The IURC, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, provided a listening session to hear from local residents’ concerns with Their NIPSCO utility bills at the Gary Public Library Monday night, April 13, 2026, There are a total of 10 stops with this one being the eight one.
The listening sessions are also part of a commission investigative inquiry into five Indiana utilities, including the Northern Indiana Public Service Company. IURC Chairman, Andy Zay, told attendees that they plan to use these results and to put together an energy affordability report in 45 to 60 days after the final listening sessionscheduled for April 22 in Terre Haute.
“I know there are things that you are giving up to be here because this is important to you,” Zay said. “I want you to know that we appreciate that. We hear you, and it’s important to us, too.”
There were several speakers representing customer, legislative, and government perspectives as shared by State Sen. Mark Spencer, D-Gary, and Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary. While each speaker shared different experiences, there were consistent questions kept emerging.
• Why is it extremely difficult to see how utility bills are structured?
• Why are Delivery charges much higher than the total cost actual usage?;
• Concerns about paying for infrastructure before it is completed or even completed at all;
• Is it true that infrastructure costs are allocated for large new developments such as Data Centers?;
• Are you aware that the affordability challenges target the lower and middle income people?
• It appears that there is a gap between legislative decisions (made in 2018, 2023, and so on) which results in surprise billing increases.
What stands out is not any one statement, but the consistency across all speakers. Below you’ll find how each speaker’s comments. For the full transcripts for anyone interested in reviewing the original context by Chaos Media on youtube here. https://www.youtube.com/live/gllSAKJ_sbA
IURC Listening Session – A Non-partial Summary
LaVetta Sparks-Wade – a U.S. House of Representatives to represent Indiana’s 1st Congressional District in the May 5th Primary
Utility bills are doubling across both individual households and entire communities, creating widespread financial strain.
A primary driver of these increases appears to be rising delivery fees, which often outweigh the actual cost of usage. Customers are also being required to pay for infrastructure projects before they are completed, raising concerns about cost, timing and fairness.
At the same time, there is growing unease about cost allocation, particularly the possibility that large-load corporate users, such as data centers, may be shifting costs allowing them to pay significantly lower rates than residential consumers.
Many legislative laws that contributed to these outcomes are not fully understood until the financial impact shows up on their raising utility bills, demonstrating a disconnect between policy and real-world billing.
This lack of transparency makes it difficult to connect specific charges on invoices to actual expenses. As a result, affordability is becoming an increasing concern for both middle-income and fixed-income households, while the overall lack of predictability leaves consumers uncertain about what their future bills will look like.
Here’s what State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago talked about:
The rising cost of utility bills is having a real-life impact on households, forcing some individuals to reduce heat usage and exposing them to potential health risks, especially during extreme weather conditions.
These challenges are widespread enough that even legislators themselves have reported being personally affected by significant bill increases. While HB 1002 has been introduced as an initial step, it is widely recognized as a starting point rather than a comprehensive solution. There is a clear need for continued legislative action, with a focus on more effective reforms in 2027.
In the meantime, potential solutions such as implementing a temporary moratorium on rate increases and establishing seasonal relief mechanisms have been proposed to ease the immediate burden.
These issues highlight the urgent need to address affordability, mitigate public health risks, and create a more forward-looking legislative strategy that ensures long-term stability and protection for our residents.
Darren Washington, Gary Common Councilman at Large talked about:
Multiple legislative attempts to address these issues have failed, with 13 proposed amendments being rejected, highlighting significant challenges within the current policy structure. As a result, there is growing concern that existing policies are shifting the financial burden onto local governments and taxpayers rather than holding corporations accountable.
Additional worries stem from cost allocation practices, particularly the recovery of expenses for projects that have not yet been completed, as seen in examples involving nuclear energy developments. At the same time, middle-income households often fall through the cracks of assistance programs, creating an affordability gap where they receive little to no relief despite facing rising costs.
