Editor, Times-Union: The Town of Etna Green is fortunate to be able to provide residents with our own local electric utility service. Of the 569 municipalities in Indiana, we are one of only 72 communities that have a municipally owned electric utility. The benefits of our electric utility are numerous – rates are set locally, leadership is local, and the power lines are serviced locally, which means our employees live and work here in our community. Even more, if you have concerns, compliments or just want to pay your bill, you don't have far to go for assistance. Municipal electric service is cost-effective, reliable and something our community is deservedly proud of. In the upcoming state legislative session, the rural electric membership cooperatives and the investor-owned electric utilities (led by Duke Energy Indiana, the state's largest electric provider) will seek to change the state's electric service territory law by restricting the ability of municipal electric communities (such as ours) to extend electric service to customers in newly annexed areas. Current Indiana law provides that local REMCs, IOUs, and each of the municipal electric communities have assigned service areas in which they can serve retail customers. While municipal electric utilities serve customers primarily within a city or town, REMCs serve customers in less populated, more rural areas of the state. IOUs serve customers in all areas not covered by an REMC or a municipal utility. The territory law has always allowed municipal electric communities to petition the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to serve annexed areas. The REMCs and IOUs contend that municipal electric communities are annexing them out of existence. Yet, how is this possible when the IOUs and REMCs collectively provide electric service to 93% of the state's electric customers, while the municipally-owned electric providers only serve 7 percent of the state? Additionally, the REMCs saw a 14 percent jump in customers between 2001 and 2012, while Indiana's municipal electric communities only saw a 2.8 percent increase in the number of customers during the same period. That increase is nearly 5 times the growth seen by municipal electric communities. To argue that municipalities with electric utilities are taking away all opportunity for the REMCs and the other utilities to grow is disingenuous. After hearing the facts, one state legislator said, "So, what's the issue?" Indeed. As a customer of a municipally-owned electric utility, the cost and quality of our electric service could be impacted should the efforts of these other utility providers lead to legislation changing the service territory law. A change in the electric service territory law could also dissuade companies from bringing jobs to our community, as convenient, cost-effective electric service is a core component of consideration for companies looking to locate in Indiana. Our community should be allowed to grow and provide services to our residents. We oppose any legislative effort to change Indiana's utility service territory law. Andrew Cook Etna Green Town Council President
