Happy New Year’s Eve! When your watching that big ball fall for the sky with billions of lights burning brightly, think about the cost of electricity.
John Bear is the President of Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), a NON PROFIT 501c4 with $3,500,000,000 ($3.5 Billion) In assets which is comprised of Utility companies-Electricity. ⚡💡
MISO successfully petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on behalf of utility companies to allow a new method to calculate costs that INCREASES the cost of Electricity: The Reliability curve!
The Reliability curve is based on classifying “Renewable” power generators like solar/wind to be considered unreliable and warrants Increasing the price of electricity. This resulted in the price going from $30 in 2024 to $666.50 in 2025. (See pic 2) Full report found here .
MISO transmission owners are companies such as Ameren, Duke Energy, NIPSCO, AES, and Entergy. MISO is comprised of approximately 54 Utility companies from Wisconsin to Louisiana including Indiana.
MISO’s John Bear sits as President of Energy Services Network (ESN), an organization that dreams up projects to increase the use of electricity. It’s all funded by the Indiana Economic Development Corp (IEDC). (See pic 3 and 4)
MISO, John Bear, campaigns around the world to INCREASE the use of renewables like solar/wind. John Bear is the recent former president of GO15 (see pic 5) who collaborates with other countries such as China. Mr. Bear loves the Climate Change ideology and so does China. Video may be seen here
China depends on the sale of Lithium Ion Cells. Lithium Ion Cells are used in Solar, Data Center Computers, Electric Vehicles etc.
Both Data Centers and BESS centers are guzzlers of Energy. They use lithium ion cells and drink electricity like a professional Drunkard on New Year’s Eve.
These Energy guzzlers just happen to be customers of MISO transmission owners such as NIPSCO and their new UNREGULATED entity GenCo. Better yet, BlackStone recently purchased 20% of NIPSCO. BlackStone is one of the Worlds largest Data Center Owners which means we pay them to build the data centers – we give them tax abatements, tax credits, federal funds- then we pay them for the equipment to generate electricity- then we pay them to build more generators- we pay them through the IEDC- and last but not least: WE PAY THEM MONTHLY OUT OF WAGES LEFT OVER.
December 11, 20025 By Data Centers AI ChatGPT with facts provided by Kimberly Mann
Northern Indiana is experiencing a utility crisis fueled by rising electricity costs, inaccessible decision-making, and a pipeline of policy decisions that elevate corporate and utility interests above public welfare. A close review of regulatory filings, legislative texts, grid operator classifications, and utility statements reveals a pattern: NIPSCO and its parent company, NiSource, have positioned themselves at the center of an incentive-driven system that profits while Hoosiers pay more.
Utilities Paid to Generate—and NOT Generate—Electricity
NIPSCO receives compensation both for producing electricity and for not producing it under certain market conditions (PJM and MidContinent Independent System Operator (MISO) market rules, demand response programs). These financial structures allow utilities to profit regardless of customer relief or grid stability.
At the same time, NIPSCO can sell excess electricity—produced with customer-funded infrastructure—to foreign markets for higher profit. Source: NIPSCO public claims on “excess power sales” (NIPSCO.com).
Electricity as a Life-Sustaining Commodity in Indiana
Northern Indiana’s winter climate makes electricity and gas critical to survival. Many residents choose between utilities and food on a monthly basis (Source: Indiana Community Action Poverty Data, 2023)
1. Closed-Door Development Networks Influence Land Use and Energy Demand
NIPSCO sits on local and regional economic development boards that help determine land use, industrial siting, and incentive allocation. These boards often conduct negotiations behind closed doors, outside public oversight.
A major structural shift occurred when a federal judge ruled the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) was not a public agency but a private corporation that is funded with hardworking citizen’s tax dollars ranging in the billions of dollars. Source: Federal District Court ruling, widely reported (2024).
This means billions in taxpayer-funded incentives are administered by a private entity acting without public transparency.
2. Industrial Energy Guzzlers Subsidized by Taxpayers
Large commercial operations are placed on Indiana farmland with monetary support from:
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts
State and federal subsidies
Local tax abatements
Economic development incentive packages
Utility-backed discount programs (EDRs)
These incentives shift costs downward onto residential customers.
Meanwhile, utilities use the arrival of energy-intensive facilities to justify new generation construction—costs that also fall on ratepayers.
