UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 -------------------- FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 28, 2005 NISOURCE INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter) 001-16189 35-2108964 Delaware (Commission (IRS Employer (State or Other Jurisdiction) File Number) Identification No.) 801 East 86th Avenue Merrillville, Indiana (46410 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (877) 647-5990 Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): [ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) [ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) ITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT On January 28, 2005, the Officer Nomination and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of NiSource Inc. (the "Company") awarded bonuses pursuant to the Company's 2004 Corporate Incentive Plan (the "Plan") notwithstanding the fact that the Company did not achieve the Plan's financial trigger for 2004. The Committee approved bonuses at the minimum amount of each participant's incentive range to be allocated to eligible participants in the Plan in accordance with the incentive payment calculations established in the Plan. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. NISOURCE INC. Date: February 3, 2005 By: /s/ Gary W. Pottorff ----------------------------- Gary W. Pottorff Secretary