Sierra Club Appeals Duke Energy Indiana Rate Case

INDIANAPOLIS -- Today, the Sierra Club appealed the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s (IURC) decision approving a $146 million rate increase for Duke Energy Indiana’s customers.

Duke originally requested nearly $400 million in rate increases, one of the largest requests in the state’s history. Duke also requested -- and received -- continued payments from ratepayers to cover the costs of operating the Edwardsport coal gasification plant. Edwardsport is the highest-cost power plant in Indiana, with construction costs that exceeded the approved budget by more than $1.3 billion. Despite extensive evidence showing Edwardsport loses money the majority of the time it operates and that its future maintenance costs exceed the cost of building new, less carbon-intensive generation, the IURC approved Duke’s request to continue operating the plant.

The appeal filed in Indiana Court of Appeals will seek to compel the IURC to protect ratepayers and review Duke’s operation of Edwardsport. 

Wendy Bredhold, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, released the following statement: 

“Duke’s $3.5 billion Edwardsport plant is the most expensive power plant that Duke owns and stands as the country’s last coal gasification plant as more responsible utilities have abandoned this failed technology. It was also one of the last coal plants built in the U.S. and exemplifies Duke’s poor business sense. Duke didn't offer anything to contradict the overwhelming evidence that showed that Edwardsport is high-cost and yet the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved its inclusion in rates. This decision failed to protect communities’ pocketbooks and public health in favor of Duke’s bottom line. The IURC has a responsibility to consider all the facts and to protect ratepayers from wasteful decision making by utilities like Duke. It’s long past time to stop asking Indiana ratepayers to float Duke’s operation of this money-losing coal plant.”