INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO): A state agency that represents consumers wants Indiana regulators to significantly reduce a NIPSCO‘s proposed rate increase.

NIPSCO proposed an increase that could raise a typical customer’s electric bill by 11.5 percent.

The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor wants the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to reduce NIPSCO’s request to nearly one-tenth of the $126 million sought in new annual operating revenues. The utility is financially healthy after a 2011 rate hike. NIPSCO said it needs the rate increase to pay for more recent upgrades.

The utility is also seeking approval for $1.3 billion in electric system upgrades that could potentially raise customer bills by an additional 7 percent by 2022.