The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is the public utilities commission of the State of Indiana, led by five commissioners appointed by the Governor.
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The commission regulates electric, natural gas, telecommunications, steam, water and sewer utilities.
Electric
The Electric Division of the IURC regulates five major investor owned electric utilities: Duke Energy Indiana, Indiana-Michigan Power, Indianapolis Power and Light Company, Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), and Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana. In addition, nine of the 72 municipally-owned utilities operating in Indiana remain under the Commission’s jurisdiction for rate regulation: Richmond Municipal, Anderson Municipal, Crawfordsville Municipal, Auburn Municipal, Frankfort Municipal, Lebanon Municipal, Tipton Municipal, Knightstown Municipal, Kingsford Heights Municipal, and Greenfield Mills, Inc. Power & Light.
Natural Gas
The Natural Gas division regulates the rates, charges, and terms of service for intrastate pipelines and LDCs. It inspects federal all intrastate natural gas facilities in accord with federal safety regulations. Additionally, the Natural Gas division reviews gas cost adjustments (GCAs), financial arrangements, service territory requests, and assists in investigatory proceedings when these docketed proceedings are filed with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. It also analyzes various forms of alternative regulatory proposals, such as rate decoupling, rate adjustment mechanisms, and customer choice initiatives.
Telecommunications
The Communications Division monitors regulatory proceedings and policy initiatives at the federal, state, and local levels to determine the impact of those policies. The division implements universal service programs and provides recommendations on applications for certificates of territorial authority for communications service providers and state franchises for video service providers. Additionally, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission designates all eligible telecommunications carriers in the state, which enables the carriers to obtain support from the federal Universal Service Fund. The Commission has no jurisdiction over the approval of rates and charges of communication services. The Communications Division also resolves carrier-to-carrier disputes, manages policies regarding telephone numbering resources (pursuant to federal and state law), protects consumers from unauthorized changes to their service, and implements universal service programs.
Water/Sewer
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, through the Water and Sewer Division regulates 89 of the 555 water utilities and 45 of the 547 wastewater utilities in the State of Indiana. Although the Commission only regulates a fraction of the water utilities, these entities serve approximately 45% of Indiana’s water consumers. Approximately 85% of Indiana customers, however, are served by non-jurisdictional wastewater utilities.