The City of East Chicago Water Department petitioned the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) seeking approval of an overall rate increase of up to 55% and the issuance of up to $18 million debt. This was the City’s first rate increase request since 2006.
Our firm represented the City of East Chicago and helped it reach a settlement with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counsellor (OUCC) in which certain revisions were made to the structure of the debt funding in exchange for the OUCC’s support of a 55% rate increase.
The settlement agreement ultimately included debt funding from the Indiana State Revolving Fund for lead-pipe replacement of customer-owned service lines. The settlement agreement was opposed by the City of East Chicago Industrial Group. Following a hearing, the IURC approved the settlement agreement in an order granting the City authority to increase rates up to 55% and debt funding up to $18 million.
