IS IT TRUE? September 25, 2011

IS IT TRUE that it is refreshing to read the Community Comment article by Vectren CEO Mr. Carl Chapman today where in the end he commits to send a Vectren speaker to any civic organization, church, neighborhood association, or other concerned citizen group to explain Vectren’s position on pricing, EPA compliance, and we suppose everyday life in the Vectren service area?…that transparency and honesty are admirable traits and that speaking to the community as opposed to having closed door meetings with political appointees for rate increases is a positive step?…that Vectren has had a “request a speaker” button on their webpage for a long time and that this service may have always been an option?…that this time due to the publications over the last year that have brought the people of Evansville to a state of heightened awareness Vectren will finally have to get serious about selling their customers on what they have already done?

IS IT TRUE that we look forward to attending one of these meetings and hearing Vectren address the following questions?
• It has been widely published that Vectren has been a leader in implementing EPA regulations and that is the reason for the fact that electricity is the highest in the state and 212% higher than Henderson? Estimates from utilities in other cities range from 30% to 70% increases coming in the future when they implement hardware to meet the EPA regulations? Explain how in the case of Henderson where a 70% increase would still result in a rate of between $0.08 and $0.09 per kWh leaving Vectren with at least a 50% higher rate assuming that there are no rate increases until Henderson catches up?
• Vectren recently asked for a $1.08 per month fee increase to justify investing in dense pack technology. Vectren projects after some misunderstanding that each rate payer will get back between $1.15 and $1.38 per month from the resulting savings. As a ratepayer and shareholder it would seem as though Vectren would be better off by just doing this and adding the extra $0.07 per month profit to their own bottom line? Why bother to ask for $1.08 then do a bunch of calculations to give us back $1.15 when it would be in Vectren’s best interest to just do this on its own?
• Evansville and SW Indiana share the same airport, roads, workforce, etc. with Western Kentucky. Please explain a scenario where an advanced manufacturing plant that is a heavy user of electricity would be well served financially to choose SW Indiana over Henderson or Owensboro as a location and how Vectren would sell them on that proposition?

IS IT TRUE that we are sure that there will be many more questions that are flat out personal and will tug on people’s heartstrings such as the tale of the young lady we profiled yesterday who is expected to pay for Vectren’s mistakes?…that there have been reports of people moving from Evansville to Henderson over the difference in their utility bills?…that to a working class family the difference in having a $200 utility bill and having a $600 utility bill can be the difference in eating peanut butter or having an adequate grocery budget?…that as much as we and others are likely to understand and believe that Vectren’s rates are higher due to early compliance with the EPA that having better emissions control at the power plant is of little consequence to people who are struggling to survive?

IS IT TRUE that the irony of the situation is that the particulate readings for the air we breathe when compared to Henderson shows no real difference?…that today the Air Quality Index for Henderson and Evansville are identical and are barely within the band considered to be “GOOD”?…that having similar readings are the way it is when it comes to the air that is shared between Henderson and Evansville?…that even with the air we breathe that mixing distributes the particles in a way that there is little difference?… that to have perfect air to breathe (which we don’t) but to still be under EPA order to clean up the Combined Sewer problem is sort of inconsistent?…that this is a case where the stewards of the air may be trying to do their best but the stewards of the sewer are far behind?…that the City of Evansville is the steward of the sewer?

IS IT TRUE that while the City of Evansville has done everything possible to prolong implementation that Vectren forged ahead?…that if we were a wealthy city where several hundred dollars per month made little difference to anyone that paying for both clean air and water is a good investment in lifestyle?…that we are once again faced with a dilemma when it comes to attraction?…that if we assume that the air is clean then we must explain why it smells like a sewer?…that from a homeowners perspective that we seem to have paid for an expensive ionizer to clean our air and neglected the fact that our toilet is overflowing?…that these are serious problems and that we encourage Vectren and the new city administration to work together with others to achieve an affordable balance that really can lead to Evansville being an attractive place to live and work?