Learn / Natural gas bill
How to read your Ohio natural gas bill
A gas bill works like an electric bill with different units: who supplies your gas, what you pay per Ccf, and how that compares to the default rate. The numbered markers on this sample match the six steps below — grab your real bill and follow along.
Know that one bill = two companies
The company that delivers gas through the pipes (your utility) and the company that sells you the gas (your supplier) can be different, sharing one bill. The utility is fixed by where you live; the supplier is the part you can shop.
On the bill, look for: your utility's name at the top, and — if you have a supplier — a second company name further down.
Find your supplier
A company name that isn't your utility means you have a supplier. If the section shows only your utility's name (or says SCO), you're on the default rate — which, for gas, is often a perfectly good place to be (step 5).
On the bill, look for: a section called “Gas supply,” “Supplier,” or “Gas cost,” with a company name in it.
Find your rate
Your rate is what you pay for each unit of gas — $0.499 per Ccf on the sample. One unit warning: an Mcf is exactly 10 Ccf. If your bill prices gas per Mcf and an offer is per Ccf, divide the Mcf price by 10 before comparing — $4.99/Mcf is the same as $0.499/Ccf.
On the bill, look for: a price per Ccf or Mcf, like “$0.499 per Ccf” or “$4.99 per Mcf,” in the supply line.
Find your usage
Gas usage swings hard with the seasons — the sample's chart is tall in January and nearly empty in July, which is what most Ohio homes look like. That's why the yearly total is the number to compare plans with: a monthly fee hurts much more in months you barely use gas.
On the bill, look for: a Ccf or Mcf number for this period, plus a 12-month history chart.
Compare your rate to the SCO
The SCO is the default rate, reset every month by an auction that tracks the market. It's a genuinely hard benchmark to beat over a full year — many fixed offers cost more in exchange for winter price certainty. That trade can be worth it; just make it knowingly. If your supplier rate is well above the SCO, it's time to shop.
On the bill, look for: the words “Standard Choice Offer,” “SCO,” or on some bills “SSO” or “GCR,” with a rate next to them.
Skip the delivery charges
Delivery pays for the pipes and stays identical whichever supplier you choose. Leave it out of every comparison.
On the bill, look for: a section with your utility's name: meter, distribution, safety riders.
Before you switch anything
- Check your current contract's end date and exit fee. An early termination fee can erase a winter of savings.
- In a community aggregation program?Leaving your city or county's group rate mid-cycle can mean waiting for the next enrollment window to get back in. Check with your community first.
- Mind the units.Offers per Mcf next to a bill per Ccf (or the reverse) are the easiest way to misjudge a deal by 10×. Divide or multiply by 10 so you're comparing the same thing.
Rather not dig through it yourself?
Snap a photo of your gas billand MeterMiser reads it for you — your supplier, rate, and usage, pre-filled in seconds. You review every value before it's saved. Then we watch the market and tell you when a better deal shows up. Free to start, and we never sell your information or take money from suppliers.
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Words you'll see on your bill
- Utility
- The company that owns the pipes and delivers gas to your home (Columbia Gas, Enbridge, CenterPoint, Duke). You can't choose this company — it's set by where you live.
- Supplier
- The company that sells you the gas itself. In Ohio you CAN choose this one. Its charges show up on the same bill your utility sends.
- Ccf
- One hundred cubic feet of gas — the unit most Ohio gas bills use. A typical Ohio home burns a few Ccf a day in winter and almost none in summer.
- Mcf
- One thousand cubic feet — exactly 10 Ccf. Some utilities bill in Mcf instead. To compare an Mcf price to a Ccf price, divide the Mcf price by 10.
- Supply charges (gas cost)
- The part of the bill that pays for the gas you used — your usage times your supplier's rate. This is the shoppable part.
- Delivery charges
- The part that pays the utility for pipes, meters, and safety work. Identical no matter which supplier you pick, so ignore it when comparing offers.
- Standard Choice Offer (SCO)
- The default gas rate for customers who haven't picked a supplier, set by auction and tied to the market price. It changes every month. On Duke bills you may see “SSO” or “GCR” instead — same idea.
- Fixed vs. variable rate
- A fixed rate stays the same all contract long — you're paying for winter price certainty. A variable rate follows the market up and down.
- Early termination fee (ETF)
- What a supplier charges if you leave a fixed contract before it ends. Found in the supplier's contract terms, not usually on the bill.
- Budget billing
- A utility program that averages your bills so winter and summer payments are level. It changes when you pay, not what gas costs you.
Every utility arranges its bill a little differently — the sample above is a teaching diagram, not any company's actual bill. The pieces shown are on yours, even if they're in different spots or use slightly different words. This guide is general information, not financial advice; always confirm rates and terms with a supplier before signing anything.