SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Indiana Governor Mike Braun announced Abby Gray as the new Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor Commissioner, to serve as an advocate for Hoosiers.

Braun has directed the office to evaluate utilities’ profits and find cost-saving measures to ease the financial burden on residents.

This includes utilities’ investors bearing more of the costs of doing business rather than ratepayers.

Braun issued the following statement:

“Hoosiers have been burdened with utility rate increase after increase. We can’t take it anymore. I am directing the Utility Consumer Counselor, who is Indiana’s ratepayer advocate, to evaluate utilities’ profits along with other cost savings measures to ease the burden on ratepayers. I would also like to see the utilities' investors bear more of the cost of doing business.”

NIPSCO released the following statement in response to Braun:

"We welcome partnerships and conversations with all of our stakeholders in the communities we serve, and we share their commitment to ensuring that our customers receive safe and reliable service at a price they value. NIPSCO works hard every day to make the necessary investments to modernize our system, improve resilience and support economic growth while managing costs. We look forward to partnering with Abby Gray in her new role as the Utility Consumer Counselor. NIPSCO has a constructive working relationship with OUCC in service to our customers, and we look forward to working together to provide Northern Indiana with safe and reliable energy."