The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has announced that it is investigating five utility companies, including NIPSCO, serving Northwest Indiana, over large increases in energy bills.
The IURC Chairman, Andy Zay, said they’ve started what he calls “an investigative inquiry” after hearing a lot of complaints about affordability.
“We are asking our five investor-owned utilities that we regulate to come to this room and have an open dialogue about affordability,” Zay said during a rare press conference at the commission’s offices in Indianapolis. “We’re going to ask questions on the rates, on the transparency of billing, also on reflection, to understand better what we have done right and what we have done wrong as a commission.”
Zay said the commission has heard from lawmakers, Governor Mike Braun and customers about affordability.
“Certainly we want our rate-payers costs to be as little as possible, but we also want our utilities to be successful,” Zay said. “That balance feels dramatically out of whack right now for many, many Hoosiers.”
NIPSCO customers have complained about large increases in confusing bills, mistakes made by so-called smart meters, and delivery charges that make no sense.
State lawmakers have advanced legislation that would change how utilities bill customers.
A consumer watchdog group, Citizens Action Coalition, points out lawmakers have been part of the problem, passing utility-friendly legislation in the past.
Here’s the commission’s press release:
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC or Commission) announced today that it will be conducting an Investigative Inquiry on Energy Affordability on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
During the inquiry, the Commission will be calling in the five largest investor-owned utilities to present on various topics related to energy affordability, including how usage and rates lead to bills, the impact of growth on affordability, and steps that can be taken in the short term to increase bill transparency and address rising energy costs.
The five utilities that will be presenting include AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy Indiana, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Indiana Michigan Power Company, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC.
“Indiana, like every state, is facing a real challenge when it comes to energy affordability,” said IURC Chairman Andy Zay. “Costs are increasing across the board, and rising utility bills are placing added pressure on budgets that, for many, are already strained. We’ve heard the concerns about the burden utility bills have on families and businesses across the state, and we are committed to evaluating short- and long-term solutions related to affordability.”
The inquiry will take place from 9:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 222 of the PNC Center, 101 W. Washington St., in Indianapolis. The meeting is open to the public to observe and will be livestreamed on the Commission’s website at www.in.gov/iurc/watch-the-iurc-live.
Based on the investigative inquiry, the Commission will determine any appropriate next steps, which can include formal or informal actions.
Any formal action taken by the Commission must occur at the IURC’s weekly public meeting, known as “Conference,” where commissioners vote on orders.
“As utility regulators, we are required to review all the evidence and balance factors like reliability and affordability when making decisions, but careful attention must be paid to the impact these increases can have when combined with inflation, fuel costs, and other forces outside of a utility’s control,” Zay said. “Our focus with this investigative inquiry is to examine some of those cost drivers and identify meaningful steps that can be taken to address issues like bill transparency and affordability without sacrificing reliability.”