Indiana’s monopoly utilities want to charge customers like me for the energy that they did not sell because of the COVID19 global pandemic. Indiana should be protecting Hoosiers by extending the shut-off moratorium and putting in place a freeze on rate increases until this economic and health crisis has ended. Indiana needs to create a Utility Affordability Task Force to address the financial cliff that is coming once emergency orders are lifted, specifically how can we ensure customers can stay connected and afford their utility bills once the moratorium on utility disconnects ends. Please reject this act of greed by the utilities and work to ensure that all Hoosiers have uninterrupted access to essential utility services and are able to remain comfortably and safely in their own homes.

Indiana’s monopoly utilities want to profit off of COVID19 by charging customers like me for the energy that they did not sell because of the pandemic. Please do not allow this to happen! Hoosiers are struggling with the impacts of COVID19 right now because of record unemployment, food insecurity, disproportionate health impacts by race and zip code, and unanticipated financial obligations due to the pandemic. The most vulnerable Hoosiers are particularly hard hit: people on low– or fixed-incomes, i.e. senior citizens, people with disabilities, and children. We are just beginning to understand the extent and length of the economic fallout resulting from the pandemic. In order to protect Hoosiers, I call on you to extend the utility disconnect moratorium until new consumer protection guidelines are put in place. Those guidelines should include the elimination of utility deposit requirements and flexible, reasonable payment plans that are based on the customer’s ability to pay.

Indiana’s monopoly utilities want to opportunistically profit off of customers like me by charging us for the energy that they did not sell because of the COVID19 global pandemic. Hoosiers are suffering enough right now because of record unemployment, food insecurity, disproportionate health impacts by race and zip code, and unanticipated financial obligations due to the pandemic. Please reject the utilities' attempt to exploit Hoosiers. Extend the utility shut-off moratorium and freeze any rate increases until this economic and health crisis has ended.