[Southsider2k12]

http://www.post-trib.com/business/2638666,...co-0826.article

[quote]NIPSCO electric bills will go up 10 percent
Comments

August 26, 2010
BY GITTE LAASBY, (219) 648-2183

If you're a customer of the Northern Indiana Public Service Co., you can expect to pay an additional 10 percent on your electricity bill, likely starting later this year.

For the first time in 20 years, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission allowed NIPSCO Wednesday to adjust its basic electricity rates. The rate will increase only 4 percent, but the IURC estimated the impact will be about 10 percent for typical residential ratepayers because an annual $55 million credit will be removed. The credit has saved customers about 5.5 percent on their bills.
What it means to you

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission estimates that average-use residential customers will see a 10 percent increase in their electricity bills.

The IURC's approval of the hike does not affect natural gas rates. But gas rates will get about $7.50 cheaper annually for average-use residential customers if the IURC approves a settlement between NIPSCO and consumer groups proposed Tuesday.
See the decision

Read the IURC's full decision on the IURC website, www.in.gov/iurc .

Scroll down and click on "Order in Cause No. 43526."

NIPSCO will determine the exact impact on customers within the next 30 days and file a revised cost-of-service study with the IURC.

"They can't say it's X amount of dollars a month or per kilowatt hour. We have 30 days to provide that information," NIPSCO spokesman Nick Meyer said.

NIPSCO will announce the impact on customers once it's calculated, Meyer said. NIPSCO has not yet calculated the impact on commercial and industrial customers either.

In NIPSCO first rate petition in June 2008, it requested a 15.6 percent increase. That would have amounted to an increase of $12.76 per month for a total bill of $94.44 for an average residential customer who uses 730 kilowatt hours of electricity.

At hearings in Gary and Michigan City in 2009, customers said the company should tighten its belt like everyone else during a recession. Some complained about bad service while others said NIPSCO was trying recoup money from bad investments.

NIPSCO representatives said an increase was necessary to pay for investments in reliability, environmental technology and infrastructure improvements to ensure reliable service. They said the cost to run the Schahfer Generating Station in Wheatfield alone is $777,000 per day.

In its decision, the IURC took note that NIPSCO was rated last in a national customer satisfaction survey of 120 utility companies.

"While the Commission (IURC) has seen recent positive efforts by senior management to address customer and operational shortcomings, the Commission will continue to monitor and evaluate managerial efforts, and will review and revisit those efforts in NIPSCO's next rate case," IURC said in a press release.

NIPSCO still has one electricity rate case pending with the IURC.

NIPSCO Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Staton acknowledged the approved rate increase will impact customers, and said NIPSCO will continue to develop programs that help customers conserve energy and manage monthly bills.

"As part of that effort, NIPSCO plans to make another electric rate filing with the IURC later this year to propose new customer programs and update electric rates to reflect more recent operating costs and usage levels," Staton said in a statement.

Several governmental entities and businesses had protested the hike, including LaPorte and Newton counties, Crown Point, Hammond, Schererville, Munster, U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal.

In a small relief from the increased electricity rates, the IURC announced Tuesday that the average customer's natural gas bill from NIPSCO would decrease $7.50 annually. [/quote[

[diggler]

Could have been worse.

[Homey]

I can't make heads or tails with Nipsco. I'm on the budget plan and have had a rebate for the past two years, but the budget amount continues to go up. WTF?

[Southsider2k12]

I can't make heads or tails with Nipsco. I'm on the budget plan and have had a rebate for the past two years, but the budget amount continues to go up. WTF?

Its called an interest free loan. Its the same reason we almost all get income tax refunds. You are giving NIPSCO your cash to use for free.

[Southsider2k12]

http://heraldargus.com/articles/2010/09/08...d4318316448.txt

County asked to appeal NIPSCO’s rate increase

By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff writer
Published: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 5:08 PM CDT
LA PORTE — The county should appeal a recent decision that will allow NIPSCO to raise residential electric rates about 10 percent, and business electric rates by even more, State Rep. Scott Pelath and attorney Shaw Friedman urged county commissioners Tuesday.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the rate increase at the end of August, and it will cost residents on average between $6 and $18 more per month, depending on usage.

“The hard-working families of this county cannot afford another kick in the teeth as they are working to survive this recession,” said Friedman, the former county attorney who helped La Porte County lead the fight to defeat NIPSCO’s rate increase case in 2002. “Every dollar that leaves the county and heads to NIPSCO to help cover exorbitant executive salaries or board member compensation is a dollar less than can be spent in local businesses.”

Former business owner David Christian also said an appeal is important for the county’s economic development, because business electric rates could skyrocket between 25 and 50 percent under the increase. Friedman said the increase may not be that high, but it will be more than residential rates.

*
“If you consider a business that spends $250,000 a year in utilities, that’s more than one employee right there. Businesses in La Porte County will have to make choices about whether to keep people employed or keep the lights on,” Christian said. “When I closed my business in January, this was one of the considerations I faced.”

Christian owned La Porte manufacturing plant Ampcor, which produced metal parts for caskets. Its closure left 55 employees out of work.

Even now, Indiana Michigan Power customers in neighboring St. Joseph County pay about one-fourth less in utility costs than do NIPSCO customers here, according to a 2009 residential bill survey by the IURC. Any further increases could drive businesses currently located here to neighboring counties, and discourage new businesses from locating here, Christian said.

“This would just exacerbate the employment issue in La Porte County, where we have 11 percent unemployment, higher than the national average,” said Pelath, D-Michigan City. “Our schools have been withheld millions of dollars in property taxes due them already without this issue ... I hope commissioners will look for a way to help when they can.”

NIPSCO has confirmed it will seek another rate increase this year despite its rates already being the fifth-highest of Indiana’s 24 utilities. NIPSCO also ranked the lowest in residential customer satisfaction among the country’s 121 largest utilities, according to a 2009 J.D. Power and Associates survey.

Friedman presented commissioners with several newspaper articles outlining this rate case and other surveys. Commissioners voted to give all the evidence to county attorney Craig Braje to help them decide what to do, and they will address the issue again at their Sept. 21 meeting. Any appeal would need to be filed by Sept. 24, Friedman said.

[diggler]

Its high time getting those solar panels and windmills.

Live Green, LIVE FREE

_

[Southsider2k12]

So when do you think LaPorte County will realize that they can save a lot

[Southsider2k12]

So when do you think LaPorte County will realize that they can save a lot more money by cutting corruption and waste than they ever could fighting NIPSCO over rate increases?

[Ang]

So when do you think LaPorte County will realize that they can save a lot more money by cutting corruption and waste than they ever could fighting NIPSCO over rate increases?

Well since the solution has to start at the top, and the corruption starts at the top, seems to me this statement is a good example of an oxymoron.