Pryor: ‘An investigation into utility costs is great, but the answers are right in front of us
Today, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) announced that they will be launching an investigative inquiry into high energy costs and holding a meeting with the big five investor-owned utilities.
State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Democratic Floor Leader and a member of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, released the following statement in response:
“Today, the IURC announced that they will be launching an investigative inquiry into high energy costs and holding a meeting with the big five investor-owned utilities. As someone who has been speaking out against rising utility costs for years, I am glad to see Statehouse Republicans finally acknowledge that utility costs are a problem, let alone that they are actually making an effort to get to the bottom of why prices are so high. I recently sent a letter to IURC Chairman Andy Zay asking for the IURC to look into the reason behind the high cost of energy bills my constituents are facing, whether that be from increased demand, increased prices for sources of energy generation, or faulty equipment.
“Hoosiers deserve answers, but they also deserve action. House Bill 1002 this year was a small step in the right direction, but it could’ve been a real opportunity to help people keep more of their hard-earned money. I offered several amendments that would’ve given Hoosiers immediate, substantial relief from the crushing weight of utility bills. The Republican supermajority rejected all of them. Additionally, I filed House Bill 1111 this year to address some of the most pressing issues from my constituents, mainly the issues with service disconnection and reconnection fees. That bill to hold utilities accountable did not receive a hearing.
“An investigative inquiry is good, but the answer to why prices are so high is right in front of us. Hoosiers are in this utility affordability crisis because the utilities are owned by private corporations. Of course prices continue to rise when utility companies are more beholden to boosting profit margins for shareholders than providing a service for their ratepayers. I have been against for-profit companies owning Indiana’s utilities since AES was allowed to purchase Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL) in 2001.
“The only way to truly control the crisis of utility rates is to restore local control and allow cities to take back the utilities. My constituents and Hoosiers across the state are at their breaking point. The price of keeping the lights on is surpassing some people’s mortgage payments. We cannot carry on this way. I appreciate the gesture of this investigative inquiry, but talk is cheap, and the path forward is already clear. We need a full evaluation of the way utilities are operated in Indiana and a cost-benefit analysis of having profit-focused corporations in charge of these essential services. Hoosier ratepayers will not get reprieve as long as monopoly corporations are allowed to make a profit off of this basic household necessity.”