Longtime Utility Consumer Counselor William Fine is leaving his post effective Aug. 31 — setting up an opportunity for Gov. Mike Braun to have a direct impact on utility issues in the state.
Fine has led the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) since 2017. The agency represents all Indiana consumers to “ensure quality, reliable utility services at the most reasonable prices possible through dedicated advocacy, consumer education and creative problem solving,” its website said.
Fine was appointed the 24th Utility Consumer Counselor for the state by then-Gov. Eric Holcomb and was reappointed in December 2020.
He led a staff of more than 50 professionals including attorneys, analysts, engineers, and additional employees who represent Indiana’s residential, commercial, and industrial ratepayer interests in state and federal utility regulatory proceedings.
Fine is retiring after 45 years of practicing law. Before joining the OUCC, he served in the Indiana House of Representatives and was a member of the Lake County Election and Voter Registration Board, the Indiana Public Defender Commission and the Board of Managers for the Lake County Bar Association.
His bio on the OUCC site said he is a former vice president and treasurer of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates and currently serves on its executive committee. Fine was a member of Indiana’s 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force and was on the Critical Consumer Issues Forum Advisory Committee.
A Lake County native, Fine holds degrees from the Maurer School of Law, Purdue University and Indiana University.
Gov. Mike Braun will appoint his successor.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) will also be getting a new leader soon.
Current IURC Chairman Jim Huston announced his retirement in May. He plans to step down in January 2026 after more than a decade with the agency.
The governor appoints members of the IURC from among persons recommended by a nominating commission, and also appoints the chairman.
The IURC hears evidence in rates cases filed before it and makes decisions based on the evidence presented.
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