How To Know What Your Utility Is Up To And Get Involved
FILE PHOTO: Annacaroline Caruso/WVPE
This winter, many Bloomington residents were shocked to see their Duke Energy bills had gone up significantly. Though most of it was due to the very cold temperatures we had, some residents weren’t aware that Duke Energy had also increased its rates.
“So it was a significantly lower increase than what the utility had asked for, still an increase nonetheless. And when you combine that with the really cold snap of weather that we ve had the last several weeks, that is the recipe for a higher bill,” said Anthony Swinger, a spokesman for the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor.
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Moratorium On Winter Utility Disconnects Ends, More People On Payment Plans
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Some Hoosiers who get federal assistance with their electric and gas bills may face shutoffs after this week. The state moratorium on winter utility disconnections ends on Monday, March 15.
The winter moratorium only applies to people who either receive help through the Energy Assistance Program or if a local EAP office notified the person s utility that they qualify.
Anthony Swinger is the spokesperson for the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor. He said this January more people had bills at least 60 days overdue compared to last year. But fewer people had their power shutoff and a lot more people have set up payment plans with their utility.
RP&L will implement rate hikes in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to reach a 7.23% increase in its revenue. Monday s vote ended more than a year s work for the utility s first rate increase since 2005.
RP&L originally sought increases to provide a 9.58% revenue boost; however, the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, a state consumer watchdog group, thought RP&L needed only a 5.42% increase. The two sides compromised on the 7.23% increase that was then approved during January by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
The compromise also requires RP&L to visit its rate structure again no later than January 2026.
Because of the previous work, council approved the rate hikes Monday with no discussion. No members of the public attended the meeting in person or by video conference to speak either for or against the increases.