Columbia Gas of Virginia Rate Selection Guide
Columbia Gas of Virginia is a NiSource-owned natural gas local distribution company serving roughly 290,000 customers across Virginia. Customers access billing and monthly usage through the myAccount portal and mobile app, while suppliers and C&I third parties use NiSource's proprietary flat-file File Exchange, the LDC Aviator nomination system, and the Historical Data Portal. Virginia's CHOICE program lets customers buy gas supply from licensed third-party suppliers while Columbia Gas provides delivery.
Columbia Gas of Virginia Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| SGS-1 (0-208.9 Dth) | commercial | ~$12.70/Dth billing rate; $30.31 customer + $4.13 SAVE | Small businesses, light commercial |
| SGS-3 (>626.6 Dth) | commercial | ~$8.75/Dth billing rate; $58.68 customer + $37.26 SAVE | Larger small-commercial / restaurants |
| LGS-1 | commercial | $14.53/Dth demand; ~$5.50 to $4.02/Dth firm; $719.39 customer | Mid/large commercial & industrial |
| LGS-2 | industrial | $14.53/Dth demand; ~$4.13 to $3.80/Dth firm; $3,618.47 customer | Very large industrial loads |
| TS-1 / TS-2 | industrial | Delivery-only: $2.0192-$0.5352/Dth (TS-1); $0.6505-$0.3198/Dth (TS-2) | C&I self-procuring gas commodity |
Market Overview
Virginia's retail gas market is deregulated. Columbia Gas of Virginia provides regulated distribution and acts as default commodity supplier (PGA), while customers may buy gas from licensed CHOICE suppliers or, for C&I, via Transportation Service. The Virginia State Corporation Commission regulates delivery rates.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Columbia Gas of Virginia Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Columbia Gas of Virginia C&I customers are billed on Small General Service (SGS-1/2/3) for smaller accounts and Large General Service (LGS-1/LGS-2) for larger accounts, with Transportation Service (TS) and Standby Service variants. Bills combine a fixed customer charge, a SAVE Rider (infrastructure replacement), per-Dth volumetric charges (often tiered/declining-block), and — for LGS — a monthly demand charge. Rates below are verified from the Columbia Gas of Virginia gas tariff (Seventh Revised Volume No. 1) with billing rates effective 5/29/2026 per the May 15, 2025 Final Order in Case PUR-2024-00030.
Effective: May 29, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small General Service 1 (SGS-1) | commercial | Small commercial, 0-208.9 Dth annual. Effective 5/29/2026: ~$12.70/Dth all-gas-consumed billing rate; $30.31 customer charge + $4.13 SAVE Rider. | Customer charge + SAVE Rider + single volumetric $/Dth (gas + non-gas + PGA/ACA). | — |
| Small General Service 2 (SGS-2) | commercial | Mid commercial, 209.0-626.6 Dth annual. Effective 5/29/2026: ~$9.13/Dth billing rate; $35.19 customer charge + $8.59 SAVE Rider. | Customer charge + SAVE Rider + single volumetric $/Dth. | — |
| Small General Service 3 (SGS-3) | commercial | Larger small-commercial, >626.6 Dth annual. Effective 5/29/2026: ~$8.75/Dth billing rate; $58.68 customer charge + $37.26 SAVE Rider. | Customer charge + SAVE Rider + single volumetric $/Dth. | — |
| Large General Service 1 (LGS-1) | commercial | Larger commercial/industrial. Effective 5/29/2026: $14.53/Dth monthly demand charge; firm billing ~$5.50/Dth (first 1,000 Dth) to ~$4.02/Dth (over 5,000 Dth); $719.39 customer charge + $312.82 SAVE Rider. Interruptible option available. | Monthly demand charge ($/Dth) + customer charge + SAVE Rider + tiered declining-block volumetric (firm or interruptible). | — |
| Large General Service 2 (LGS-2) | industrial | Very large industrial. Effective 5/29/2026: $14.53/Dth monthly demand charge; firm billing ~$4.13/Dth (first 20,000 Dth) to ~$3.80/Dth (over 100,000 Dth); $3,618.47 customer charge + $1,683.58 SAVE Rider. Interruptible option available. | Monthly demand charge + customer charge + SAVE Rider + tiered declining-block volumetric. | — |
| Transportation Service (TS-1 / TS-2) | industrial | C&I customers buying their own gas. Delivery-only volumetric: TS-1 $2.0192/Dth (first 1,000) to $0.5352/Dth (over 5,000); TS-2 $0.6505/Dth (first 20,000) to $0.3198/Dth (over 100,000), plus matching demand and customer charges and Banking & Balancing Service. | Demand charge + customer charge + SAVE Rider + delivery-only volumetric (no commodity) + Banking and Balancing. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Large commercial / industrial facility
Use LGS and evaluate Transportation Service to procure your own gas.
LGS firm rates fall from ~$5.50 to ~$3.80/Dth as volume rises; TS lets you replace the commodity charge with a supplier price (delivery as low as $0.32/Dth at high volume).
- Confirm LGS-1 vs LGS-2 based on annual volume
- Manage peak demand against the $14.53/Dth demand charge
- Evaluate interruptible option if load is curtailable
Mid-size commercial (restaurant, retail, small manufacturer)
Confirm the correct SGS tier and consider CHOICE supply.
SGS marginal rates drop from ~$12.70/Dth (SGS-1) to ~$8.75/Dth (SGS-3) as annual volume rises; CHOICE can hedge commodity volatility.
- Verify annual Dth volume against the tier breakpoints
- Compare CHOICE supplier offers to the PGA
- Track monthly My Usage for seasonal spikes
Energy consultant / aggregator
Use Release of Information plus supplier programs to access client usage.
There is no public API; C&I usage history flows through the Historical Data Portal for approved suppliers, and broader access requires the Release of Information authorization.
- Have clients complete the Release form
- Pursue approved-supplier status for HDP/Aviator access
- Plan integrations around flat-file File Exchange, not EDI
Multi-site portfolio operator
Standardize on Transportation Service and centralize nominations.
Self-supplied gas across many sites benefits from a single supplier handling Aviator nominations and balancing, with delivery-only TS rates.
- Aggregate volume to reach higher (cheaper) tiers
- Tighten Banking & Balancing tolerance to cut imbalance costs
- Use HDP exports for portfolio benchmarking
Historical Rate Trends
Columbia Gas of Virginia delivery rates were reset in the May 15, 2025 Final Order in Case PUR-2024-00030, with billing rates effective 5/29/2026. The commodity (PGA) portion adjusts periodically with wholesale gas markets.
May 29, 2026
Billing rates effective 5/29/2026 per the May 15, 2025 Final Order in Case PUR-2024-00030 (new base gas/non-gas, PGA, and ACA components).
n/aMay 15, 2025
Virginia SCC Final Order in Case PUR-2024-00030 set new base delivery rates.
n/aOverall trend: Delivery rates reset via the 2024 rate case (Case PUR-2024-00030); commodity (PGA) fluctuates with the wholesale gas market.
Next expected change: Future base-rate changes occur through Virginia SCC rate cases; PGA adjusts periodically.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Columbia Gas of Virginia C&I bills are driven by the demand charge (LGS), the SAVE Rider, declining-block volumetric rates, and the shoppable commodity. The main levers are right-sizing the rate schedule by volume tier, managing peak demand and balancing on LGS/TS, and procuring competitive gas supply through CHOICE or Transportation Service.
Right-size the rate schedule
For: All C&I accounts
Match the schedule to annual volume — SGS-1/2/3 tiers, then LGS-1 vs LGS-2 — since marginal rates fall sharply with volume (e.g., SGS-1 ~$12.70/Dth vs LGS-2 ~$3.80/Dth at high volume).
Competitive gas procurement (CHOICE / TS)
For: All customers; TS for C&I
Replace the regulated PGA commodity charge with a negotiated supplier price via CHOICE or Transportation Service to hedge winter price spikes.
Demand management (LGS)
For: LGS-1, LGS-2
Flatten peak daily usage to reduce exposure to the $14.53/Dth monthly demand charge on LGS schedules.
