IURC News Release

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission                                                         

302 West Washington Street, Room 306                                                            

Indianapolis Indiana  46204                                                                                

317.232.2297 office

317.233.1982 fax

www.state.in.us/iurc

 

Contact:  Mary Beth Fisher

 

For Immediate Release                                                                    

January 25, 2002

           

IURC TO GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT SELF-GENERATED ELECTRICITY

 

Today, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission announced plans to gather information about the self-generation of electricity.

 

The IURC is asking for comments from the electric companies which serve Indiana’s 2.7 million residential, commercial and industrial customers, as well as participation from community interest groups and other governmental entities, on the issues surrounding the implementation of distributed resources.

 

The Commission will use the information gathered as it sets the standards to be followed when utility customers install their own generation resources.   The IURC will address this process through its Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Distributed Resources in Indiana.

 

Potential topics to be addressed in this rulemaking include:

 

Interconnection standards

Net metering

            Standby charges

            Buy-back rates

Siting and permitting

Stranded costs

Energy efficiency

 

A staff white paper is available on the IURC’s website: www.in.gov/iurc.   This document is provided as a guide to help direct the comments.  “I would like to encourage a healthy and vigorous dialog between industry stakeholders and all others with an interest in seeing more opportunities for distributed resources in Indiana,” stated Commission Chairman, William McCarty.  “I don’t believe that the true value of these diverse resources to our state, our utilities and all customers has yet been realized.  Hopefully, at the end of this rulemaking process, the rewards to all parties will have made this endeavor worthwhile.”  All comments will be made public and also posted on the website. 

 

Comments are due no later than March 1.   A technical workshop is scheduled for May 9, 2002, and is open to the public.  All comments should be filed electronically.

 

The Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Distributed Resources is an outgrowth of the recent Commission Reliability Investigation.  In Cause No. 41736, the IURC facilitated an environment where regulators, consumers, industry groups, and utilities forged a partnership to work together to address electric reliability and the state's long-term energy needs. This proceeding raised public awareness of the complex issues surrounding reliable electric service, and is now guiding the Commission in developing policies and initiatives that maintain and promote adequate and reliable electric service.  The final report for Cause No. 41736 is available at the IURC website (www.in.gov/iurc).

 

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