The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor recommends NIPSCO get just 55% of its requested electric rate increase. The state agency sent its recommendations to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission this week, along with testimony from its field hearings in Valparaiso, Hammond and Gary as well as other information. Among the OUCC’s recommendations is that NIPSCO’s monthly customer service charges for residential and commercial customers remain at their current levels. The agency also recommends NIPSCO’s authorized cost of equity be reduced to 9% from the 9.8% approved last year.