Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

What is the OCC?

Role and Overview

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) is the statewide legal representative for Ohio’s 4.5 million residential households in matters related to their utility services. Led by Consumers’ Counsel Bruce J. Weston, the OCC advocates for residential consumers in state and federal courts, administrative proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), federal regulatory agencies and before state and federal courts. The agency also monitors utility companies’ compliance with regulatory standards and orders and educates consumers about utility issues and the services provided by their investor-owned electric, natural gas, telephone and water companies.

The Consumers’ Counsel is selected by a nine-member, bipartisan governing board representing family farmers, organized labor and residential consumers. Each governing board member is appointed by the Ohio Attorney General. The OCC has approximately 40 employees and, during the current fiscal year, an operating budget of $5.6 million.

Since the agency’s inception, the OCC has saved utility customers billions of dollars in avoided utility rates, negotiated payment assistance programs for income-eligible customers and worked to safeguard consumer protections in a challenging utility environment. The OCC staff has educated thousands of Ohio utility customers about choices available to them in a changing industry and ways to save money on their utility bills during difficult economic times.

The Consumers’ Counsel oversees all areas of the agency including:

Operations Department

The Operations Department is responsible for all fiscal and administrative functions of the office including human resources, information management services, budgeting, purchasing, strategic planning, docketing services and contract management. In 2011, after 35 years of operations, the OCC’s Consumer Services Division, that included a utility customer call center, closed its operations due to State of Ohio budget cuts.

Legal Services Department

The Legal Department represents residential consumer interests in state and federal courts and administrative proceedings before the PUCO and federal regulatory agencies. In addition, many policies regarding significant utility issues are identified through the legal area.

Analytical Services Department

The Analytical Services Department conducts technical analysis of utility operations in rate filings and other regulatory proceedings. This work includes accounting, economic and financial analysis, as well as managing projects such as utility cost determinations and economic impact projections. The department also monitors utility company compliance with state statutes, regulations, codes and company policies.

Legislative Services Department

The OCC is committed to actively participating in the legislative process involving issues relating to public utilities. The OCC monitors legislative activities, provides testimony on bills relating to utility issues and is available to assist legislators in the drafting of legislation.

Communications Department

The Communications Department is responsible for educating consumers and creating awareness of the services provided by the OCC through media relations, outreach and education activities and speeches, publications, consumer research and the website.

The OCC website, www.pickocc.org, is a user-friendly and understandable source of information for utility customers. Among the publications that the OCC distributes online are:

• Consumers’ Corner, a bimonthly publication focused on residential utility consumer issues. Each newsletter features current utility topics, consumer tips and alerts, a calendar of upcoming outreach and education events and other relevant news;

• Current press releases about significant utility issues as well as an archive of previous releases, newsletters, fact sheets, brochures as well as the award-winning annual reports to the Ohio Legislature are available at the Media Center;

• An interactive “Smart Energy House” helps empower customers with a room-by-room guide showing them how to conserve energy and lower their energy costs;

• Comparing Your Natural Gas Choices, comprehensive natural gas fact sheets for customers of all major investor-owned local distribution companies, that offer rate comparisons with independent retailer prices, worksheets for customers to compare costs and county-by-county maps to assist them in factoring their local sales tax into their costs;

• A companion fact sheet, Comparing Your Electric Choices,offers a comparison of retailer offers with generation and transmission rates assessed by the electric utilities; and

• Informational publications covering the electric, natural gas, telephone and water industries as well as utility assistance programs and energy efficiency.

OCC has had to cancel many of its services, including its consumer call center, due to recent budget cuts. We realize you may continue to need assistance with your utility services. OCC's website provides free access to publications and resources.

You may seek assistance with utility complaints from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio:
800-686-7826. For complaints about non-utility related services, you may call the Ohio Attorney General
at 800-282-0515.