MARCH 2024 UPDATE - CAC joined a settlement in this case that does the following:

• No increase to monthly fixed charge.
• Cuts NIPSCO's requested rate hike by $41 million.
• Reduces NIPSCO's return on equity (profit for shareholders) from 9.85% to 9.75%.
• No disconnections on Fridays (disconnections are already disallowed on weekends and holidays).
• Increases money for low-income assistance by over $1 million.
• NIPSCO has agreed to conduct through a third party a review of policies and procedures for disconnecting and reconnecting customers for nonpayment, and to remove 
• Removes bankruptcies and insufficient funds criteria as factors that determine which residential accounts will be prioritized for disconnection or other collection activity.
• Raises the dollar threshold for which NIPSCO issues disconnect notices.

The settlement still needs to be approved, denied, or modified by the IURC before it goes into effect. We expect a decision from the IURC in August 2024.

NIPSCO Gas just got a gas rate hike in July 2022, after receiving approval to raise gas bills by over $1 billion in 2020 and 2021.  Now, in Cause Number 45967, NIPSCO Gas wants to raise rates and the monthly fixed customer charge yet again. NIPSCO Gas serves approximately 859,000 gas customers in 32 counties. 

This rate case is primarily being driven by trackers for complying with federal mandates and the company’s seven year pipeline transmission and distribution (TDSIC) plan.

NIPSCO proposes implementing this rate increase in two phases, with the first taking effect by September 1, 2024 and the second by March 1, 2025.