Hamilton Southeastern Utilities has received Commission approval to transfer assets for its Fishers service territory to the City of Fishers in IURC Cause No. 45578. The OUCC filed testimony supporting the request.
The IURC issued orders in two Hamilton Southeastern Utilities cases in 2016: 1) A base rate case and 2) A request to recover an increase in wholesale treatment costs.
Base Rate Case
The IURC's 2016 order approved a rate increase of 1.17 percent. An order on remand was issued in 2019.
Hamilton Southeastern Utilities had requested an 8.4 percent increase, adjusted to 5.2 percent. Utility base rates cover operational, maintenance, and capital costs.
The OUCC recommended a 14-percent reduction.
The OUCC issued a 2015 news release to invite consumer comments.
Wholesale Sewer Tracker
On January 15, 2016, the IURC approved Hamilton Southeastern Utilities' request to implement a Sewer Tracker. The $4.76 monthly residential surcharge will allow the utility to recover wholesale sewage treatment costs on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
A water or sewer utility may implement a tracker to recover wholesale costs - subject to OUCC review and IURC approval - but may not profit through one. Wholesale trackers are typically handled through the IURC's 30-day filing process.
The City of Fishers provides wholesale sewage treatment service to Hamilton Southeastern Utilities. Indiana law allows the IURC to regulate many investor owned and not-for-profit sewer utilities, but it does not give the IURC jurisdiction over municipal sewer utilities. Rates and charges for municipal sewage disposal services are set by locally elected city and town councils.
11-3-2021