Interruptible option evaluation
For: LGS with curtailable load
Where operations tolerate curtailment, the interruptible LGS option carries lower base gas rates than the firm option.
Balancing / nomination discipline (TS)
For: Transportation Service customers
On Transportation Service, accurate nominations and tighter Banking & Balancing tolerance bands avoid imbalance charges.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Columbia Gas of Virginia interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Virginia's retail gas market is deregulated. Through Columbia Gas of Virginia's CHOICE program, customers may buy the gas commodity from a licensed third-party supplier while Columbia Gas continues to deliver it and bill for distribution. C&I customers can use Transportation Service to procure and nominate their own gas. The commodity (PGA) portion of the bill is replaced by the supplier's price; delivery (non-gas base + SAVE Rider + customer charge) remains with Columbia Gas.
How to Compare Columbia Gas of Virginia Suppliers
- 01Review your current Columbia Gas delivery rate and PGA (commodity) charge on your bill
- 02Compare licensed CHOICE supplier offers (per-Dth commodity price)
- 03Enroll with the supplier (residential/small commercial) or sign a Transportation Service agreement (C&I)
- 04Continue receiving a Columbia Gas delivery bill
Contract Terms for Columbia Gas of Virginia Supply Agreements
- Supplier sets the per-Dth commodity price (fixed or variable)
- Term length, renewal, and early-termination terms vary by supplier
- Delivery charges (customer charge, non-gas base, SAVE Rider) stay with Columbia Gas
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Columbia Gas of Virginia Rates
- Variable rates that can spike in winter peak months
- Comparing supplier prices against the regulated PGA, which itself adjusts periodically
- C&I Transportation Service requires nomination discipline and balancing (Banking and Balancing charges apply)
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a C&I customer or consultant access our gas usage history?▾
Two paths: (1) the customer authorizes sharing via the Release of Information form and the third party requests data from Columbia Gas; or (2) for Transportation Service C&I accounts, an approved supplier retrieves usage history through the Historical Data Portal (hdp.columbiasuppliers.com, company 38) using Aviator credentials. There is no public API or Green Button feed.
Does Columbia Gas of Virginia support EDI or a public API?▾
No. Columbia Gas does not use traditional ANSI X12 EDI and does not publish a public REST API or Green Button endpoint. Suppliers exchange data through NiSource's proprietary flat-file File Exchange (encrypted FTP), the Aviator nomination system, and the Historical Data Portal.
Which rate schedule applies to a commercial or industrial account?▾
Small commercial accounts fall under Small General Service (SGS-1/2/3) by annual volume (0-208.9, 209.0-626.6, and >626.6 Dth). Larger accounts use Large General Service (LGS-1 for moderate volumes, LGS-2 for very large) with a monthly demand charge plus tiered volumetric rates, and may elect Transportation Service (TS-1/TS-2) or Standby Service.
What does an LGS customer pay as of mid-2026?▾
Per the tariff effective 5/29/2026 (Case PUR-2024-00030), LGS-1 has a monthly demand charge of $14.53/Dth and a customer charge of $719.39 plus a $312.82 SAVE Rider, with firm billing rates of ~$5.50/Dth on the first 1,000 Dth declining to ~$4.02/Dth over 5,000 Dth. LGS-2 has a $3,618.47 customer charge, $1,683.58 SAVE Rider, and firm rates of ~$4.13/Dth declining to ~$3.80/Dth at higher volumes.
Can a C&I customer buy its own gas?▾
Yes. Through Transportation Service (TS-1/TS-2), a C&I customer procures gas from a supplier who nominates delivery via Aviator. Columbia Gas charges the same demand and customer charges as the firm LGS schedule, plus Banking and Balancing Service charges for imbalance tolerance.
Is interval (sub-monthly) gas data available?▾
Not as a public self-service feed. Most accounts are billed on monthly meter reads; the myAccount 'My Usage' view is monthly. C&I usage history is available to approved suppliers through the Historical Data Portal. For sub-monthly needs, contact Business Support.
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