Columbia Gas of Virginia customers will pay 12-percent less this year than a year ago for their winter natural gas bills.

Effective with customer bills mailed after November 25, a typical residential customer based on a 100 Ccf seasonal usage amount, will have a total monthly bill of $138.42 compared to a similar monthly bill in 2008 of $157.66.

This cost adjustment period covers the winter months of December, January and February. A Ccf is the measurement used for natural gas usage and is the equivalent of 100 cubic feet.

“It is our hope that lower natural gas bills will help individuals and businesses reduce their energy costs this winter,” says Carl Levander, Columbia’s president. “For less than $5 a day, a residential customer can heat their home, cook their meals and have efficient hot water, while enjoying an exceptional energy value.”

Levander emphasized that it is not too late for individuals to perform maintenance on their heating equipment and prepare their homes for the winter. In addition, Columbia’s free budget payment plan is one way to spread out the annual costs of dependable natural gas.

By law, utilities like Columbia are required to pass through the costs they pay for natural gas to the consumer on a dollar for dollar basis without markup. The other components of a Columbia monthly natural gas bill, which are not changed by this filing (and which have not been increased since 1998), include charges for the service and delivery of natural gas and state and local taxes.

Columbia customers can also take the following steps to manage their energy costs:

- Enroll in the free Budget Payment Plan.
- Perform furnace maintenance.
- Install caulking or weather-stripping around windows or doors.
- Keep all registers and air return ducts clear of furniture, carpet, drapes and vacuum them occasionally.
- Add insulation to the attic or crawl spaces.
- Install a set back thermostat.

For more information on steps to manage energy costs, customers can call Columbia’s DirectLink at 800-543-8911.