![SNAP HAPPY Recording on a GoPro for social media, senior Sam Mellon has recently started a weekly sports podcast. “[Senior] Brendan Feeney and I have been talking about doing a sports podcast forever. We love talking about sports and we just grabbed [senior] Will Hanas and went along with it,” Mellon said.](https://mhsnews.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sam-892x1200.png)
Last fall, Northern Indiana Public Service Company, NIPSCO, warned residents of a winter price increase of upwards to 16%. But many say that bills have been higher, leaving them looking for ways to cover the sum.
In Munster, residents have reached out to town council members to voice their concerns on recent price hikes. On Feb. 16, the council voted to approve Resolution 2162 stating the town’s disapproval of the sudden increase.
“We, as a council, decided to make a resolution, like other towns are doing, to just voice our opposition against the recently increased utility rates, including delivery and infrastructure related charges, creating financial strain for households.” Councilman Joe Hofferth said.
Before voting to approve of the resolution, Councilman Johnathan Petersen shared his personal issues with NIPSCO and actions he had taken.
“I issued a letter at the end of January to NIPSCO and the IURC,” Councilman Peterson said. “I did so in response to tremendous numbers of calls I was getting from residents, complaining about these substantial increases in their NIPSCO bills, and specifically these delivery charge increases, which, you know, it’s the same pipes, delivering natural gas this year as last year.” Councilman Peterson said.
At the meeting, council members emphasized that they feel for residents and the financial strain that the increased utility bills have.
“NIPSCO is regulated by a state agency called the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, and we, as members of the council, have no authority over NIPSCO whatsoever, but we do have the moral authority of our community.” ” Petersen said. “And I think passing this resolution, sending it to NISPCO, sending it to the IURC, sending it to our state representatives and our state senators, lets them know that there are serious concerns, and a hope that we can get straightforward answers.”
This comes shortly after the Indiana Senate voted down House Bill 1002, which would have cut off sales tax to gas prices in order to give immediate relief.
Many news sources contribute the prices to continued IURC approval of rate increases. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, NIPSCO bills have increased by 91% over the past 10 years.
