NIPSCO to Offer New Electric Savings Programs

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., July 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) received approval from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to expand its offering of energy efficiency programs designed to help electric customers save energy and manage their energy usage.

"Our current energy savings programs have successfully helped NIPSCO customers lower their energy bills, and we are excited to provide new ways for our customers to become even more energy efficient," said Karl Stanley, Vice President of Commercial Operations for NIPSCO.  "These programs provide an important benefit to NIPSCO, its customers and our environment by slowing the need for future generation resources, providing simple options for customers to manage energy use and helping NIPSCO maintain the strong energy infrastructure needed to support northern Indiana's long-term economic growth."

In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of NIPSCO and its customers, these programs support NIPSCO's efforts to reach statewide energy efficiency goals of 2 percent by 2019.

All NIPSCO electric customers will be able to take advantage of and benefit from the new programs.  The company has already rolled out some of the programs to help customers get a jump on energy savings, including:

• Instant Savings on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs): Through a partnership with several local retailers, NIPSCO offers instant discounts when customers purchase select CFL lighting.  No coupons or forms are needed.  Simply visit a participating retailer and receive instant savings up to 90 percent off normal retail prices.  

• Appliance Recycling:  NIPSCO customers can receive $35 for their old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers and NIPSCO will haul them away for free to be dismantled and recycled in an environmentally responsible way.  Removal of the old appliance can also save up to $100 per year in energy costs.  The program has already recycled approximately 2,500 refrigerators and freezers.

• Commercial & Industrial Custom Incentives: An electric program designed to offer financial incentives to qualifying large commercial, industrial, non-profit, educational, governmental and institutional customers for the completion of cost-effective energy projects involving the installation of new, high-efficiency equipment or systems.

• Direct Installation Program:  NIPSCO will combine its current efforts with local property managers and landlords of apartment complexes and multi-family buildings to install natural gas energy efficiency measures, to include electric efficiency improvements.

The additional new programs will be introduced in the coming months and will include a variety of options, such as:

• Air conditioning cycling program
• Expanded home weatherization for low-income customers
• Builder and developer incentives for new construction of energy-efficient homes
• Energy efficiency programs for schools
• Expanded elementary education program
• Commercial and industrial rebates for purchasing select energy efficient electric equipment
• Expanded energy efficiency program with local property managers and landlords of apartment complexes and multi-family buildings

NIPSCO began offering energy savings programs for its natural gas customers in 2007.  To date, those programs have helped customers save 3.4 million therms, which equates to approximately $3.5 million in energy savings.

For more information on available energy efficiency programs and other ways customers can better manage their energy usage, visit NIPSCO.com/SaveEnergy.

NIPSCO, with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., is one of the seven energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). With more than 786,000 natural gas customers and 457,000 electric customers across the northern third of Indiana, NIPSCO is the largest natural gas distribution company, and the second largest electric distribution company, in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve 3.8 million natural gas and electric customers, primarily in seven states. More information about NIPSCO is available at www.nipsco.com.

SOURCE Northern Indiana Public Service Company