Sec. 48. (a) The commission shall inquire into the management of the business of all public utilities, and shall keep itself informed as to the manner and method in which the same is conducted and shall have the right to obtain from any public utility all necessary information to enable the commission to perform its duties. If, in its inquiry into the management of any public utility, the commission finds that the amount paid for the services of its officers, employees, or any of them, is excessive, or that the number of officers or persons employed by such utility is not justified by the actual needs of the utility, or that any other item of expense is being incurred by the utility which is either unnecessary or excessive, the commission shall designate such item or items, and such item or items so designated, or such parts thereof as the commission may deem unnecessary or excessive, shall not be taken into consideration in determining and fixing the rates which such utility is permitted to charge for the service which it renders.

(b) For purposes of IC 8-1-2, IC 8-1-8.5, IC 8-1-8.7, IC 8-1-8.8, and IC 8-1-27, wages paid to an independent contractor of a utility for construction or maintenance performed for the utility shall not be found to be excessive merely because the wages are those normally paid for work of the same type and quality in the labor market in which the work for the utility is being performed.

(c) In carrying out its duties and powers under subsection (a) with regard to any utility which sells or generates electricity, the commission may also inquire into or audit a utility's powerplant efficiency and system reliability.

Formerly: Acts 1913, c.76, s.51; Acts 1927, c.146, s.1. As amended by Acts 1981, P.L.104, SEC.4; P.L.53-1992, SEC.1; P.L.1-1993, SEC.47; P.L.159-2002, SEC.5.