NIPSCO Shares Winter Heating Outlook and Resources to Help Customers Prepare

Your Bill

Each year, NIPSCO joins other Indiana natural gas utilities in sharing a winter heating outlook to help customers plan for the season ahead. While the outlook provides a useful planning tool, actual customer bills may be higher or lower than these estimates.

Weather and household energy usage remain the two largest drivers of winter heating costs. Even when natural gas market prices remain stable or decline, periods of unusually cold weather can increase energy use and result in higher customer bills. This is why customers often experience higher bills in colder months, even when their thermostat remains at the same temperature.

Natural gas bills include two primary components: the cost of natural gas and the cost of delivering natural gas to customers. The cost of natural gas is determined by market conditions and is passed through to customers without markup. NIPSCO does not profit from the sale of natural gas, and these costs are reviewed by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC).

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), increased domestic natural gas production and strong storage levels continue to support stable market conditions heading into winter. While demand for natural gas remains strong, available supplies have generally kept pace, helping maintain adequate inventories.

NIPSCO purchases natural gas throughout the year and stores supplies to help manage market volatility and support customer reliability during periods of high winter demand. Delivery charges help support the infrastructure, operations and maintenance required to safely store and deliver natural gas to homes and businesses throughout northern Indiana.

Natural gas is used year-round in many homes for water heating, cooking and clothes drying. During the winter heating season, however, home heating becomes the largest source of natural gas consumption as furnaces run more frequently to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.

"As temperatures begin to drop, we know many customers are thinking about how utility bills may affect their household budget," said Vince Parisi, NIPSCO President and Chief Operating Officer. "Winter heating costs are influenced by several factors, but colder temperatures and increased energy usage typically have the greatest impact on what customers pay. That's why preparing now through simple efficiency improvements, exploring available assistance options and understanding the factors that affect winter bills can make a meaningful difference throughout the heating season."

Prepare Now For Winter

Because home heating becomes the largest source of natural gas usage during colder months, customers can take several steps now to help improve efficiency and manage winter energy costs: