44,100 per year, which is a fairly significant amount in the current weak economy These qualified customers have not been eligible for other assistance programs from the utility company in the past.

If you are one of the many Columbia customers who believe they might be eligible for this assistance program, you should contact their local community action agency as soon as possible directly to apply for help as funding is limited.

If you are a customer who isn’t sure which local agency serves their area, you can always feel free to call directly the Columbia Customer Contact Center at (800) 344-4077.

Details and information about other assistance programs and payment plans, both from Ohio, the federal government, and Columbia Gas, can also be found at ColumbiaGasOhio.com. Visit the site to learn more.