COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio's official regulator in 2023 allowed a huge increase in the fixed monthly charges Columbia Gas could collect from all residential customers.

They all have to pay the same fees, no matter how rich or poor they are, and no matter the size or density of their dwellings. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio accepted Columbia Gas' claims that it needed the money for infrastructure improvements even though its parent company is turning nearly $800 million in annual profit and its CEO makes $33,000 a day . But next month, the question of whether those increased charges are in the public interest is headed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The cost of utilities — what you have to pay to light and heat your home — have been exploding in Ohio.

Some of that is attributable

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