Concern for their rising electricity bills brought around 100 people to a public hearing in Lawrence over AES’s proposal to increase costs further.
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) held the hearing at Fort Harrison State Park Aug. 27 to seek public comment on AES’s plan to implement surge prices in two phases beginning in the second quarter of 2026.
“AES is already making quite a hefty profit,” said Liz Masur, who serves on the Lawrence Common Council, adding the increase is “unnecessary, and it’s going to gouge people who can least afford to pay it.”
The IURC will make the final decision on pricing next spring.
Regulatory leaders said the purpose of the meeting was to let customers speak directly to the IURC under oath for the official record. Many present shared their dismay over the proposal to hike prices.
Increase could be more than $20 a month
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) held a public hearing seeking public comment about AES Indiana on August 27. 2025.
Earlier coverage: AES customers facing deadline to tell Indiana regulators thoughts on proposed rate hike
Masur said it’s important that people can live within their means. For a family on a fixed income or someone who’s retired, $30 a month can make a difference between their being able to pay for medicines, healthy food, or transportation.
“I think that Indiana is at a point where the people are really getting tired of not being listened to,” Masur said. “Enough is enough.”
The utility estimates the first increase will be about $12, or 7.5%, for residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month. The second increase, planned for January 2027, will be about $9, or 6%. The total estimated increase will be about $21 per month, or 13.5%, according to AES Indiana.
Hoosiers are already paying historically high energy rates from Indiana’s investor-owned utilities, according to a new analysis by a consumer watchdog group.
Other speakers at the hearing urged regulators to help keep the lights on for people, with one speaker saying, “It sounds like you guys want to keep our power disconnected.”
Hunter West, a longtime AES Indiana customer, spoke about the 2023 residential bill survey that highlighted AES Indiana as the second most expensive private electric utility for residential customers.
“I work a full-time job, 40 hours, sometimes 50 hours, and I would appreciate it if my legislative body could protect me so I don’t have to come here after work to make an argument to stop them from getting another $100 million just because they want to,” West said.
Hoosiers hit historically high electric bill increases
Citizens Action Coalition collected and analyzed 20 years of data from five of the state’s monopoly utilities — NIPSCO, CenterPoint, Duke Energy Indiana, AES Indiana, and I&M — and found that residents this year saw the highest year-over-year price increase since at least 2005.
The group’s key findings show a statewide average energy bill increase of more than $28 per month — a 17.5% jump.
The Indiana Energy Association, in a written statement in response to the CAC report, said its members “are committed to keeping affordability top of mind, while also making the investments needed to provide reliable electricity.”
Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com and follow her on X, formerly Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter who contributed to this article. IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: AES Indiana customers share concern for price increase on power bills