Latest news with #IndianaUtilityRegulatoryCommission
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IURC Chariman Jim Huston announces plans to retire in early 2026
Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Chairman Jim Huston said he plans to retire by January 2026. (Photo courtesy IURC) Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) Chairman Jim Huston announced his retirement Friday and said he plans to step down in January 2026 after more than a decade with the agency. Although Huston's second term officially ended April 1, he has remained in the role temporarily — and will continue to do so until a successor is appointed. He was originally named to the commission by Gov. Mike Pence in 2014 and reappointed as chairman by Gov. Eric Holcomb in 2018. The IURC Nominating Committee is now seeking Huston's replacement, the commission said in a news release. 'It is with a grateful heart that I announce my intent to retire,' Huston said in a written statement. 'It is a blessing to work alongside our incredibly talented professional staff every day, and I am proud of the work we accomplish on behalf of Hoosier families.' CONTACT US The powerful five-member commission oversees more than 600 electric, natural gas, steam, water and wastewater utilities operating in Indiana, according to its website. It regulates rates, financing, bonding, environmental compliance plans and service territories, with final say over changes to the utility bills millions of Hoosiers pay. During his tenure, Huston worked to streamline agency processes and reinstituted semi-annual 'Reliability Forums,' where utility stakeholders assess seasonal preparedness for energy demand. In 2024, he testified before the U.S. Congress on state-level challenges facing electric service reliability. Huston currently serves as co-chair of the Federal-State Issues Collaborative, and holds roles with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and GTI Energy. 'I want to thank Chairman Jim Huston for his service with the IURC over the past decade. He is a lifelong public servant and is leaving the agency in much better shape than when he arrived,' Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement. 'I wish Chairman Huston the best in retirement.' Prior to his IURC appointment, Huston served as chief of staff at the Indiana State Department of Health. During Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration, he separately served as executive director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The office has since been absorbed by Indiana's Department of Workforce Development as the agency's 'Serve Indiana' division. Huston also worked for four members of Congress and former Gov. Robert Orr. He has twice received the Sagamore of the Wabash, one of Indiana's highest honors. Huston said he looks looks forward to 'the next chapter' of his life, which will include 'spending a little more time' with his family and grandchildren. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Braun signs ten bills into law
Gov. Mike Braun signs a pair of executive orders dealing with unemployment insurance in his Statehouse office on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Gov. Mike Braun signed ten bills — technically enrolled acts — into law on Tuesday, including a contentious parental rights proposal and one adding requirements for developers of long-haul water pipelines. Bills become enrolled acts after passing through both chambers. All ten bills were due for governor action by Tuesday. Under Senate Enrolled Act 4, developers of long-haul water pipelines — defined as structures over 30 miles in length transporting more than 10 million gallons a day — must get the sign-off from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and seek certificates of public convenience and necessity. College IDs for voting, parental rights, transgender athletes: These Indiana bills are on the move It also includes strict permitting requirements for transferring water from one water basin to another. Braun's signature comes on the heels of his Monday executive order to develop a statewide water inventory and management plan. Another measure, Senate Enrolled Act 143, would require courts to give deference to parental rights in disputes with government regulators. Opponents called the proposal too broad in committee while some supporters said it didn't go far enough. Of the ten bills signed Tuesday, only two are effective immediately. House Bill 1633 would direct the Indiana Secretary of State to study the scheduling of local elections and whether the state should require all counties to use vote centers. Another, Senate Enrolled Act 119, prohibits submitting applications for a certificate of public advantage after May 13, 2025, part of an ongoing effort to reduce hospital mergers. Just one measure signed Tuesday would be retroactive: Senate Enrolled Act 462, which would define practitioners as it relates to behavior analysts. All other proposals would be effective on July 1, 2025, when the state's next fiscal year starts. Other bills signed Tuesday include: Senate Enrolled Act 491 allows for the annexation of noncontiguous property in Madison County into the city of Alexandria for an industrial park. House Enrolled Act 1126 changes the membership of the Maumee River Basin Commission and dictates pertinent actions surrounding flood plains. House Enrolled Act 1376 amends the definition of emergency medication in regards to opioid overdose reversal medications. House Enrolled Act 1478 removes a sunset provision for pro bono legal services fees. House Enrolled Act 1595 requires the secretary of the Family and Social Services Administration to reapply for a Medicaid state plan amendment to establish a new long-term care partnership program. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local residents voice concerns about Anderson water rate increase
ANDERSON — Several area residents spoke against a proposed rate increase for the Anderson Water Department. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission conducted a public hearing Thursday on the city's proposed rate increase to finance up to $130 million in infrastructure improvements. The city's water rates have increased twice in the past 25 years. As proposed, the rate for a residential customer using 4,000 gallons per month would increase in five phases. The current rate is $24.95 per month and, if approved by the state regulatory commission, would climb to $47.58 per month in 2029. Large customers of the water utility will see an increase from $117,772 monthly to $434,171 starting in 2029. The IURC will receive testimony from the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor on March 20; rebuttal testimony from the city is scheduled for April 16, with another hearing set for May 8. A final decision is expected in the fall. Residents that testified they were concerned about the amount of the rate increase and the city's plans to build a new water treatment plant in the south of Anderson and new wells. 