The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor on Wednesday recommended that state regulators deny AES Indiana’s request for a $193 million base rate increase — instead proposing a $21 million reduction in current rates.

Hoosiers are likely to see higher heating bills this winter. Its expected to be colder than last year and the price of natural gas and coal is up.

Indiana households have more energy insecurity than all but seven states in the country. Thats according to a survey released this week by the Energy Information Administration.

The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and six other groups want Indiana to deny CenterPoint Energy's request to give people with solar panels fewer credits for energy they deliver to the grid.

Utility companies will soon be allowed to resume disconnections for unpaid bills. The states consumer advocate group is asking the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to continue protections for people unemployed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Duke Energy in July asked the state Utility Regulatory Commission to approve a 15 percent rate increase over two years that would boost its annual revenue by about $395 million.

The utility says the rate increase would go to pay for things like smart meters and electric vehicle charging stations.

Indiana American Water has requested a nearly 17 percent rate increase to help pay for more than $542 million of infrastructure investments.

Pending regulatory approval, Indianapolis Power & Light says their customers will see about a $5 a month increase in their bills.

Most IPL customers have to pay a fixed charge of $17 a month, but if the utility gets its wish that would jump to $27 a month.