Dive Summary:
- A proposal that would allow utilities to increase rates to cover equipment upgrade costs has been approved by the Senate, but could see revisions as it passes through the House.
- The measure seeks to deregulate the upgrade portion of the process, thereby always allowing electric providers enough revenue to upgrade their equipment, including substations, transformers and lines.
- If the proposal is altered in the House, it would have to be sent back to a joint House-Senate conference committee, at which point a final unified version would need to completed.
From the article:
The Senate has approved the proposal by Sen. Brandt Hershman, R-Lafayette, to allow utilities to use cost “trackers” — a deregulatory move that would guarantee gas and electric providers the revenue they need to upgrade their substations, transformers, lines, poles and more. The Indiana Energy Association, which lobbies for utilities, is pushing the measure.
But Senate Bill 560 has faced opposition from consumer advocates, as well as commercial and industrial utility customers, who say the measure would lead to higher bills, said House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis. ...