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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Ind. Gov't. - "Duke Energy cases to be audited" [Updated]

The Gary Post-Tribune is reporting:

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will conduct an audit of the Duke Energy Indiana cases that former administrative law judge Scott Storms presided over, the IURC announced Thursday.

Storms left in September for a job as an attorney in Duke's regulatory division.

The audit will span from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30 and include transcripts, rulings on motions and technical staff reports, the IURC said in a statement. The audit will involve decisions that Storms made on his own as well as decisions made by the full commission.

"The commission is aggressively acting to determine whether any activity by (administrative law judge) Storms did not follow normal processes or failed to be supported by evidence or another legal basis," the IURC said in a statement.

The commission will issue a public report by the end of the year detailing the results of its investigation. * * *

The IURC's internal audit is separate from the Inspector General's investigation requested by the governor's office. The governor had requested a review of opinions Storms presided over in the Duke case going back to the spring "to ensure no undue influence was exerted."

The IURC said all four IURC commissioners will participate in the Duke case from now on "to ensure the ongoing integrity" of the case."

"Typically, only one commissioner and administrative law judge are assigned to a case. Having all four commissioners participate fully in the case will increase oversight, provide additional scrutiny for interim rulings, and lend further expertise to the process," the IURC stated.

ILB: Two things immediately strike me.
(1) The IURC is auditing itself?

(2) "Typically, only one commissioner and administrative law judge are assigned to a case." -- I didn't know that!

[More] John Russell of the Indianapolis Star now also has posted a story.

[Updated 10-15-1] Here is the Post-Tribune story - Gitte Laasby now has the byline.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 14, 2010 01:05 PM
Posted to Indiana Government