Ohio Assigns Docket for Investigation of Retail Natural Gas Market

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has assigned a docket for an investigation into the development of the state's retail natural gas market.

The docket is 13-1307-GA-COI, In the Matter of the Commission's Review of the Natural Gas Retail Market.

Nothing substantive has yet been filed in the docket.

Ohio recently approved a full exit from the merchant function, in the non-residential class, at Dominion East Ohio, and triggers for a similar non-residential merchant function exit at Columbia Gas. No approval for a residential merchant function exit has been granted, though certain parameters regarding any potential transition have been established.

Dominion East Ohio, Columbia Gas, and Vectren Energy Delivery rely on a retail auction, the Standard Choice Offer, to serve non-shopping residential customers. Duke Energy Ohio continues to rely on the traditional Gas Cost Recovery mechanism, with the utility serving as the supplier for non-shopping customers.

Ohio is currently engaged in an investigation of the retail electric market as well.