INDIANAPOLIS — A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that ensures better utility reliability has been signed into law by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Senate Enrolled Act 9 authorizes the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to adopt a review process when a public utility producing at least 80 megawatts requests to retire, sell or transfer an electric generation facility.
“As technology advances, our state must ensure it can withstand the high energy demand,” Leising said. “This bill simply helps the state continue to support Indiana businesses’ and households’ energy needs until we have better battery storage.”
When considering a public utility’s intention to relieve ownership of an electric generation facility, the IURC must examine its impact on state and local energy needs. Accelerated depreciation is not permitted on early closures unless there is a catastrophic event to the generation plant.
“Making sure residents can turn their lights on and keep their refrigerators cold is important, which is why SEA 9 helps the state better prepare for and prevent potential brownouts and blackouts,” added Leising.