Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The decision to close Northern Indiana Public Service Company's district service office in Warsaw is drawing criticism both locally and in Indianapolis.
"I've received 1,500 form letters from what appears to be an organized group, because they're all form letters," said Sen. Kent Adams (R-Bremen). "While I don't respond to form letters, I do want people to know that I have looked into it."
Adams said the letters, which were also submitted to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and the Office of The Utility Consumer Counselor, are asking for NIPSCO customers in the Warsaw area receive a rate reduction because of a reduction in service.
"I want people to know that we (the General Assembly) don't have any jurisdiction over the rates, or any reduction in them," he said. "That is a regulatory matter before the IURC."
NIPSCO officials have assured him that service will not be adversely affected by the consolidation of the Warsaw service office with the Goshen service office, Adams said.
"They (NIPSCO) assured me that there will be full coverage in Kosciusko County, with service personnel assigned to cover the county during the evenings and weekends," Adams said. "There will be one for the northern and one for the southern part of the county."
NIPSCO spokeswoman Julia Van Der Water confirmed that the utility will have servicemen living in the county and providing emergency service coverage during non-business hours.
"We will be giving our line serviceman take home trucks and they will be in the county and ready to be dispatched if there is a need for emergency service," she said. "Our trucks are equipped with the latest technology, so they don't need to be going back to the service center, either in Warsaw or in Goshen, as much. The servicemen can get all the information the need from their trucks."
The decision to close the Warsaw station and consolidate it into the one in Goshen was a business decision arrived at after much study and consideration Van Der Water said.
"We are a business. We look where we can to improve upon efficiencies," she said. "The decision wouldn't have been made if we thought it was going to compromise the standard of service or safety of our customers and employees in any way."
Van Der Water also took exception to the allegation in the form letter that NIPSCO is receiving a higher profit than is allowed under Indiana's statute governing public utility companies.
"The information in that form letter about our rate of return is absolutely false," she said. "We are well within the rate of return allowed under the law."
The offices of the Utility Consumer Counselor and the IURC both confirm the receipt of numerous letters petitioning each agency to investigate NIPSCO's decision to close the Warsaw service center.
"We have received nearly 100 petition letters," said UCC spokeswoman Jo Lynn Ewing. "We're still looking at what can be done. The main thing we're concerned with is that the consumers receive the best service for what they pay."
Mike Leppert, IURC spokesman, said the commission offices have received more than 400 form letters and he expected more to come in if the trend of the last week continues. He cautioned, however, that the likelihood of the commission halting the move, or lowering rates was low.
"There is no administrative rule in regards to the location of service centers," Leppert said. "The regulations only deal with the rates."
The closing of the Warsaw station is scheduled to take effect Thursday.
