Ga. Natural Gas agrees to $2.5 million price dispute settlement

ATLANTA - One of Georgia's leading natural gas marketers has agreed to pay $2.5 million to longtime variable-rate customers who say they were misled and overcharged through a change in prices.

Georgia Natural Gas was one of two retailers involved in the dispute.
The other, SCANA, rejected a $1.25 million settlement crafted by the Public Service Commission. The PSC then voted Thursday to hold a formal investigation into SCANA's variable rates.

Both companies denied wrongdoing by starting cheaper variable rate plans to attract new customers. The longtime customers stayed on their plans unless they asked to be switched.

Two lawsuits filed late last month seek triple damages from the marketers and class-action status. Settlements reached with the PSC do not end those lawsuits.
Georgia Natural Gas agreed to give $25 credits to eligible customers, but its total payments will not exceed $2.5 million. That means if more than 100,000 customers receive credits, each amount will be less than $25.