Pending Rate Case
Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) is requesting a base rate increase for its electric utility in a newly filed case. The utility's request would raise annual revenues by approximately $368.7 million (20.15%).
All publicly filed documents in this case (Cause No. 46120) will be available on the IURC's website.
- The OUCC is the state agency - separate from the IURC - that represents all consumers in cases before the Commission.
- OUCC attorneys and analysts will review the utility's testimony and exhibits. The OUCC is scheduled to file testimony on Dec. 19, 2024.
Most rate cases take approximately 300 days to complete, and a final order from the IURC is not expected until the summer of 2025. The OUCC's timeline outlines the steps in the process.
Natural gas rates and services are not at issue in this case.
- Utility Testimony (Initial Request)
- Public Comments
Written public comments are invited through Dec. 12, 2024.
Three public field hearings will be held in NIPSCO's service territory for this case. The first field hearing is scheduled for the following date and local time in Valparaiso:
- Date: Tuesday, Nov. 26
- Time: 6 p.m. Local time (CST)
- Location: Ivy Tech Community College, Valparaiso Campus Auditorium
3100 Ivy Tech Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46383
Consumers are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early for an overview of field hearing procedures and the rate case process. Attendees are required to comply with all local health and safety regulations. No final decisions about the case will be made at the hearings. A news release was issued on Nov. 18, 2024.
Two public field hearings will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5. The first will be in Hammond and the second in Gary:
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 5
- Time: 12:30 p.m. Local time (CST)
- Location: Hammond City Hall, Council Chambers Room 209
5925 Calumet Avenue, Hammond, IN 46320
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 5
- Time: 5:00 p.m. Local time (CST)
- Location: Gary Public Library - Woodson Branch
501 S. Lake Street Gary, IN 46403
A news release was issued on Nov. 25, 2024.
An OUCC fact sheet was made available at the public field hearings in this case.
- OUCC Testimony
In the following testimony filed on Dec. 19, 2024, the OUCC recommends decreasing the utility's authorized cost of equity to 9.0% from its proposed 10.6% and keeping the monthly customer service charges at their current levels. Instead of NIPSCO’s request for a $368.7 million electric base rate increase, OUCC analysis shows that an increase of $203.2 million is warranted based on the case’s evidence and applicable law. In addition, the OUCC identified numerous line items from the utility's proposed amounts for operating and maintenance expenses.
Approximately 4,900 written consumer comments were filed with the OUCC’s testimony, including resolutions received from local governmental entities, school corporations, and other customers in the utility’s service territory. In addition, 68 NIPSCO customers spoke at the IURC’s three public field hearings in this case.
NIPSCO’s rebuttal testimony is due on Jan. 16, 2025.
The OUCC issued a media release Dec. 20, 2024.
All publicly filed documents in this case (Cause No. 46120), including testimony from any intervening parties, are available on the IURC's website.
Previous Rate Cases
- 2022-2023 Rate Case (Current Rates)
The IURC issued an order setting NIPSCO's current electric base rates on Aug. 2, 2023.
The order approved a settlement agreement among most of the case's formal parties, which reduces the total revenue increase by approximately $103 million.
NIPSCO initially filed a $395 million request under IURC Cause No. 45772.
NIPSCO’s original request would have raised an average monthly residential electric bill – at 668 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month – by $19.69. Under the agreement, the increase would be limited to $12.37 when fully phased in next year. The monthly residential customer charge would rise from $13.50 to $14.00, instead of the $17.00 charge the utility had proposed.
Natural gas rates and services were not at issue in this case.
- 2018-2019 Rate Case
The IURC issued an order setting NIPSCO's current electric base rates on Dec. 4 2019. The order approved a settlement agreement among most of the case's formal parties, which reduces the total revenue increase by approximately $103 million.
The OUCC and a number of additional parties have reached a settlement agreement on some, but not all, of the case's issues, including monthly customer charges (reducing the residential charge from $14.00 to $13.50) and the utility's overall revenue requirement (allowing a 3.25% system-wide increase rather than the utility's 7.77% request).
A second, separate settlement agreement between NIPSCO and industrial customers addresses cost allocations within the industrial class of customers. The OUCC was not party to this second agreement and filed testimony on June 17, 2019.
To review all publicly filed documents in this case, please see the file on the IURC website. under IURC Cause No. 45159.
Natural gas rates and services were not at issue in this case.
This page will be updated based on developments in the pending rate case.
12-20-24