INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) recently confronted the state’s five largest investor-owned utilities—AES Indiana, Duke Energy, NIPSCO, Indiana Michigan Power, and CenterPoint—over a “real short-term crisis” of soaring energy bills. While utility executives defended the rates as necessary for grid reliability and blamed high costs on increased consumer usage during extreme weather, regulators demanded immediate relief. In response, some companies like NIPSCO have already extended disconnection moratoriums. This pressure follows the passage of HEA 1002, which will mandate low-income assistance and levelized billing starting in 2026.