Residential customers ranked Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. lower among Southern utilities this year, according to J.D. Power and Associates' annual study, which was released Wednesday.

But the regional list included more companies and harsher ratings all around than in 2008.

ONG dropped to eighth place for 2009 from sixth in last year's J.D. Power South region.

The Southern list added two more utilities for a total of 14, and ONG's 630 points still bettered the regional average of 627.

"The only real conclusion in terms of ranking is that we certainly moved up with respect to our peers in 2009," ONG's spokesman Don Sherry said.

J.D. Power queried utility customers nationwide on factors such as price, billing and payment, customer service, corporate citizenship and communications.

CPS Energy of San Antonio topped the South region with 659 points out a possible 1,000.

Last year's South region leader was PSNC Energy of Gastonia, N.C., with 686 points. The 2008 regional average was 646 points, 20 points higher than this year. ONG's score last year was 647.

J.D. Power's senior director, John Hazen, said he believes agitation over the recession may have made customers stingier in their assessments.

"A piece of the survey asked if you were better off this year than last year," Hazen said. "Only 10 percent said they were better off this year."

ONG's highest-ranking category in the region was second place in residential customer service, but that accounted for only 4 percent of the J.D. Power study.

The Oklahoma utility ranked fifth, eighth and ninth in communications, corporate citizenship and field service, respectively.

ONG's lowest mark was in price, ranking at 12th place among the 14 Southern utilities.

The provider is seeking Oklahoma Corporation Commission approval of a rate increase of $66 million a year.

Sherry said ONG was working to improve public awareness of its philanthropic efforts through its parent company, ONEOK Inc., and the ONEOK Foundation.

ONEOK will publish its first corporate responsibility report in coming weeks, he noted.

ONG has about 825,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Rod Walton 581-8457

Originally published by ROD WALTON World Staff Writer.

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