Consumer Office Opposes Duke's $1.9B Indiana Plan

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's utility customer advocate says regulators should reject Duke Energy's proposal for a $1.9 billion electric grid upgrade in the state.

The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor says Duke has provided inadequate details for what it would spend on updating infrastructure such as electrical lines, transformers and utility poles.

The office says Duke's seven-year plan includes spending not allowed under such a rate-increase request, including radio system replacements and an energy learning center.

Duke spokeswoman Angeline Protogere tells The Herald-Times that the company has filed comprehensive plans for modernizing the electric grid for Indiana's largest power company. If the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approves the plan, Duke says its roughly 800,000 Indiana customers would see rate increases averaging about 1 percent a year between 2016 and 2022.