Three utility-related bills pass the Indiana House
Two of the bills–one establishing utility receiverships and another increasing the cap on pay that trustees on utility boards can earn–received no opposition, passing with a unanimous vote.
Utilities
Articles
Money debate begins in Statehouse over transition to green energy
A bill advancing through the Legislature would add natural gas to the list of clean-energy projects state utility regulators could consider for a financial incentive known as “construction work in progress,” or CWIP for short.
Plunging natural gas prices help relieve inflation pressure
Since the start of 2023, U.S. natural gas prices have fallen 40%, and Europe’s prices are not far behind.
Lawmakers advance bill to let utilities charge consumers earlier for new building projects
Indiana House lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that could encourage more natural gas in the state and allow utilities to charge ratepayers for a plant before it ever goes online.
Bad-landlords measure gets unanimous Senate committee support
A measure allowing utility companies to ask courts to appoint receivers over certain landlords behind on their utility bills passed unanimously out of an Indiana Senate committee Thursday.
AES Indiana agrees to chop cost to customers of plant outages by $57M
Indianapolis-based utility AES Indiana has agreed to reduce the amount it will charge customers for costs related to the breakdown of its newest power plant from $71 million to $13.7 million under a settlement agreement approved Wednesday by state regulators.
Duke’s $29M transmission-line plan to spare trail trees in Westfield
The multiyear project will include installation of two new 69-kilovolt electric transmission lines to serve fast-growing Noblesville and Westfield.
Bitterly cold gusts and icy conditions slow travel, down power lines
Central Indiana awoke Friday morning to less snow than feared, but subzero temperatures and strong wind gusts still closed many area holiday attractions and created slick but passable roads.
Hamilton County studying future water needs of fast-growing area
Intera Inc., an Austin, Texas-based water resources planning company, is leading the study into future water availability in the county.
Hoosier consumer advocates ask feds to probe regional energy operator
An Indianapolis-based ratepayer protection group has asked federal regulators to audit spending by a Carmel-based energy transmission system operator for an annual meeting at luxury resort 600 miles beyond its service territory.
AES Indiana, customers at odds over $41M in costs incurred while power plant was down
The utility is asking for permission to pass on the cost of power it had to purchase from the grid during the outage, but customers are objecting.
Indiana utility seeking 16.5% electric rate increase
Merrillville, Indiana-based Northern Indiana Public Service Co. asked the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission this week to approve the rate increase over two years for its 470,000 customers across 32 northern Indiana counties.
Veleta appointed to Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
David Veleta succeeds David Ober, who resigned as commissioner in June after being named vice president of taxation and public finance for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Citizens Energy says apartment landlord to sell complexes, avoid utility disconnection
Citizens Energy Group on Thursday announced an agreement with landlord JPC Affordable Housing that will result in the sale of four properties and relieve most of JPC’s past-due utility-bill debt, now totaling more than $1.9 million.
Activists call on AES Indiana to retire coal-fired Petersburg plant
The largest and dirtiest power plant in AES Indiana’s fleet is coming under renewed criticism for violating its air and water permits and for maintenance problems that have contributed to higher customer bills.
Environmental group opposes wastewater plant
The Hoosier Environmental Council is now supporting the West Indianapolis Neighborhood Congress in its fight against the wastewater treatment facility the Ben Davis Conservancy District wants to build at 900 S. Tibbs Ave.
Westfield residents seek to save Midland Trace’s trees
Duke Energy Indiana is planning to expand transmission lines, but residents are worried that some routes being considering would spoil the trail and tree-lined neighborhoods.
Supreme Court decision might slow transition to cleaner energy
The Supreme Court ruling limiting the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants could have far-reaching consequences for the energy sector.
Citizens Energy Group proposes acquisition of Ben Davis Conservancy District
Citizens Energy Group announced Wednesday that it wants to acquire a small, little-known political subdivision in Marion County that was months away from starting construction of its own wastewater treatment plant to avoid Citizens’ rate hikes.
Hamilton County plans $45.1M project to add utilities at Bakers Corner
Hamilton County’s plan to install water and sewer utilities near U.S. 31 and East 236th Street will tap $25 million in funds Hamilton County received through the American Rescue Plan Act.