NIPSCO's DependABill® program is a 12-month plan that prevents changes in your gas bill, including changes due to gas price and weather fluctuations. A monthly program fee is included in this service and covers the expenses necessary to lock in a gas price, calculate your amount, and guarantee your bill - with the DependABill® Program.
I. DependABill® Program Description -This is not meant to be a savings program. The Program guarantees a fixed monthly bill but cannot guarantee savings. In a warmer than normal year, or in a year when gas prices are lower than the fixed price calculated in the DependABill® program, you will likely pay considerably more under the DependABill® program than you would pay under the standard tariff. The DependABill® program, which includes a program fee, is locked in and no adjustments will be made during the program year unless the term length is significantly greater than or less than one year. (See "Term" below). The quote amount you have received is for a 12-month period specific to a service address and is not transferable to another customer or service address. Your quote amount does not include electric service or applicable sales tax. Your monthly bill will reflect sales tax as a separate line item. Customers who wish to cancel their enrollment must do so by calling 1-800-448-2026 within 10 days of enrollment in order to avoid termination fees.
II. Usage Requirements - As part of this program, you agree to use energy as you have in the past. Increased gas use due to cold weather is expected and covered under this program. Since all consumers benefit when gas is not wasted, there is an energy conservation safeguard built into this program that assures there is no abuse. If you use 15% more cumulative non-weather related gas, you may be removed from the program and returned to a standard gas tariff. Termination fees outlined in Section IV apply to program removal for excessive non-weather related gas usage. No customer will be removed from the program for increasing non-weather related usage without prior notification by NIPSCO and the opportunity to modify their gas usage. Non-weather use could include such things as increasing your thermostat settings, adding gas appliances or increasing your living space.
III. Term -The DependABill® is a 12-month (i.e., 365-day) agreement. If the number of days that you are served on DependABill® during this term was much more or less than 365, your final bill will be adjusted to reflect the actual time that you received service on the program, based upon the average cost per day of your quote.
IV. Termination / Cancellation Fee - If you decide to end your enrollment in this 12-month program, you must contact us at 1-800-448-2026 within 10 days of enrollment in order to avoid termination fees described below. To avoid termination / cancellation fees, we simply ask that you:
- Continue the program for 12 months at the same service location
- Keep monthly payments up to date
- Use natural gas as you have in the past and as described in Section II
If you do not complete a full 12-month term for one of the reasons listed above, NIPSCO will compare the amount you paid while on DependABill® program to an amount calculated by multiplying the actual gas consumed times the fixed price used to calculate your DependABill®. If the amount you paid while on DependABill® is greater, NIPSCO will refund the difference. If the amount you paid is less, you will owe the difference. Early termination will require you to pay $30 to cover administrative costs associated with early separation. In addition, customers with an average historical weather-normalized yearly gas consumption of less than 5,000 therms will be charged $10 per month for each month remaining in the program year to cover costs associated with the pre-purchase of gas contracts for the 12-month term. Customers with an average historical weather-normalized yearly gas consumption greater than 5,000 therms per year will be subject to the greater of a $10/month cancellation fee or a fee calculated using the following formula: The average historical gas use for the remaining month(s) in the contract term times the difference of the NYMEX gas price at contract termination versus the NYMEX gas price used to calculate the DependABill® program amount quote for all months remaining in the contract term. An average residential customer uses approximately 1,000 therms per year. The total cost to terminate your DependABill® program contract will never exceed 40 percent of your annual program amount. For example, a customer with a $600 annual DependABill® program ($50 monthly) will never pay more than $240 to exit the program.
V. Renewal - At the end of each 12-month term, your new DependABill® amount will be calculated based on your most recent 12-month usage pattern and current gas prices. Your new DependABill® amount to be applicable for the next 12-month term will be provided to you no later than 30 days prior to the start of the next 12-month term. Your enrollment will be renewed automatically, unless you notify NIPSCO within the 30 days prior to the end of your current 12-month term that you do not wish to renew your DependABill® enrollment. You can notify NIPSCO by calling 1-800-448-2026 or by mail to NIPSCO at 801 East 86th Avenue, Merrillville, Indiana 46410. Your notification must include your indication of cancellation of DependABill®, your account number, service address, first and last name, and it must be post marked by the last day of your 12-month term.
VI. Dispute Resolution - If a dispute arises concerning the DependABill®program customers should contact NIPSCO Customer Service at 1-800-448-2026. If a resolution is not achieved, the customer may contact the Consumer Affairs Division of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission at National City Center, 101 W. Washington Street, Suite 1500E, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 or at 1-800-851-4268. Decisions rendered by Consumer Affairs shall be considered binding by all parties.