Grand jury indicts former state utilities chief Hardy
David Lott Hardy, who was fired from his job as chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in 2010, is accused of official misconduct.
Regulation
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Regulators approve deal on $2.65B gasification plant
Indiana regulators have approved plans for a $2.65 billion coal gasification plant at the Ohio River city of Rockport and a state agency's 30-year contract to buy its synthetic natural gas.
Indiana expands probe into Indy manhole blasts
Indiana utility regulators are expanding a third-party review of Indianapolis manhole explosions to include the latest two blasts.
NIPSCO to spend $5B for power-system upgrades
The Merrillville-based utility said it plans to spend $5 billion in the next 10 years on electrical system improvements, including almost $1 billion on environmental upgrades at its coal-fired plants.
Ethics scandal costs Duke Energy in two rulings
A 2010 ethics scandal involving the former chief legal counsel for the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has come back to bite the state’s biggest electric utility.
Panel: State power rates will rise 20 percent over 6 years
Factors driving up rates will be new plant construction, installation of pollution controls, and improvements to extend the operating life of existing power plants.
Indiana panel gives early approval to new water rules
The rules specify under what circumstances, and by how much, polluters can increase pollution into the state's surface waters.
Cummins OK with new federal fuel standards for trucks
U.S. truck makers are expected to improve tractor-trailer fuel economy by about 20 percent by 2018, saving $50 billion in fuel costs over five years and decreasing carbon-dioxide emissions, President Barack Obama said.
Police, health department busted by state environmental cops
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says an inspection of the State of Indiana Forensic and Health Sciences Lab found open jugs of hazardous materials during an inspection.
Duke ignored water issue at Indiana plant, consultant says
Utility officials waited seven months to act on hazardous water concerns during construction of its costly Edwardsport plant and banked on winning an exemption, which the EPA later denied.
Consumer group accuses Duke of ‘gross mismanagement’
“Gross mismanagement” and improper communications with ex-regulatory chairman are among evidence in testimony to make Duke, rather than ratepayers, swallow major cost overruns at Edwardsport power plant.
Carrier counts on new environmental regulations to drive sales
Carrier Corp.’s plan to invest $36.5 million in its Indianapolis plant hinges in part on how well consumers take to a new platform of high-efficiency furnaces.
Regulators approve Indianapolis water utility transfer
State regulators on Wednesday approved a proposal to transfer control of Indianapolis’ water and sewer utilities to a local not-for-profit trust. The $1.9 billion sale will put management of the utilities into the hands of Citizens Energy Group.
Agency: Duke customers shouldn’t pay $530M in overruns
The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor has filed a blistering rebuke of Duke Energy Corp. for the high cost of its Edwardsport coal-gasification plant and has asked regulators to deny Duke’s request to charge ratepayers $530 million for cost overruns.
Senators propose immediate end to ethanol credit
Two senators from ethanol-producing states proposed Thursday to immediately end a tax credit for the corn-based fuel and agreeing to support shifting some of that money to debt reduction.
Watchdog: State agency heads colluded on gas deal
Former Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission chief David Hardy and the state's then-finance director, Jennifer Alvey, improperly discussed the merits of a $6.9 billion contract the Indiana Finance Authority ultimately struck with operators of the Indiana Gasification plant proposed for Rockport, plant opponents alleged Monday.
Controversial utility bill heads to governor
Opponents say the legislation shifts clean-energy risks to ratepayers and protects utility shareholders. Utilities say they need the legislation to help them comply with federal pollution mandates.
Industrial support for utility sale to cost $1.5 million
The price to get big industrial firms like Eli Lilly and Co., National Starch and Rolls-Royce Corp. to support the sale of the city’s water and sewer utilities to Citizens Energy Group is at least $1.5 million.
Settlement caps Citizens Energy customers’ deal fees
Ratepayers would pay no more than $14 million to cover charges associated with Citizens’ purchase of Indianapolis water and sewer utilities. Some say the capped amount is too much.
New EPA rules could trigger Indiana emission testing
Drivers across Indiana could be required to have their vehicles undergo emissions testing if new federal Environmental Protection Agency rules set for release this summer are strict enough, a state environmental official said.