This afternoon, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) denied Vectren Energy Delivery’s request to add a new surcharge to electric bills. Vectren sought the new charge to recover costs for a dense pack technology project undertaken at its A. B. Brown Generating Station to overhaul its steam turbines there.

The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) in its testimony urged the Commission to reject Vectren’s request, which had been premised upon a new state law allowing expanded rate recovery for clean energy projects.

“The OUCC made the case that the law’s purpose is not to incentivize normal utility plant replacement as was the case with Vectren’s dense pack project,” said Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor David Stippler. “Naturally, I am pleased with today’s IURC Order and the conclusion that it reached in denying the relief Vectren had requested in its entirety. Vectren’s proposed surcharge would have inappropriately compensated the utility at the expense of its electric ratepayers.”

Vectren provides electric service in six southwestern Indiana counties. The company’s natural gas utility operations were not at issue in this case.