Austell Natural Gas Customers Avoid Doubling of Gas Bills

City-owned utility reverses planned rate hike after customer backlash

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Austell Natural Gas customers in metro Atlanta were recently told to expect their gas bills to significantly increase, potentially even doubling, next month. However, during a city council meeting, the utility's general manager announced that the rate hike has been pulled and customers will not see their bills go up.

Why it matters

The planned rate increase would have had a major financial impact on Austell residents, many of whom were already struggling with rising costs of living. The city-owned utility's decision to reverse the hike demonstrates responsiveness to community concerns and the importance of affordable utility services, especially in times of economic uncertainty.

The details

Austell Natural Gas, which serves around 60,000 customers, had planned to raise rates due to increased gas production costs in other states. However, after hearing from angry and frustrated customers at a city council meeting, the utility's general manager, Justin Isbill, said the increase was too significant and would not be implemented. Isbill cited volatility in the gas supply chain as the reason for the initially proposed hike.

Last week, Austell Natural Gas customers were notified of the planned rate increase.
On Monday, the Austell City Council held a meeting where customers voiced their concerns about the proposed hike.

The players