utilities

La Casa de Amistad is helping St. Joseph County families cover utility and housing costs this winter through programs supported by United Way and community donors.

Indiana’s largest electric utility is asking state regulators to approve almost $500 million in new rate increases. This is the second price hike request since 2019 and would raise the average consumer’s bill by about $27.

There will be a public meeting in South Bend on Oct. 30 on the measure

It now goes back to the state House to consider changes made to the bill.

The bill seeks to undo the effect of an Indiana Supreme Court decision involving the cost of cleaning up Duke Energy's coal ash waste.

The bill would make it so no water samples could get taken from a city’s combined sewer overflow during or after heavy rains or flooding. That means the state couldn’t slap them with a violation.

It’s something utilities can already do with other types of power. But some question whether ratepayers would benefit overall and if the state should encourage more natural gas.

It now moves to the state Senate for consideration.

Solar advocates said the Indiana legislature is helping utilities eliminate their competition by making independent solar less affordable. That was the message at this year’s Renewable Energy Day at the Statehouse.

The bill cuts the amount of power utilities can buy from the grid during peak demand in half. That means they’d have to show they can generate about 85 percent of their energy themselves or from contracts with other companies.