The Evansville City Council has thrown in the towel in its effort to get CenterPoint Energy to reduce a proposed electric rate increase. WNIN’s John Gibson has details:
The City Council decided to end its legal intervention, saying CenterPoint was unwilling to make significant concessions.
Council president Zac Heronemus said despite diligent efforts and direct good-faith negotiations with the Texas-based utility company, “a settlement deserving of our constituents was not attainable."
The announcement came one day before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission was scheduled to conduct hearings on the rate case in Indianapolis.
If CenterPoint’s proposal remains intact, it’s expected to raise the average electric bill by about $35 a month.
Residents packed the Old National Events Plaza at the end of February to testify against the rate increase.
Since then, a settlement was agreed to by major industries but not consumer advocates or the City of Evansville.