COLUMBUS, Ind. — Customers of CenterPoint Energy Indiana North will soon see a decrease in fixed charges for natural gas. According to a release from the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC), the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has approved a settlement agreement that reduces natural gas base rates for customers of the former Vectren North territory, which includes Columbus.
The order will reduce the utility’s annual base rates by almost $6 million. However, customers throughout the state are still expected to see higher heating bills due to rising wholesale gas costs.
“We appreciate the Commission’s approval of this agreement and are grateful for the parties’ collaborative efforts to reach a fair resolution,” said Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor Bill Fine in an official statement. “Significant investments the utility has made in recent years will improve the gas distribution system’s reliability and safety. At the same time, this case provided the opportunity to identify savings offsetting the needed infrastructure costs.”
For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
