NIPSCO has ramped up its Energy Harvest home appliance rebate program with a new searchable Web site and a program for contractors.

"This program provides customers with an immediate incentive to manage their energy usage by helping offset the cost of investing in higher efficiency appliances," said NIPSCO spokeswoman Colleen Reilly.

The top rebate of $750 is for an indirect domestic hot water tank combo with natural gas boiler. Rebates of $250 are available for gas furnaces that are at least 92 percent efficient and there is a $20 rebate for qualified programmable thermostats.

A complete list is available at http://www.nipsco.com by clicking on the Energy Harvest link at the top of the page.

The utility estimates that upgrading a two-story, 2,100-square-foot home to an energy-efficient natural gas furnace can save a homeowner $300 to $470 per year.

NIPSCO has forecast that home heating bills for natural gas customers will be 10 percent to 20 percent higher this winter as compared to last, due to higher natural gas prices on wholesale markets.

This year will be the first time NIPSCO customers can take advantage of the Energy Harvest rebates ahead of the winter heating season. The program began in January.

NIPSCO has a target goal of 5,810 rebates worth $1.1 million for this year, according to NIPSCO spokesman Nick Meyer. The utility estimates that by using the energy efficient appliances, customers will use 270,000 fewer therms of natural gas.

The Energy Harvest program is part of a natural gas rate revision approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission last year. The rebates are paid for by a surcharge on all customer bills and a contribution from NIPSCO.

In June, NIPSCO expanded the rebate program to include home builders. The rebates for contractors are similar to those for residential gas customers. Contractors can also take advantage of a $500 rebate for building an Energy Star Qualified home with a high-efficiency natural gas furnace and water heater.

Energy Star appliances are certified as energy efficient by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. No matter what the brand, they carry a distinctive Energy Star logo.