Two consumer advocates are split on Duke Energy's proposal to close the Cayuga coal plant. But they both said a new, $3 billion natural gas plant isn't the right thing for Duke's customers.

Last year the Sierra Club gave Duke an F on its climate commitments, far lower than any other investor-owned utility in the state.

If the company follows through, Duke would be the last Indiana investor-owned utility to stop burning coal by a decade.

Some Duke Energy customers are fighting against a recent price hike proposal. The electric utility is asking state regulators to approve almost $500 million in new rate increases – which would raise the average customer’s bill by about $27 a month.

Last year, the state Supreme Court ruled that Duke couldnt recover more than $200 million from its customers in extra costs that came with complying with federal coal ash rules.

The new law lets utilities recover extra costs from complying with federal rules without having to get pre-approval first as long as the IURC approves them after the fact.

It allows utility customers that use a lot of energy to have part of their bill go towards setting up a local solar or wind farm.

The move comes a few months after the Environmental Protection Agency said the ponds werent in compliance with the federal coal ash rule.

Purdue University plans to explore advanced nuclear energy technologies in collaboration with Duke Energy to meet campus power needs.

Duke Energy won't be allowed to make its customers pay the more than $210 million needed to recoup coal-ash cleanup costs after the utility failed to follow the proper steps to recover those expenses, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled.