By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
When Roland Southard opened his home heating bill for January, he was certain it was an error. The winter had been cold, but surely not enough to increase his natural gas bill by 10 times.
He wasn’t alone. His neighbors at Williamsburg on the River, which sits along the Maumee River northwest of Bowling Green, had all seen their Suburban Natural Gas bills spike. One household saw its monthly bill jump from $400 to $1,100, and another from $79 to more than $1,000.
“I’ve been here 30 years and have never seen one over $200,” Southard said, adding that his average bill ranges from $43 to $95 a month.
Residents of Williamsburg on the River began calling Suburban Natural Gas for answers. The explanations for the spike in bills ranged from the increase in fuel prices, to the colder than usual winter, to the war in Iran.
“Depends on who you talked to, what excuse you got,” Southard said.
Calls from BG Independent News to the Suburban Natural Gas office in Cygnet were not returned. But the company’s website did address the increase in monthly bills.
“You may have recently noticed that your natural gas bill is higher than you may have expected,” the statement read. “This is due to the increased price of gas and for many customers higher usage due to the extremely cold weather event at the end of January 2026 and early February 2026. Due to the extreme cold weather, ice, heavy snow, and very low temperatures, natural gas production slowed and, in some cases, shut down in late January which has impacted overall market rates throughout the entire industry.”
The message to customers goes on to explain that Suburban makes “reasonable attempts” at monthly intervals to get actual meter readings, but there are times when readings are estimated instead. The company is required by the state to perform actual readings at least once a year.
Southard believes it was those estimated readings, then higher gas costs, that led to the spike in his bill.
Suburban Natural Gas told him that his bills for October, November and December were all based on meter estimates. Those estimates were lower than the actual usage, he was told, so to make up the difference, the company charged him at the new, higher market rate.
That just isn’t right, Southard said. While he’s willing to pay the difference based on fair market rates for those estimated months, he said he shouldn’t have to pay the current inflated rate.
After lodging his complaints, Suburban reportedly took $150 off Southard’s bill. But the process is flawed, he said.
“I hate to use the word ‘shady,’” he said.
Residents of Williamsburg on the River have no other options for natural gas, Southard said.
“We’re a captive audience,” he said.
Suburban Natural Gas Co., founded in 1882, currently has over 570 miles of natural gas distribution facilities located in Wood, Henry, Delaware and Marion counties. The company currently provides natural gas service to more than 20,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Customers with questions about their natural gas bills, may call 740-548-2450 or 419-655-2345 for a Suburban Natural Gas customer service specialist.
For additional information, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has posted “Natural gas prices during winter – Rising natural gas prices impact bills,” which also offers a complete list of energy assistance programs. Visit the PUCO’s website or click the following link: https://puco.ohio.gov/utilities/gas/resources/natural-gas-prices-during-winter-2026 for additional information.
