Citizen Portal
Sign In

Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows

Get Lifetime Access

Gary council places NIPSCO on official notice over steep delivery charges

Gary Common Council · April 22, 2026

Loading...

AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The Common Council unanimously adopted CPR 2026-03 calling on NIPSCO to provide a public explanation of delivery charge increases within 60 days, request a local public hearing, and authorize city advocacy before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and state legislators.

The Gary Common Council voted unanimously April 21 to place Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) on official notice over what the council called excessive delivery charges and a lack of transparency.

The resolution, CPR 2026-03, directs NIPSCO to provide a public-facing written explanation within 60 days detailing delivery-charge increases in Gary, the infrastructure projects used to justify those charges, any projected rate increases over five years, and how delivery charges are calculated. The resolution also requests that NIPSCO hold a public hearing in Gary and authorizes the city to attend or intervene in proceedings before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC).

A council member who read the resolution said residents have reported bills with delivery charges exceeding $100 per month and, in some cases, approaching or exceeding $150, creating severe hardship for working families and seniors. “These charges have created severe financial hardship, forcing residents to choose between heating their homes and paying for food, rent, medications and other necessities,” the reading stated.

John Allen, a public commenter, urged the council to examine state law and raised constitutional and takings concerns about recent utility legislation, arguing it allows utilities to recover costs from ratepayers in advance. Allen asked the council to consider supporting residents’ independent litigation and to examine the local impact.

The resolution instructs the city clerk to transmit certified copies to NIPSCO leadership, the IURC, the state attorney general, the governor, the Indiana General Assembly delegation representing Gary, the Lake County Council and commissioners, and the Indiana Citizens Action Coalition. The measure passed on a 9–0 roll call after the council suspended rules to consider the item.