Not the trees in the utility’s right-of-way, but customers’ trees caused the problems
In testimony before a meeting of Indiana elected officials last week, NIPSCO President and COO Vince Parisi said the trees that downed power lines were not an issue in the utility’s response to severe storms in August that resulted in power outages affecting more than 387,000 of its customers.
Parisi was testifying at the September 29th Interim Study Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications chaired by State Senator Ed Soliday, (R-Valparaiso).
“For this storm it really wasn’t a vegetation management issue. These were very high winds, very large trees outside our right-of-ways that came down on our infrastructure,” stated Parisi.
Parisi said utility poles failed because they could not withstand 100 miles per hour winds. He said 5 transmission towers were damaged, 1500 wood poles were damaged and had to be replaced.
But the utility’s vegetation management was an issue for others who testified at the hearing.
“I think NIPSCO is in denial when they say they have taken care of the vegetation. I have pictures on my phone where the lines are intermingled with the vegetation,” said Rep. Vernon Smith (D-Gary).
State Rep. Mike Andrade (D-Munster) said his constituents were concerned about NIPSCO’s vegetation maintenance. “I repeatedly heard from constituents about NIPSCO’s vegetation management practices. Over the years they called NIPSCO and no action was taken to trim or remove trees obstructing the power lines.”
And vegetation management was an issue with the committee, shown by witnesses it had invited to speak.
The committee heard from Luke Wilson of the Indiana Office of Energy Development. Wilson said NIPSCO reported spending on average, $25 million a year on vegetation management over the last 5 years.
“If there is spending alleged to be in one area is actually found spent in a different area, that’s perjury,” Wilson said. “The IURC can disallow it and penalize the utility in the rate making process.”
Testimony similar to this will likely be heard when the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission brings public hearings to northwest Indiana in its investigation of NIPSCO’s response to the August storms and power outages.
It’s the same commission that holds meetings across northern Indiana when NIPSCO seeks to raise costs to its customers. Known as rate cases, those commission meetings gave customers the opportunity to voice their opinions on the proposed rate change.
The IURC is investigating NIPSCO’s power outage restoration procedures and practices following the August 11th storm. In Gary and nearby areas, tens of thousands of residents waited 2 weeks for their power to be restored.
