State lawmakers heard from experts on Thursday on what Indiana utilities and regional grid operators are doing to prevent blackouts like the ones in Texas.

The state said the company failed to timely find or mark some of its pipelines -- which could have caused natural gas explosions.

Many Hoosiers who are unable to pay their energy bills won't face shutoffs for another 45 days. On Monday, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission ordered some utilities to continue the moratorium on shutoffs through Aug. 14.

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission voted unanimously to deny the request by utilities, who had said they needed to recover millions of dollars in lost revenue over the last few months as businesses closed their doors and factories cut hours and used less electricity.

Consumer advocates worry many Indiana residents will face financial hardship even after the pandemic ends. Several electric and gas utilities say they need financial relief, too.

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 is seeking the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's approval for the rate hike for its 840,000 Indiana electric customers.

On Wednesday, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission rejected the utilitys proposal for an 850 megawatt facility in the Evansville area.

The utility with about 302,000 Indiana customers is seeking a nearly 17 percent rate increase to help pay for more than $542 million of infrastructure investments.

The utility says the retirements are not yet final but are "the most viable option for customers" under a plan to be submitted to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission by Nov. 1