FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2004

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Larry Graham, Manager NIPSCO Communications (260) 439-1330

Merrillville, Ind. --- Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) has announced that Michael Weeks, Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator at the utility’s R. M. Schafer Generating Station, was recently appointed Chairperson of the Safety Committee at the Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable.

Weeks will chair the ten-member committee, a board of safety and health experts that meets regularly to discuss safety issues, trends and performances. He has served as a safety committee member since 2002.

The safe delivery of reliable energy is our top priority at NIPSCO,” said NIPSCO President Mark Maassel. “We congratulate Michael on his appointment as chairman of the safety committee and applaud his continued dedication to safety.

The Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable (NWIBRT) is an independent, non-profit council of local organizations committed to improving construction and maintenance projects in Northwest Indiana by promoting safety, quality and cost effectiveness.

Weeks is a certified industrial hygienist, and a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene.

NIPSCO, with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., is one of the 10 energy distribution companies of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI). With nearly 700,000 natural gas customers and 430,000 electric customers across the northern third of Indiana, NIPSCO is the largest natural gas distribution company, and the second largest electric distribution company, in the state. NiSource distribution companies serve 3.7 million natural gas and electric customers primarily in nine states. More information about NIPSCO is available at www.nipsco.nisource.com.