Beginning Oct. 1, Richmond Power & Light customers will pay more per kilowatt-hour for their electric usage.
Richmond Common Council approved during its Aug. 17 meeting a new RP&L rate schedule that will increase residential rates 11.0% through 2029. Council members had previously approved the schedule when voting as the RP&L board.
The Oct. 1 hike will be the smallest of four increases for residential customers. It will bump the per-kilowatt-hour charge from $0.11424 to $0.11609, but does not impact the flat-rate facilities charge. The next three increases will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027; Jan. 1, 2028; and Jan. 1, 2029, and will impact the facilities charge and the per-kilowatt-hour charge.
The current $12.08 residential facilities charge will increase $1.47 each year to $13.55 in 2027, $15.02 in 2028 and $16.49 in 2029. The per-kilowatt hour base rate will increase to $0.12016 in 2027, $0.12191 in 2028 and $0.12374 in 2029.
The initial increase will fold the energy cost adjustment into the base energy charge. The ECA varies quarterly based on the price RP&L pays its wholesale energy provider, the Indiana Municipal Power Agency. A new ECA will be established that will impact the overall per-kilowatt-hour charge.
Before taxes and without the new ECA, the increases are expected to cost a 1,000-kilowatt-hour residential customer $1.85 in October, another $5.54 in 2027, another $3.22 in 2028 and another $3.30 in 2029 for a total increase of $13.91.
Increases will impact all RP&L rates, including commercial and industrial rates. More information about the changes is available at www.rp-l.com/rpl-considers-updated-rates-and-charges/.
No residents spoke during the public hearing. Council President Justin Burkhardt originally proposed holding the rate ordinance on second reading for vote Sept. 8, explaining that it would provide residents more time to provide their input. However, council member Lucinda Wright moved to advance the bill to a vote, and all nine council members voted for approval.
TIF allocation area
Council unanimously approved creating a seven-building tax increment finance allocation area in downtown Richmond for AP Development’s Legacy on Main project.
The buildings at 725-735 E. Main St., 726 E. Main St., 728 E. Main St., 801 E. Main St., 807-817 E. Main St., 819 E. Main St. and 828-832 E. Main St. were removed from the original downtown allocation area and put into the new allocation area. Property taxes on the increased assessments of the redeveloped properties will go to Brownsburg-based AP Development to repay its bond for the project. A similar action was taken for the 6Main apartments location.
AP Development plans to create about 100 apartments, retail spaces and commercial spaces in six buildings as part of the Revitalize Richmond effort partially financed through the Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration program.
Hutton tax abatements
J.M. Hutton received three tax abatements for new equipment investments that will expand the company’s truck cab manufacturing capabilities.
The total $4,140,000 investment is expected to create 37 new jobs. Council’s tax abatement committee visited J.M. Hutton, which National Stamping and Fabrication LLC now owns, and scored its applications using the standard tax abatement metrics. The committee recommended three-year abatements of 100%, 50% and 40%. The abatements are for manufacturing equipment, a $3,750,000 investment; research and development equipment, a $110,000 investment; and information technology equipment, a $280,000 investment.
Council member Larry Parker said he was impressed with Hutton’s new innovations and the factory itself. Council unanimously approved all three abatements.
RHS cheerleaders
Council honored Richmond High School’s cheerleading team with a proclamation. The team won the Indiana State Fair competition for the first time in school history.
The proclamation congratulated head coach Jessica Shadday, assistant coach Ashlen Cox, and team members Kylie Berry, Jaycee Biga, Ava Brown, Lucy Burkhardt, Miley Cannon, Jamyiah Carter, Maddy Carter, Maddie Conner, Amishawn Craig, Grace Ferriell, Hadley Hart, Jordyn Haynes, Sophia Hill, Maya Loveless, Kamryn Pew and Monet Webster.
Other issues
- Council approves a transfer within the human resources budget of $22,000 from the unemployment compensation line item, with $10,000 moved to pay for background checks and $12,000 moved to a contract line item that pays for union negotiations.
- Council appropriated $630,000 in airport funds for the terminal project. The money is the final financing piece to build the new terminal.
A version of this article appeared in the August 26 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
