The IURC issued an order setting NIPSCO's current electric base rates on Aug. 2, 2023.
The order approved a settlement agreement among most of the case's formal parties, which reduces the total revenue increase by approximately $103 million.
NIPSCO initially filed a $395 million request under IURC Cause No. 45772.
NIPSCO’s original request would have raised an average monthly residential electric bill – at 668 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month – by $19.69. Under the agreement, the increase would be limited to $12.37 when fully phased in next year. The monthly residential customer charge would rise from $13.50 to $14.00, instead of the $17.00 charge the utility had proposed.
Natural gas rates and services were not at issue in this case.
- Utility Testimony (Initial Request)
NIPSCO filed its petition and the following testimony on Sept. 19, 2022:
- Hooper
- Whitehead
- Shikany
- Blissmer
- Camp
- Bly
- Gode
- Baryenbruch
- Talbot
- Carmichael
- Campbell
- Augustine
- Cartella
- Kopp
- Spanos
- Rea
- Harding
- Bartos
- Taylor
- Siegler
- Becker
The utility's accounting work papers and additional exhibits are posted on the Commission's website.
- Public Input
The OUCC invites written public comments in all pending cases before the IURC. Comments must be received one week before the OUCC's testimonial deadline. The OUCC filed nearly 800 written consumer comments with its Jan. 20, 2023 testimony.
This case also included two IURC public field hearings, one in December 2022 in Hammond, and the other in Valparaiso in January 2023. The OUCC issued a Nov. 29, 2022 news release to invite comments.
- OUCC Testimony
The OUCC filed the following testimony on Jan. 20, 2023, based on a four-month technical and legal review of NIPSCO's proposal.
- Settlement Agreement
The settlement agreement in this case was filed with the IURC on Mar. 10, 2023.
Parties to the agreement include the OUCC, NIPSCO industrial customers (Accurate Castings and Kingsbury Castings, BP Products North America, Cargill, Cleveland Cliffs Steel, Enbridge, Linde, Marathon, and USG Corporation), US Steel Corporation, NLMK Indiana, Walmart, RV manufacturers, and NIPSCO.
The Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana and ChargePoint filed notices of non-opposition.
Testimony filed in support of the agreement is available on the Commission website.
8-2-23