FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 27, 2023

Contacts: 

Kerwin Olson, Executive Director (317) 735-7727, kolson@citact.org

Ben Inskeep, Program Director (317) 735-7741, binskeep@citact.org

We are pleased to join the settlement reached in the current AES Indiana rate case docketed before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (“IURC”) as Cause No. 45911. We believe the proposed settlement reflects a positive outcome for customers that may not have been achieved through litigation. If approved by the IURC, the settlement will reduce AES Indiana’s rate of return on equity, or profit, and will allow a much smaller increase to the monthly fixed customer charge than what was proposed by the Company.

Importantly, AES-IN residential ratepayers will realize a far lower increase to monthly bills than what the Company initially sought. Other numerous and significant terms were secured that bring great benefits to residential customers, including terms obtained specific for low-income customers and vulnerable households.

Among the terms benefiting all customers are:

(1) AES agrees to NOT disconnect households on Fridays, weekends, and major Holidays;

(2) the waiving of late fees for all customers once in a rolling 12-month period;

(3) a reduction in the amount collected from customers for rate case expenses and membership dues in trade associations;

(4) eliminating any charge for remote disconnections and reducing the proposed charge for remote reconnections from $8 to $3.

Among the terms that will benefit low-income and vulnerable households are:

(1) a reduction to any deposit charged to a LIHEAP qualified household to $50;

(2) a waiver of any reconnection fees charged to LIHEAP households once in a rolling 12-month period; and

(3) increasing the current 20-day protection from disconnection for low-income medical alert customers to 40 days.

CAC recommends that the IURC approve the settlement as filed and wishes to express our gratitude to AES and the other settling parties, most notably to the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (“OUCC”).

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The Settlement agreement as filed is available here (PDF download).