Cinergy chief declares war on Indiana ratepayers, threatens $4 million lobbying campaign

Jim Rogers, who heads the Ohio-based utility company that absorbed PSI several years ago, has declared a lobbying war against Indiana ratepayers in order to force electric utility deregulation through the 1999 General Assembly.

He was quoted in a June Louisville Courier-Journal article saying, "We’re going to have a full-court press" to pass utility deregulation legislation early next year. "I see us spending $3-4 million this year in Indiana," he said.

In response to Rogers’ statement, CAC utility policy coordinator Jerry Polk told the Courier-Journal, "For Indiana, that’s a lot of money. That’s almost a gubernatorial campaign."

During the past two legislative sessions, Cinergy and other utilities have unsuccessfully attempted to push through restructuring legislation. CAC has opposed these attempts because the bills did not promote true competition and did not protect residential customers.

The Cinergy plan would represent one of the largest investments ever to lobby pro-utility and anti-consumer legislation through the General Assembly.

"A single company declaring that it is going to spend as much as $4 million to get its way at the State House is also saying that it does not care about the real public interest. To us, that is a virtual declaration of war on Indiana ratepayers," said John Cardwell, CAC legislative director. "If that is the way that Cinergy wants to work the public policy process, then CAC will respond by organizing Indiana ratepayers to protect their interests at the General Assembly."

For more information about the pending restructuring battle in the 1999 Indiana General Assembly.

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