Hoosiers Face Surging Utility Costs; NIPSCO Breaks Down Pricing
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Hoosiers are opening their mail to find a massive surprise in the form of utility bills that have doubled or even tripled in a matter of weeks.
While NIPSCO points to a frigid January and increased furnace use as the primary culprits, the spike is part of a much larger, statewide trend of rising energy costs. Throughout Indiana, electricity prices have climbed as major utility companies phase in rate hikes to cover infrastructure upgrades and a transition to new power sources. State leaders have launched an investigation into NIPSCO’s billing practices after potential errors were identified during the rollout of new automated meters.
The Indiana House passed House Bill 1002 last Wednesday, which focuses on electric utility affordability.
NIPSCO maintains that they do not mark up the costs of the gas itself, instead passing market prices directly to the consumer, and they are encouraging people to use budget billing to smooth out these seasonal shocks.
However, for many, the “delivery fees” used to maintain the grid are becoming just as burdensome as the fuel itself, leaving neighbors searching for answers as the cost of keeping the lights on continues to move upward.
