To see how NiSource is approaching America’s transition to cleaner energy sources, read CEO Joe Hamrock’s recent op ed in The Times of Northwest Indiana newspaper. A copy is included below.
America’s energy future is everyone’s concern.
That’s why any discussion of how we source, produce and use that energy must bring us all into the conversation. We must work together, and carefully consider our various needs and viewpoints to design a fair, sensible and effective energy strategy best addressing all of our diverse requirements in the century ahead.
For their part, energy companies cannot pursue this goal in a vacuum. They must engage with stakeholders across the spectrum—from those who harvest and produce our energy resources, to those who use it in their daily lives. In doing so, we can ensure communities enjoy the best, most productive outcome from our nation’s transition to cleaner energy sources — and shares equally in the benefits of a new, safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy model.
Our company, NiSource, is a case in point. We’re a fully regulated natural gas and electric provider, serving 4 million customers across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. With operations that are close to abundant, low-cost natural gas resources, we are leveraging those resources to satisfy a portion of today’s energy needs. At the same time, we are also working closely with our Indiana stakeholders to ensure that all parties derive equitable benefits from our shift to cleaner, more sustainable methods of electric generation.
Through both of these activities, we are helping create a dependable, affordable and sustainable energy model that advances our commitment to economic growth, social responsibility and environmental stewardship — as well as promotes the future well-being of all those affected by these efforts.
Our company also maintains a strong focus on sustainability to protect our planet’s ecosystem for future generations. We continually make investments across our footprint to improve safety, reliability and environmental performance.
These investments are expected to help us achieve a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. We also work to help our gas and electric customers lower their carbon emissions through programs that provide energy-efficiency upgrades, home checkups and weatherization services. More than 1.1 million of our customers participated in these programs in 2020. And we continue to modernize our pipelines to drive significant reductions in methane emissions from our gas systems and service lines.
We realize the importance of keeping all clean energy options on the table. The market-driven process we employed as part of the Integrated Resource Plan we develop every three years in Indiana, for example, showed in 2018 that renewable energy sources like wind, solar and battery technology were the best-cost options for our electric customers while preserving the reliability they expect.
This forward-looking approach continues to inform our electric generation transition, which takes into account both the energy needs of today and those of the future. Last year in Indiana, we completed the first two wind projects — among more than a dozen new renewable energy projects we have announced. These efforts help lead us toward a more sustainable energy mix, improving environmental performance, lowering costs for our electric customers and moving us closer to our goal of being 100% coal-free by 2028.
On other fronts, we’re also exploring various decarbonization strategies—such as blending renewable natural gas and/or hydrogen into the natural gas stream.
Sustainability also is all about supporting people. Nearly 20 years ago, our company created policies designed to cultivate a positive work environment and support diversity within our ranks. Since then, we have continued to work to achieve the social goals of sustainability — both internally and externally —as well as to enhance and update guidelines advancing these objectives. And we remain committed to efforts to ensure that our employees, leaders and business partners reflect the diversity of the customers we serve.
Supporting people also means reviewing future workforce demand across our company to determine where, when and how to help workers who are affected by our transition to a new energy model — through internal placement, retraining or partnerships.
We also focus outward and work to activate our commitment to social responsibility by supporting economically vulnerable customers through payment assistance programs and plans, and by partnering with state and local agencies to ensure that none of our customers go without heat in the winter.
We back full funding of the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, through which low-income households may offset a portion of their home energy costs.
All of these forward-looking activities — efforts designed to transition to a more ecologically sound energy mix, to progress as a positive and inclusive public utility and to serve each and every customer — would not have been possible without the low-cost natural gas supply and infrastructure that support the critical pillar of sustainability: Economic viability.
Natural gas remains a critical part of today’s energy mix. It is an essential resource that enables consumers to heat their homes, cook food and dry clothes, and it allows commercial and industrial enterprises to conduct their operations. And perhaps just as importantly, constant improvements to the natural gas infrastructure already in place will soon support delivery of other ecologically friendly fuels such as hydrogen and bio-sourced renewable gas.
While there are many opinions and valid ideas on how best to address America’s energy future, they continue to shift and evolve. One fact, however, remains constant: We must solicit and leverage the help and input of all stakeholders to develop a balanced model that creates an affordable, reliable, sustainable supply of energy that will serve our communities — both now and in the future.
And we remain committed to doing our part to secure America’s shared energy future.
Learn more about our commitment to sustainability.