(Plainfield, IN) – Duke Energy Indiana has asked the state’s utility regulatory commission for a 16% increase on customers’ bills.
If approved, Duke customers would see a 12% hike next year, followed by an additional 4% in 2026.
The utility says a stronger electric grid, enhanced customer services and environmental obligations are some of the drivers behind the request.
“Since our last base rate increase in 2020, we’ve invested $1.6 billion in our electric grid, power plants and overall system on behalf of our customers, including advanced technology that has helped prevent more than 185,000 power outages,” said Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar.
“We know that utility costs can be a major part of a household and business’s budget and that customers expect us to do our part to keep bills as low as possible,” Pinegar said. “We have kept our day-to-day operating costs flat since 2020 while we make longterm investments to serve customers. We also are proposing voluntary, ‘time-of-use’ rates to help manage customer bills. Fortunately, fuel costs for our electricity production have declined, and residential customer bills are about 25% lower than they were in late 2022.”
A final decision on the proposed rate increase could come early next year.
