MERRILLVILLE - Northern Indiana Public Service Co. announced Monday that its gas cost adjustment for February will decrease 10.81 percent from January, which represents a 45.37 percent decrease in prices from February 2001. This adjustment was approved subject to refund by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

A typical NIPSCO residential customer using 200 therms of natural gas during January should expect a $13.82 decrease in their February billing. Business and commercial gas customers should see decreases in February as well.

According to company officials, gas prices have decreased nationally due to a reduction in demand attributed to a slowing economy, mild weather this heating season and sufficient natural gas storage inventory levels.

The gas cost adjustment, which must be approved by the IURC, applies only to the gas supply charge portion of the gas service rates and reflects the fluctuations in the price NIPSCO pays in the marketplace for natural gas. Aside from the gas supply charge, other components of NIPSCO's monthly service costs, including delivery cost and state and local taxes, vary with monthly gas use.

For more information about NIPSCO's billing services and options, call NIPSCO at 800-4-NIPSCO (800-464-7726). For additional information about NIPSCO, visit: www.nipsco.com

Customers with overall consumer questions may contact the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor at 888-441-2494 or visit their Web site: www.in.gov/oucc

The IURC may be contacted at 800-851-4268 or at: www.in.gov/iurc [[In-content Ad]]