Indiana's utility counselor says Duke customers owed a refund

In testimony filed Monday, the consumer counselor asked the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to require Duke Energy to refund about $51.6 million to Indiana customers based on projected estimates of the plant’s expenses once it was technically in service. Those costs have been included in the utility’s rates since September 2013. The consumer counselor also recommends the regulatory commission disallow about $63.2 million in costs Duke Energy currently is seeking to recover from Indiana customers through rates.

The consumer counselor’s recommendation stems from a 2012 settlement.

Edwardsport is a coal gasification plant, which means it turns coal into gas, strips it of pollutants and burns the cleaner gas to produce electricity, said Angeline Protogere, Duke Energy spokeswoman.

“It was the first time a plant using this technology was built on this scale,” she said.