COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments late next month in a case that tests the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s authority to approve rate settlements that increase guaranteed utility revenue while eliminating conservation programs.

The case, which affects hundreds of thousands of Columbia Gas of Ohio customers, including those in Columbiana County, is an appeal filed by two consumer organizations: the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Citizens’ Utility Board of Ohio. The groups are challenging an agreement approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, or PUCO, in January 2023.

The settlement allows Columbia Gas to increase its total annual revenue by approximately $68.2 million. A point of contention is the provision that raises the f

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