Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

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The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) provides knowledgeable outreach and education professionals to talk about issues concerning the electric, natural gas, telecommunications and water industries. Speakers are available free of charge and are prepared to cover a variety of topics to groups of 30 or more during the day and groups of 50 or more after 6 p.m. The length and content of presentations are determined by the needs of the audience.

How Do I Schedule A Speaker?

To schedule a speaker, call (614) 387-2966. Contact the office preferably two weeks in advance to schedule a speaker.

Presentation Topics

• General / Assistance
• Energy Efficiency
• Natural Gas
• Telephone

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General / Assistance

Overview of Services of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel
This presentation describes the role of the OCC as the residential utility consumer advocate. The OCC provides many services and offers many informative publications and educational materials on a variety of utility issues. The OCC assists customers by answering utility questions and educating about the utility assistance programs.

Consumer Protections
Protect yourself from unscrupulous sales practices. Learn how to identify scams and how to effectively say “no” to those who try to sell unnecessary goods and services. Receive information about your customer rights.

Managing Your Utility Bills
As utility costs rise, learn how to manage your electric, natural gas and telephone bills. This program will discuss utility assistance programs, budget billing, and energy efficiency.

Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills
Most customers are interested in lowering their utility bills but may not know how. This program includes a discussion of budget billing, energy choice, utility assistance and energy efficiency. Making a few simple changes can help you save money every month.

Medical Certifications – Keeping connected to your utilities
Customers who have conditions that are especially dangerous to health have the option of requesting a medical certification to prevent a disconnection or allow the reconnection of utility services. Learn about the protection provided by medical certifications, who is eligible and how to use them.

PIPP Plus – Keeping customers connected to utilities
Learn about the new Percentage of Income Payment Plan. This program helps low-income customers stay connected to utility services. Learn about the changes in the program, who is eligible and how to apply.

Stay Connected to Your Utilities – Maintaining utility services (Train-the-Trainer)
This in-depth program provides information on financial assistance programs to help keep electric, natural gas, and telephone services connected. The “train-the-trainer” program is available to agencies and organizations that serve low-income consumers. A half-hour version of the program is available for consumers. Topics covered include an overview of OCC services, utility assistance programs, customer rights, payment arrangements and budget billing.

Stay Connected to Your Utilities – Maintaining utility services (Consumer)
This program provides information on financial assistance programs to help keep electric, natural gas, and telephone services connected. This program is available to customers who want to learn more about the assistance programs. Topics covered include an overview of OCC services, utility assistance programs, customer rights, payment arrangements and budget billing.

Lunch & Learn
Organizations and companies can schedule sessions for their employees to learn about their utilities during the lunch hour (or any time during the workday). Popular presentation topics include Smart Energy Living and Ohio’s Energy Future – wind, solar and biomass.

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Energy Efficiency

Residential Energy Efficiency – Energy tips to help you save
Are you interested in making your home more energy efficient and lowering your energy bill? This program discussed the best measures to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Learn about programs offered by your local utilities that can assist you with these changes.

Are You an Energy Saver?
One of our newest presentations, this program helps customers learn about energy efficiency options. Participants divide into teams and play a game of choosing the best energy efficient option for each question.

Energy Savings During the Holidays (seasonal)
Christmas lights consume the most holiday energy because the lights tend to be used more frequently and for longer periods of time. A single home could use thousands of extra kilowatts and spend more than an additional $100 a month on energy by adding seasonal decorative lights. Energy consumption is multiplied with every string of lights added to a display. Learn cost effective ways of saving on energy bills during the holidays.

Renewable Energy – Ohio’s Energy Future
With a limited supply of fossil fuels and increased energy costs, it is important to look for alternative forms of energy. Learn about Ohio’s potential for wind energy, the possibility of solar and biomass, and current projects in Ohio.

Saving Green by Being Green – Tips to help you save money
Green is the symbolic color of environmentalism and sustainability. In many cultures, green is the color associated with nature and growth. This program discusses ways to become more energy efficient in your home and programs available to assist you as your make the change.

Smart Energy Living
Save money on your energy bills by making your home more energy efficient all year round. Hear tips on how to save money on your natural gas, electric, and water bills by making no-cost or low-cost changes around the house. Learn about the benefits of Energy Star appliances, CFL light bulbs, programmable thermostats and other energy-saving tips.

Solar Water Heating – Using the sun to save energy
Water hearing accounts for 12 -13% of home energy use. If you are considering making a change to solar water heating this program will guide you through the process.

Summerizing Your Home – Tips to help keep you cool (seasonal)
Air conditioning has only been around in the majority of homes since the early 70s. Many homes use window air conditioners or no air conditioners at all. So what can you do to keep your house cool if you do not have AC? Learn ways to stay cool this summer even if you do not have air conditioning. Our smart energy tips will also help you save money on your energy bill.

Weatherization Workshop
A hands-on workshop designed to arm participants with new skills to weatherize their homes. Learn how to install plastic on windows, weather-strip a door and install a door-sweep. Participants learn skills they need to make their homes more energy efficient.

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Natural Gas

Natural Gas Choice – Learn about your energy choice options
The major natural gas utilities in Ohio offer their customers the choice of buying their natural gas from an alternative supplier. Learn the potential benefits that choice provides and how to make the best decision for you when choosing a natural gas. Available for customers of Columbia Gas of Ohio, Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio, Dominion East Ohio and Duke Energy.

Columbia Gas Residential Energy Efficiency Programs
Learn about the Simple Energy Solutions, Home Performance Solutions and Warm Choice Weatherization offered by Columbia Gas of Ohio. These programs offer Columbia customers simple solutions for reducing energy use and lowering their energy bill. The program discusses the low-cost energy audit and rebates availability for implementing cost saving energy efficiency measures.

Understanding Your Natural Gas Bill
Do you find your natural gas bill difficult to understand? We will take you through all of the items on your bill and help you make sense of your bill. You will also learn about you natural gas choice options.

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Telephone

Comparing Home Phone to Cellular
Some customers are choosing to replace their home telephone service with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), cable, digital phone or cellular. Learn the pros and cons of these choices. Also, learn about your long-distance service options.

Dialing up Your Telephone Service Options
With the many telephone service options available including traditional land-line, wireless and VoIP customers may find the choices confusing.  What are the benefits? Are there hidden costs? Learn how to make the best choice for your household.

Telecommunications Deregulation –
New telecommunications law and how it may affect you
Residential customers who use landline telephone service will be affected by a
new law that deregulates major aspects of Ohio’s telephone industry. The new law,
Substitute Senate Bill 162, went into effect in September 2010. With the passage of the new law, residential land-line customers are no longer protected under the Minimum Telephone Service Standards. Learn about the changes resulting from the law and how it impacts your service, consumer protections and costs.

Trouble on the Line – From fine print to fraud
Anyone can fall victim to telephone and Internet scams. Learn about spoofing, cramming and telephone scams and how to protect yourself and secure the privacy of your telephone records.

Understanding Your Telephone Bill
Telephone bills can be difficult to understand. Learn about charges you can control and those that can be avoided. Understanding the charges on your telephone bill can help you make sure that you are not overcharged.

 

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.