'My water rights are being impacted,' Amy Gustin said. Gustin said the city's water utility currently has existing debt of $12 million through 2035 and anticipates $8 million in annual debt to fund the project. She asked the IURC to delay making a decision because of the considerable debt. 'People have wells,' Gustin said. 'Those wells will be impacted.' Cheryl McKinney asked commission members to consider the people of Anderson, which she said is not a wealthy community. Gary Louderback said Anderson wants to drill new wells that will impact the aquifer providing water to residential customers. 'The community is not what it used to be,' he said. 'The industry is gone and there is an aging population.' Sonja Dalton said she objects to the drilling of new wells in southern Madison County, adding that existing wells would be compromised. 'I don't have the money to pay for a new well, like many of my neighbors,' she said. 'I would like to see a better plan for this community.' Last year the Anderson City Council approved $130 million in bonds over the next three years. The council has already approved $9 million in American Rescue Plan funds, and the Anderson Redevelopment Commission is providing $19 million toward the project. All the work is scheduled to be completed by September 2029, with work on the initial phase starting later this year. Both Anderson and the town of Pendleton have submitted applications with the IURC to increase the service areas for their respective water utilities.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CenterPoint to address winter storm response
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)- A public meeting on CenterPoint's response to recent winter storms will be held today, after tens of thousands of customers were left in the dark for days following a storm in January. BBQ and Barrels tickets going on sale CenterPoint officials have been invited to brief members of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) and provide an after action summary of on the storm's impact, the number of customers who were affected, and the lessons learned through the restoration process. That meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Eastern/ 9 a.m. Central in Indianapolis, and will be live streamed for the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislators look into nuclear reactors; advocates concerned
ANDERSON — A trio of bills working their way through the Indiana General Assembly are designed to bolster the production and eventual use of small modular reactors, a carbon-free means of generating electricity. But some of the particulars of the legislation are prompting concerns from environmental advocates. House Bill 1007, authored by Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, provides tax credits to manufacturers of small modular reactors, or SMRs. The factory-built form of nuclear reactor is capable of producing at least 300 megawatts of electricity. Two other bills, Senate Bills 423 and 424, would start an SMR pilot program in which utility companies could collaborate with 'eligible partners' to develop SMR sites and allow utility companies to request that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission shoulder at least some of the project costs. Both bills passed the Senate last week and were set for consideration by the House; HB 1007 passed the House Ways and Means Committee. 'Our goal in this ongoing endeavor is keep Indiana competitive in the national and world marketplace by keeping our five foundational energy pillars — reliability, affordability, resilient, stability and environmental sustainability — in balance,' Soliday, who chairs the House Utilities Committee, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Sam Carpenter, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, believes that goal is more of a dream than a reality. SMRs, unlike other forms of clean energy such as wind and solar, are unprecedented, Carpenter said, noting that no utility-based SMR sites are currently in operation in the United States. 'Costs are going to be high for the next 10 to 20 years,' he said. 'We don't think that rate payers should pay for the permitting, the planning, the development costs — which will be possible should these bills pass — associated with unproven technology.' Carpenter's sentiments were echoed in a feasibility study published in 2023 by Purdue University and Duke Energy. One of the study's conclusions was that the lack of sites make estimating costs difficult. The issue of costs is especially worrisome to Carpenter, who noted that several attempts to produce SMRs have been abandoned due to high costs. In 2023, Utah Associated Muncipal Power Systems abandoned its SMR power plant project after costs reached $9.3 billion. Kati Austgen, senior project manager of the new nuclear sector of the Nuclear Energy Institute, noted that costs could be halved through a federal investment tax credit among other funding avenues. SMRs can also be installed in existing facilities like retired coal power plants, though installing the infrastructure could take a number of years. Carpenter fears that the state's latest push will disproportionately impact the average ratepayer. Companies like Tesla or Rolls Royce should be worried about funding SMRs, not the Legislature, he said. Austgen said rate payers will be impacted to some degree or another. 'The ratepayers do (typically) pay a portion of the cost,' she said. Carpenter recommended that Indiana prioritize solar and wind, which he believes are proven and comparatively inexpensive. Austgen suggested a mixed energy portfolio for Indiana. She said multiple studies have shown that the cost of nuclear energy is on par with the cost of renewables, provided that certain conditions are met. 'In order for renewables to be considered firm and available at all times, they have to be paired with battery backup or storage. It needs to be long duration storage,' Austgen said. 'Some of that battery technology, storage technology is also unproven and still in development.' SMRs also raise safety concerns for environmental advocates like Carpenter, who noted that nuclear plants can be prone to meltdowns. Nuclear meltdowns occur when a reactor's fuel rods overheat and eventually become exposed to the open air. These reactors rely on radioactive materials to generate electricity. Such materials, if left in the open, can be harmful to humans. Most nuclear reactors use uranium, a radioactive element associated with diseases such as kidney disease, cancer and, in some cases, birth defects. 'If we have SMRs around Indiana, we have all those targets or potential liabilities,' Carpenter said. Austgen said reactors' safety features have improved and will continue to improve over time, hopefully resulting in fewer accidents. She noted that nuclear sites are of special interest to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which monitors power plants and makes sure safety requirements are met. 'We (the nuclear industry) ensure that for the health and safety of our employees as well as our communities that we are continuously monitoring and containing any radiation,' Austgen said. 'The public health and safety limits are set such that no one gets any radiation from living near a nuclear power plant.'