While payment plans are frequently offered as a solution, they do not address the root issue of affordability and instead may prolong financial strain. Altogether, these concerns point to broader issues of system accountability, where failures occur across multiple layers, including legislative outcomes, cost distribution, and the timing of cost recovery.
William Perryman (Retired Combat Veteran and Running for Hobart, Indiana City Council)
Many individuals on fixed incomes are experiencing extreme increases in their utility bills, creating significant financial strain.
A major concern is the disproportionate cost of delivery fees compared to actual energy usage, with some customers reporting examples such as only $32 in usage but being charged $210 for delivery. This raises questions about the overall cost structure, particularly the imbalance between supply and delivery charges. Additionally, there are ongoing concerns about smart meters, including their accuracy and potential impact on billing.
The lack of transparency in how bills are composed further adds to customer confusion, making it difficult to understand or verify charges.
These issues highlight broader problems related to affordability, especially for vulnerable populations, and underscore the need for greater accountability.
As a result, there is a clear call for an investigation into current billing mechanisms, including a closer examination of how utility billing items are calculated and linked to actual expenses.
One of the most informational speakers was local resident Naomi Popps:
Naomi wanted to know why, NIPSCO is a monolopy, and that there is nothing on the bill showing what we’re paying for. “What’s in the fees,” asked Naomi. “People are struggling. Nipsco has raised the rates 3 times.”
Naomi knew exactly what the increases were. “We’re paying $174,000 a day, and the smaller one costs $21,000 dollars a day. “I’m not getting any benefit from burning coal, it’s all going back to the NIPSCO clients,” she continued. Lastly, Naomi knew the NIPSCO profits in three years. “Nipsco’s profit in 2025 was 5.058 Billionn Dollars in 2025; Nipsco’s Profit was 4.32 Billion Dollars in 2024 and Nipsco’s profit was 3.597 Billion Dollars in 2022.”
Almost everyone said there is a growing concern over the lack of transparency in utility billing, with many charges appearing as “lumped” amounts that provide little to no clear breakdown on the bills or otherwise. This lack of clarity makes it difficult for people to understand what they are being charged for or to verify the accuracy of their bills.
SUMMARY OF THE LISTENING SESSION:
Compounding the issue is the monopoly structure of NIPSCO, leaving customers without any options and limiting any other affordable choices. As a result, consumers are often unable to evaluate affordability before costs are incurred, making financial planning increasingly difficult.
Repeated rate increases over time further exacerbate the strain, reinforcing the perception that utility providers operate with unchecked authority—essentially a “blank check.” This concern is deepened by the reality that even legislators, regulators, and consumers struggle to clearly define the NIPSCO rate structure as it exists today.
Transparency Issues: Customers cannot trace charges on their bills;
understand how costs are structured; or connect bills to regulatory or legislative decisions.
System-wide Trust Erosion: There were Repeated references to: lack of control, lack of options, and lack of accountability.
Policy Awareness Gaps: Legislative actions are not well understood by the public and Impact is only felt after bills increase. This awareness gap Creates disconnect between: Intent, Implementation and Outcomes.
Structure Imbalances with Costs: Delivery charges are repeatedly identified as the dominant cost driver where Usage does not align with total bill impact. Multiple recovery mechanisms appear layered, confusing and unclear.
Affordability Crisis Impacts Specific Targets More than Others:
Affordability effects specific sectors including: Fixed income (seniors) ; Middle income (non-qualifying for assistance) ; and even legislators themselves.
Cost Allocation Problems: Concern that residential customers are subsidizing infrastructure for large commercial / industrial growth (Data Centers, etc.) may shift burden onto consumers.
Timing Concerns with Costs: Strong perception that customers are paying before projects are completed without clear visibility into outcomes or any outcome at all.
Altogether, these issues highlight significant gaps in transparency, affordability, market structure, and overall trust and accountability within the system.
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