Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic with Customer Payment Plan Updates

Strategic Insights -

In response to the global health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) has issued several orders requiring jurisdictional Indiana utilities to provide updates on their efforts to establish payment plans for customers who were delinquent due to the pandemic. One such utility, Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, has filed multiple updates to its Customer Payment Plan, detailing its interactions with customers and efforts to provide relief.

Key Takeaways:

  • The IURC entered an Order on June 29, 2020, requiring all jurisdictional Indiana utilities to provide updates on their efforts to establish payment plans for customers who were delinquent due to COVID-19.
  • As of February 22, 2021, Midwest Natural Gas Corporation had 502 delinquent customers who were subject to disconnection, but had reconnected 29 additional customers who had entered into payment plans.
  • The company had disconnected 324 delinquent customers as of January 21, 2021, but had reconnected many of them after they made payments.
  • The IURC's orders were a response to the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor's generic investigation into the impact of COVID-19 on Indiana ratepayers.
  • The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is consolidating causes under Cause No. 45377 and Cause No. 45380, which concerns customer payment plans and COVID-19 relief.

Statistics:

  • 502: The number of delinquent customers subject to disconnection by Midwest Natural Gas Corporation as of February 22, 2021.
  • 29: The number of additional customers who had entered into payment plans as of February 22, 2021.
  • 195: The number of delinquent customers disconnected by Midwest Natural Gas Corporation as of November 24, 2020.
  • 129: The number of additional customers disconnected by the company as of January 21, 2021.
  • 324: The total number of delinquent customers disconnected by Midwest Natural Gas Corporation as of January 21, 2021.
  • June 29, 2020: The date on which the IURC entered an Order requiring utilities to provide updates on their efforts to establish payment plans for customers who were delinquent due to COVID-19.

Sources:

  • Indianapolis: Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, State of Indiana, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, Verified Petition of Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, et al.
  • Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, Generic Investigation into COVID-19 Impacts to be Conducted Over Two Phases; Emergency Relief Pursuant to Ind. Code § 8-1-2-113 to Relieve Indiana Ratepayers of the Threat of Utility Service Disconnection and Payment Arrearages During Global Health and Economic Crisis
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed June 15, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed July 15, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed July 27, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed August 28, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed September 30, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed October 28, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed November 24, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed December 29, 2020
  • Midwest Natural Gas Corporation, Customer Payment Plan Update, filed January 26, 2021