Columbia Gas Offers Payment Plans For Merrimack Valley Gas Bills

ANDOVER, MA -- Columbia Gas of Massachusetts released details on payment plans for customers hit with high gas bills due at the end of September. The company resumed billing in December for customers in the so-called affected areas of Andover, North Andover and Lawrence for the first time since the Sept. 13 gas explosions. Those retroactive bills, which are due this month, caught many customers off guard.

Under the plans announced Monday, customers can choose from two options:

• make a down payment on the balance due than pay off the remainder in equal installments, along with their regular monthly bill.
• ask the utility for a new total, including current charges and estimated gas usage over the period of their repayment plan, and make equal monthly payments.

The bills were sent in December to people hardest hit by the gas explosions, including residents who did not have gas service for weeks or months. Some of those residents have been asking why their bills are so high given that they did not have service for such a long stretch. Columbia Gas is referring those customers to its service centers in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence to get specific questions about their bills answered and for assistance in setting up repayment plans.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).