Indiana bill targets soaring utility costs for Hoosiers
ndiana lawmakers are moving to reduce the financial strain caused by rising utility bills.
In recent weeks, WSBT reported that NIPSCO customers have raised concerns about sharply increasing gas and electric costs.
With prices continuing to climb, state legislators are responding through a new proposal: House Bill 1002, designed to bring relief to struggling Hoosiers.
Many residents say they’ve seen their electric and gas bills rise alongside higher delivery and supply charges, prompting months of concern from homeowners and renters.
“Well, my frustrations with NIPSCO have been because of the 25 percent increase in electric rates and the 37 percent increase in the gas rates now that’s per Thurman per kilowatt hour,” said Marshall County Resident Scott Schillig.
Schillig said the difference became clear when comparing two homes he owns about five miles apart in separate counties served by different utility companies.
“My NIPSCO bill over at the house in Starke County. It’s a 1300 square feet house. I am not there often and I’m keeping the thermostat set at 50 degrees. So, the electric bill was $265,” said Schillig.
The home where he lives regularly is powered by Marshall County REMC. Despite being larger, it costs significantly less to operate. Schillig said the Marshall County home is roughly 600 square feet bigger, yet the electric bill is $166 cheaper.
“The house over here in Marshall County I’m there all the time. It’s about 600 square feet larger and the electric bill was $99. So, look at the huge discrepancy,” said Schillig.
House Bill 1002 proposes stabilizing utility bills through a levelized billing plan, which would keep monthly payments consistent and reduce seasonal price “shocks.” The measure would also require utility companies to maintain service during extreme heat events.
Over the long term, the legislation introduces performance incentive mechanisms — also known as performance-based ratemaking — which would change how utilities adjust their rates.
“Hoosiers in our community have been feeling the impact of high energy bills, putting a serious strain on peoples’ budgets. House Bill 1002 aims to address affordability and hold utilities accountable for their response times, rates and reliability, “ said Co-Author, Representative Jim Pressel.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) shared a statement with WSBT highlighting the volume of complaints tied to NIPSCO:
” As of January 21, our Consumer Affairs Division has opened 823 cases regarding NIPSCO since January of last year, 531 of which were either about high bills (263), rates (162) or service charges (106) for gas and electric services. Of those 531, close to half (236) were opened within the past two months. I would also like to add that, if the customer receives both gas and electric service from NIPSCO, our process requires that we open two cases. In other words, 531 doesn’t equal the total number of customers, as some may have two or more cases open. One final caveat: Prior to initiating a complaint with the Division, we ask customers to first attempt to resolve the issue directly with the utility, so in nearly half of the NIPSCO cases opened, the Division directed the customer to try to resolve the issue with the utility first,”
The bill passed the House on Wednesday with an 89-4 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
