A former Indiana utility regulator says no state has seen more activity around utility affordability this year than Indiana.
Speaking during a media briefing hosted by the nonprofit advocacy group Powerlines, former Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Chair Sarah Freeman pointed to a series of actions taken by state leaders since Gov. Mike Braun took office.
"Indiana has become kind of the epicenter of utility affordability for the United States," Freeman said.
She highlighted Braun's appointment of three new utility commissioners, statewide public listening sessions on electric bills, a recent affordability report issued by the Commission and several major utility cases currently pending before the Commission.
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She said the issue is expected to remain a major focus through the end of the year, as the Commission considers rehearing petitions in AES Indiana's rate case, reviews integrated resource plans from several utilities and prepares for Duke Energy Indiana's first multi-year rate plan filing under a new state law.
Powerlines Executive Director Charles Schwa said the growing attention reflects national trends.
"The signs are flashing red," Schwa said. "Utility rate increase requests have totaled $31 billion (nationally) in 2025."
According to the organization, electricity prices have increased 40 percent nationally over the past five years, outpacing inflation.
Powerlines estimates Indiana utilities requested roughly $200 million in rate increases last year, with another $30 million already requested this year. In the same report, Powerlines said since 2022, Hoosiers have seen electricity costs jump nearly 21 percent, and in the last year alone average electricity prices spiked more than 11 percent.
Schwa said Indiana's five investor-owned electric utilities have announced plans to invest about $50 billion over the next decade in power plants, transmission lines and other infrastructure.
Freeman said affordability has always been part of utility regulation, but Indiana policymakers now have additional tools to evaluate how utility investments affect customer bills. She said upcoming technical conferences at the IURC will examine utility returns on equity and the use of rate adjustment mechanisms, commonly known as trackers or riders.
Those proceedings, along with several major utility filings expected later this year, will shape how Indiana approaches utility affordability in the years ahead.