3. Renewable Energy Projects Classified as Unreliable by Grid Operators
MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator), the grid operator for Northern Indiana, designated solar, wind, and battery storage as “unreliable/intermittent” resources on the 2024 reliability curve. Source: MISO Reliability-Based Demand Curve (RBDC) briefings, 2024–2025; MISO Resource Adequacy Subcommittee (RASC) update 7/10/2024.
Because of this classification, these renewable projects contribute little to the capacity obligation that determines customer rates—even though they receive enormous subsidies.
Impact: They raise, not lower, long-term cost obligations.
4. House Bill 1007: Guaranteed Utility Profits and Nuclear Development Subsidies
Indiana House Bill 1007 (May 2025), authored by Rep. Ed Soliday, allows utilities to:
Recover 80% of small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) development costs upfront
Recover the remaining 20% even if the reactor is never completed
Charge residential customers for new power plants while also receiving economic development subsidies
Collect ongoing operational costs if the IURC blocks retirement of any generation resource
Sources: Indiana House Bill 1007, 2025 session (legislative text) Public reporting on SMR project failures nationwide (DOE, NRC status updates)
No Small Modular nuclear Reactor facility in the U.S. has been completed.
NIPSCO spent $141,100 on lobbying legislation in topics Energy, Environment, Licensure, Taxation, Utilities in 2024. Source: Indiana Lobby Registration Commission (ILRC) annual filings. Rep. Soliday represents the area where NIPSCO is headquartered (Merrillville) and serves on the Committee on Utilities, Energy, and Telecommunications. All 5 of the 5 bills authored by Rep. Ed Soliday involved Energy generation, carbon sequestration, Quantum research (data centers) tax incentives, Expedited approval of electric transmission and generation projects. Others Co Sponsored and Sponsored included but not limited to Water, Wastewater, IURC matters, Nuclear reactor development costs, energy production zones, water utilities, and construction of data centers. Source: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/legislators/legislator_edmond_soliday_864
5. Capacity Cost Explosion: $30 → $666.50
MISO’s first-ever application of the Reliability-Based Demand Curve (RBDC) that qualifies Solar/Wind as unreliable triggered a record capacity price spike:
This represents a 2,122% increase, the highest in regional history.
Despite billions in renewable investments, capacity costs still rose because MISO classified renewables as unreliable.
6. NIPSCO’s Internal Economic Development Network
NIPSCO divides Northern Indiana into mapped territories, each managed by an in-house economic development representative. These NIPSCO employees sit on the following boards among other local Economic Development boards listed at the bottom of this report:
Indiana Economic Development Corporation
Northwest Indiana Forum
Michiana Regional Economic Development Corporation
Their mission: recruit large commercial energy consumers into NIPSCO’s territory.
7. Renewable Projects Owned or Contracted by NIPSCO
NIPSCO’s renewable portfolio includes:
Dunns Bridge I
Dunns Bridge II
Cavalry Solar Energy Center
Indiana Crossroads
Fairbanks Solar
Crossroads II Wind
Green River Solar- upcoming
Gibson Solar Gibson County- upcoming
Fairbanks Solar Sullivan County- upcoming
Appleseed Solar Cass County-upcoming
Source: NIPSCO Generation Transition portfolio.
These projects require heavy subsidies but do not reduce capacity costs under MISO’s rules.
NIPSCO claims customers received $60 million in Renewable Energy Credit (REC) returns since 2021.Source: NIPSCO public statements (2024–2025).Yet residential electric and gas bills rose about 30% in 2025 when including the loophole titled: Delivery charge. Just a $28 use of gas charges resulted in a $75 delivery fee plus a kwh raise.
These assessments confirm what the data shows: the system is working extremely well for utilities and investors—and failing residents.
Conclusion: A System Designed Against Consumers
This investigation shows a circular, self-reinforcing structure:
Utilities recruit large industrial energy users.
Industries receive taxpayer-funded incentives and discounted electricity.
Utilities claim new generation must be built to serve them.
Utilites lobby Representatives to force IURC to raise rates and payments for uncompleted/forced-open projects
Utilities build unreliable renewable facilities that raise capacity costs.
Utilities cite capacity shortfalls to raise residential rates.
Excess reliable power is sold to foreign markets for profit.
Financial markets reward utilities for “margin expansion.”
