Gov. Mike Braun announced Monday that he would be removing the chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, citing affordability as his top priority.
The move drew mixed reactions from lawmakers and advocacy groups, who said they welcomed the governor taking steps to protect consumers but are unsure whether the leadership change will make much of a difference.
The move came less than a week after the commission voted to approve a $71 million rate hike for AES Indiana customers. Braun criticized that decision on social media, calling for the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor to petition for a rehearing of the case.
But on Monday, Braun went a step further, announcing that current Commissioner Anthony Swinger would replace Andy Zay as chairman.
Zay left the Indiana Senate earlier this year to take the position of chairman with the Regulatory Commission.
“Affordability is my top priority and I am confident Chairman Swinger will deliver on that priority for Hoosiers,” Braun said in a statement.
Separately, Commissioner David Veleta posted on social media that he was “ready for what’s next” after 17 years at the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. It’s not clear if Veleta is no longer in the position.
Neither Zay nor Veleta responded to WFYI’s request for comment.
Kerwin Olson, executive director of the Citizens Action Coalition, said he isn’t sure how much the changes to the commission will ultimately matter.
“Perhaps we need to have a more thorough discussion about changes to statutes and laws that govern the IURC, rather than necessarily trying to interfere in the process that way,” Olson said.
Olson said he’s still glad to see Braun take affordability efforts seriously.
“We don’t doubt his sincerity on the issue,” Olson said. “But we need changes to the statute, we need regulatory reform, we need improvements to the laws. We need more flexibility at the commission. At the moment, the commission is acting within the confines of the law.”
Rep. Cherish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released a statement following Braun’s announcement, calling the move a “political performance.”
“Unfortunately, replacing the chairman of the IURC won’t reverse the rate hike approval. Gov. Braun is simply distracting voters from his own appointment of former Chairman Zay, who supported the increase,” Pryor said. She urged her colleagues to look towards legislative fixes during the 2027 session.
A spokesperson for the Utility Consumer Counselor, which had recommended a rate decrease last week before the Regulatory Commission, said that they were in the process of drafting a request for the rate case to be reconsidered by the commission.
That request will need to be submitted by July 7, after which AES will have 10 days to file its response. Following that the Regulatory Commission will have 60 days to consider the petition.
In the meantime, Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor Abby Gray congratulated Anthony Swinger on his appointment as chairman.
“Anthony has always prioritized the needs of ratepayers with special consideration for transparency and affordability,” Gray said in a statement.
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org
