State Taking Public Comment on Mayor’s Proposal to Transfer Water & Wastewater Systems to Citizens Energy Group

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), the state agency charged with reviewing Mayor Greg Ballard’s proposal to transfer the water and wastewater systems to Citizens Energy Group, has issued a docket entry setting a hearing to take testimony from the general public.

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011, in the Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School Auditorium, 1140 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. The hearing’s public comment portion will begin at 6 p.m., with an informational session offered by the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) on the regulatory process and public hearing procedures starting at 5:30 p.m.

Additionally, the OUCC, a separate state agency that represents consumers in all cases before the IURC, announced today that it is accepting written comments through Jan. 12. Consumers who wish to submit written comments may send them to the OUCC via:

* OUCC website: www.in.gov/oucc/2370.htm
* E-mail: uccinfo@oucc.IN.gov
* Mail: Consumer Services Staff; Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor;
115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South; Indianapolis, IN 46204
* Fax: (317) 232-5923

“The IURC’s approval of the request for a hearing to take testimony from the public and the OUCC’s decision to take public comment are very positive steps in this process to review our proposal,” said Mayor Ballard. “We have held countless public forums at the local level, and these additional opportunities for public input demonstrate the State’s commitment to the same kind of open government that we have delivered in the City of Indianapolis.”

The IURC issued its docket entry on Tuesday. At the hearing, members of the public can offer sworn oral and written comments. Oral and written consumer comments carry equal weight and will become part of the official record considered by the IURC in reaching its final decision. IURC commissioners are not permitted to answer consumer questions during the formal field hearing. However, OUCC, IURC, City and Citizens staff will be available before, during and after the hearing.

“After the proposal receives a full vetting by our state government, I hope it will be promptly approved so we can invest the more than $425 million we will receive to repair our streets, bridges and sidewalks and take down unsalvageable abandoned homes,” said Mayor Ballard. “And, by 2025, Citizens’ customers will enjoy rates projected to be 25 percent lower than they otherwise would have been and utilities that are free from local partisan politics.”

The OUCC’s notice is included with this release. For more information, visit www.indy.gov/utilities or call (317) 327-4MAC. To access the documents filed in the IURC proceeding, visit the IURC’s Electronic Document System (EDS) at https://myweb.in.gov/IURC/eds/. Once you access the EDS, click the Cases link. In the docket number field, type the number 43936, and click the search button. To access the filings, click the Filings\Docket Entries button.