Today: We talk to Anthony Swinger of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counsellor about the proposed NIPSCO electric rate case. Public comment will be accepted by mail to the OUCC into early next month, and the Utility Regulatory Commission will re-schedule a field hearing in Hammond to make up for the one that was cancelled on Monday because of the snow and bitterly cold weather. NIPSCO is seeking rate increases that would, if approved, raise all electricity customers -- large and small -- to cover costs that affect its generating plants and the federal tax law changes. An average NIPSCO residential customer would see a monthly increase of about ten dollars in a electric bill. Residential customer charges would rise by about three dollars a month.
We have two conversations for you today from the Welcome Project at Valparaiso University. The Welcome Project collects first-person stories and pairs these with intentional conversatio to help forge stronger ties within and across out communities. We also bring back our conversation with Porter County Commissioner Laura Blaney about the major changes being made to avoid another General Election Night 2018 debacle from ever happening again. County officials are also seeking help in the form of a bill moving through the General Assembly.