Indiana utility regulators open statewide inquiry into energy affordability, calling five largest investor-owned utilities to testify

Inquiry set for March 24 at Indianapolis PNC Center, with focus on bills, growth pressures, and transparency

Indiana utility regulators are launching a formal inquiry into energy affordability, signaling heightened scrutiny of the forces driving electric and natural gas bills for households and businesses. The proceeding is structured as an investigative inquiry and is scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, running from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 222 of the PNC Center in downtown Indianapolis. The meeting is open to the public to observe and is expected to be livestreamed.

The inquiry will bring in the state’s five largest investor-owned utilities to present information and respond to questions tied to affordability. The companies expected to participate are AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy Indiana, Duke Energy Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power Company, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO). Regulators have indicated the agenda will examine how usage and rates shape monthly bills, how population and economic growth can affect affordability, and what short-term steps could improve bill transparency while identifying longer-term cost drivers.

The investigative format is designed to surface common cost pressures across utilities while highlighting differences in service territories, customer usage patterns, and infrastructure needs.

Although the inquiry is not a single utility rate case, it is occurring amid broader public and policymaker attention to rising energy costs and the difficulty many customers report in managing monthly bills. In Indiana’s regulatory system, base rates and many other charges are set through commission proceedings, while customers’ final bills can also be shaped by usage, fuel costs, and the timing of system investments.

The commission has framed the inquiry as an effort to examine affordability without compromising reliability—an issue that can be influenced by grid maintenance, system upgrades, and changing demand. Regulators have also emphasized transparency, a theme that typically centers on how bills are presented, how charges are explained, and how customers can better understand what is driving changes over time.

Consumer advocates have welcomed the inquiry as a significant development, while also calling for measurable outcomes. Utility representatives have confirmed participation, and several have pointed to ongoing efforts that they say are intended to limit customer impacts through program design, planning, and customer-facing tools.

• What will be discussed: bill components tied to rates and usage, growth-related pressures, and near-term steps to improve bill clarity.

• Who is expected to present: AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy Indiana, Duke Energy Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power, and NIPSCO.

• When and where: March 24, 9:45 a.m.–4 p.m., PNC Center, 101 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.

The inquiry’s next steps will depend on what regulators learn during the daylong session and whether the commission signals follow-up actions, such as additional workshops, data requests, or potential policy recommendations to be taken up in future cases.