PUCO & OCC

What is PUCO

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) affects just about every household in Ohio. The PUCO regulates utility service providers of all kinds including natural gas utilities. The PUCO was created to assure Ohioans adequate, safe, and reliable public utility services at a fair price. More recently, the PUCO gained responsibility for facilitating competitive utility choices for Ohio consumers.

Ways PUCO Works for You

• Monitors and enforces PUCO rules and state laws against unfair, inadequate and unsafe public utility and transportation services.
• Resolves your disputes either informally between you and the company or through our formal complaint process where only the PUCO can order relief and corrective action. The PUCO resolves disputes between utilities and residential, business, and industrial customers, as well as between competing utilities.
• Assures availability of adequate, safe and reliable services to all residential, business, and industrial consumers.
• Provides information about your rights and responsibilities as a utility customer. You can turn to the PUCO for answers to your questions and help with your utility and transportation problems.
• Regulates your rates for utility services where you do not have choices. Even with competition growing in the gas and electric industries, for example, the PUCO still sets the rates for delivery of those services since that part is still controlled by one company.

The PUCO can provide information about utility payment plans, the rules governing utility companies, and the status of pending cases before the Commission. Contact the PUCO call center at (800) 686-PUCO or use the online form to get help with your question.

What is OCC

The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC), the residential utility consumer advocate, represents the interests of 4.5 million households in proceedings before state and federal regulators and in the courts. The state agency also educates consumers about electric, natural gas, telephone and water issues and resolves complaints from individuals.

Changes in utility markets require Ohioans to be more knowledgeable, careful and savvy consumers of utility services. The OCC's job is to make sure consumers have the knowledge, tools, assistance and protection they need to make informed choices.

If you have a question concerning natural gas, call the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel toll-free hotline: 1-877-PICKOCC or use the online form to get help with your question.