DAYTON, Ohio -- Vectren gas customers are outraged at a proposed price hike for coming months.  Vectren has proposed changing its billing system from a usage-based fee to a fixed-service fee, which would cost residential customers about $7 more a month.

Community members are complaining about the price hike - some are already struggling to pay their heating bills.

"This is just the rich feeding from the poor," said Xenia City Councilman Dale Louderback.  The Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) said the plan undercuts incentives for customers to conserve energy.

The change in billing would raise the customer charge from $7 to $16.75 per month from November to April, and from $7 to $10 per month from May to October. The monthly customer charge during winter would rise again to $22 in November 2010.

Vectren spokesperson Chase Kelley said the increase will help the company maintain the costs of maintaining its delivery pipelines.  In all, the increases will generate $27 million in revenue for Vectren.

The OCC has said that Vectren has yet to show the need for the $27 million increase.