Authority: IC 8-1-1-3; IC 8-1-2-47

Affected: IC 8-1-1-5; IC 8-1-1.1-2; IC 8-1-1.1-5.1; IC 8-1-2; IC 8-1.5-1-10

Sec. 2. The following definitions apply throughout this rule:

1. (1) "Commission" means the Indiana utility regulatory commission.

2. (2) Except as noted in section 5.5 of this rule, "complainant" means:

   1. (A) a person or entity that initiates a formal complaint against a utility under IC 8-1-2-54; or
   2. (B) a person or entity who formally requests the commission to initiate an investigation under Indiana law.
3. (3) "Electronic filing system" means the system used by the commission that contains docketed and certain nondocketed matters and permits parties to file documents electronically.
4. (4) "Informal complaint" means a complaint filed by a customer to consumer affairs in accordance with 170 IAC 16- 1.

5. (5) "Intervenor" means a person or entity, other than:

   1. (A) a petitioner;
   2. (B) a complainant;
   3. (C) the office of utility consumer counselor; or
   4. (D) a respondent;
6. who is admitted as a participant in a proceeding conducted before the commission.

7. (6) "Party" means a participant in a proceeding before the commission, including:

   1. (A) a petitioner;
   2. (B) a complainant;
   3. (C) the office of utility consumer counselor;
   4. (D) a respondent; or
   5. (E) an intervenor.
8. (7) "Petition" includes a written request for relief made by a party or parties with standing to seek relief before the commission.
9. (8) "Petitioner" means a public or municipally-owned utility or other party that has the requisite standing to seek relief from the commission.

10. (9) "Pleading" means:

    1. (A) a petition;
    2. (B) a complaint;
    3. (C) an answer;
    4. (D) a motion;
    5. (E) a response;
    6. (F) a reply; or
    7. (G) other similar document;
11. filed to initiate, or made in the course of, a proceeding before the commission.
12. (10) "Presiding officer" means a commissioner or administrative law judge assigned to preside in a particular cause before the commission.
13. (11) "Prevailing local time" means the time where the commission is located.
14. (12) "Public field hearing" means a hearing conducted in a county in which the utility provides service for the purpose of allowing the utility's customers and others with a substantial interest in the matter who are not parties to offer comments, including those authorized under IC 8-1-2-61(b) related to general rate proceedings. It is not a formal public hearing contemplated by IC 8-1-2-61.5 related to small utilities.

15. (13) "Respondent" means a person or entity:

    1. (A) required to:

       1. (i) be named as a respondent by statute, rule, or order of the commission; or
       2. (ii) respond to an order of the commission; or
    2. (B) against whom an investigation is initiated on motion of a complainant or on the commission's own motion.
16. (14) "Service list" refers to the list of attorneys of record and parties appearing pro se maintained by the secretary of the commission or in the electronic filing system.
17. (15) "Signature equivalent" means a signature that meets the standards set out in Indiana Trial Rule 86(I).
18. (16) "Utility" means a public utility as defined in IC 8-1-2-1 or municipally-owned utility as defined in IC 8-1.5-1- 10.
19. (17) "Utility consumer counselor" means the office established pursuant to IC 8-1-1.1-2.

(Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission; 170 IAC 1-1.1-2; filed Oct 30, 2000, 2:10 p.m.: 24 IR 654; readopted filed Apr 6, 2006, 11:00 a.m.: 29 IR 2670; readopted filed Jun 14, 2012, 3:04 p.m.: 20120711-IR-170120199RFA; readopted filed Apr 12, 2018, 11:21 a.m.: 20180509-IR-170180113RFA; filed Jun 10, 2020, 7:38 a.m.: 20200708-IR-170190378FRA)