Columbia Gas of Virginia filed a motion with the Virginia StateCorporation Commission (SCC) last week to extend its pilot programthrough Oct. 1, 2000. The two-year program is set to expire inOctober of this year. The SCC said no date has been set for aruling on the filing.

Columbia Gas said it is seeking the extension because of theprogram’s popularity and because it anticipates statewide customerchoice to be initiated next year. In the two years since theprogram started, 7,750 or 29% of eligible participants haveswitched to one of nine suppliers. The program is available to atotal of 26,500 customers in northern Virginia. Washington Gas alsohas an active pilot program in northern Virginia as well.

“The strength of the program’s acceptance in northern Virginiais the best endorsement for its expansion to Columbia Gas ofVirginia’s customers statewide,” said David Bowman, manager of theLDC’s customer choice program. “The suppliers are offering acompetitive menu of pricing options and other incentives, andthat’s great news for [our] customers.”

Last winter, Columbia played a major role in the passage of Sen.Charles Colgan’s (D-Manassas) gas deregulation bill. However, thebill was altered in the legislative process and worded so that itprevents any of Virginia’s LDCs from requesting the SCC expandtheir pilot programs statewide until the year 2000. “We are veryconfident to have this extension passed. Once we do that, we cancontinue offering choice.. We intend to go back to the GeneralAssembly in early 2000 and ask them to re-enact the deregulationlegislation.”

John Norris

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