INDIANAPOLIS (AP): The Indiana Court of Appeals has issued a ruling that could hinder a public utility's $1.2 billion electric modernization plan.
 
The court determined Wednesday that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission made several errors in approving Northern Indiana Public Service Co.'s plan last February. The Times reports the court ruled that the commission didn't provide industrial customers with enough detail on the projects to approve special charges to pay for them.
 
NIPSCO has estimated funding for the $1.2 billion in improvements will come in the form of yearly rate increases totaling nearly 5 percent by 2020.
 
The utility says it's still trying to figure out how the ruling will affect both the improvements and customer charges, some of which already have been collected.
 
The commission will have to reconsider the NIPSCO orders and perhaps reopen the case.