IURC reopens review of AES Indiana’s $71M rate hike; preliminary hearing set for Sept. 17

The commission’s majority — including two recent appointees, Joshua Bain and Joby Jerrells — granted the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor’s request to revisit how five statutory factors were weighed in the original decision and allowed the Citizens Action Coalition to reopen the record on the Monrovia data center and the proposed BlackRock-led acquisition. AES Indiana’s effort to delay the reconsideration was rejected.

AES Indiana said it remains focused on serving more than 530,000 customers and defended the original case as supporting necessary investments. Consumer advocates praised the move. Commissioner David Ziegner dissented, arguing the commission had already addressed the statutory factors and that the data center and acquisition either do not affect current base rates or fall outside the commission’s jurisdiction. Chairman Anthony Swinger abstained due to prior work on the matter.

BusinessIndy examines this development and its implications for Indiana businesses and communities using the linked sources.