Meanwhile, Indiana families—facing record costs and limited oversight—are left to shoulder the burden.
Unless regulatory conditions change and public transparency improves, Indiana’s energy landscape will continue prioritizing private profit over public necessity.
Short List of NIPSCO employees on the boards of Economic Development programs in Indiana:
**The Association of Indiana Counties (AIC)– Board of Directors-Cindy Admave NIPSCO. AIC’s purposes and goals are to seek the betterment of county government through: representation of counties at the Indiana General Assembly; research and dissemination of information; communications through publications and seminars; professional training and educational programs; liaison between counties, state and federal agencies; and technical and managerial assistance. While there are a number of agencies and groups offering assistance to county government, AIC is the only entity that represents the legislative needs of Indiana counties.” https://web.indianacounties.org/Associate/NIPSCO-206
**Starke County Economic Development Foundation – SCEDF Sponsors: Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) Cindy Admave, Economic Development Department.
**Unity Foundation board of directors: Katie Eaton is the Public Affairs & Economic Development Manager at NIPSCO…Eaton most recently served as the President of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce.
*”LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership Board of directors: Cindy Admave, Bert Cook, Mayor Thomas Dermody, Michael Riehle, Assessor Mike Schultz
** Urban Enterprise Association of LaPorte (UEA) Board of Directors : Cindy Admave NIPSCO Economic Development Manager, Bert Cook, Mayor Thomas Dermody, Michael Riehle, Assessor Mike Schultz
**Greater LaPorte Economic Development BOARD OF DIRECTORS: NIPSCO Cindy Admave, Mayor Thomas Dermody, Michael Riehle, Assessor Mike Schultz
**Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors :. Katie Eaton is the Public Affairs & Economic Development Manager at NIPSCO.
**South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce: South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors :
**Lake County IN Economic Alliance Board of Directors: Alexius Barber NIPSCO
**Questa Education Foundation Board of Directors : Dana Berkes is Manager of Public Affairs for NIPSCO, overseeing public affairs, economic development, and community relations in 11 Northeast Indiana counties. She serves as Vice President of the Purdue Fort Wayne Foundation board and holds leadership roles with Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., Junior Achievement, and others. https://www.questafoundation.org/news/2025/8/19/questa-welcomes-three-new-board-members
** Michigan City Economic Development Corp : Board of Directors : Robert J. Schaefer’s involvement in economic development began during his time working At NIPSCO. He was assigned by NIPSCO to work with economic development agencies Throughout the region to assist them in their efforts to attract and retain businesses. Each of These agencies felt that NIPSCO’s Presence at the table was valuable and Necessary for them to be successful. When Mayor Sheila Brillson took office, Among her highest priorities was job Creation and economic development. She Wanted Michigan City to be in the forefront In this arena. In order to realize her vision, She put together a small group of experts To assist and advise her. One of those Experts was Bob. Bob called upon his economic Development experience with NIPSCO. He Knew what attributes an organization Needed to make economic development Efforts effective. Based largely on Bob’s advice, an existing non-profit organization Was repurposed to become MCEDC with a Board of directors consisting of members Appointed by the Mayor and the Chamber Of Commerce. Bob’s involvement did not end with the formation of MCEDC https://edcmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Bob-Schaefer-Bio.pdf
** Northwest Indiana Forum : Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO) welcomes Spencer Summers to the role of Economic Development Manager. In this role, Summers will position Northwest Indiana’s strategic assets to decision-makers nationwide while cultivating relationships with site selectors, investors and industry leaders to advance sustainable economic growth, enhance regional competitiveness and expand business opportunities throughout the area….Before joining NIPSCO, Summers served as the Economic Development Director at the Northwest Indiana Forum and as Facility and League Director at The Courts of Northwest Indiana in Valparaiso. He obtained a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Systems from Purdue University Northwest in 2023, following a double major in Business Management and Human Resources from PNW in 2022 https://greatnews.life/article/nipsco-welcomes-spencer-summers-as-new-economic-development-manager/
Other NIPSCO Affiliations/Information Concerning Economic Development organizations in Northwest Indiana:
**Indiana University Northwest launches inaugural Economic Development Academy. Regional economic development professionals will serve as program leaders, imparting their expertise and experience with program participants. Those leaders include:
Anthony Sindone and Micah Pollak, IU Northwest, economists specializing in regional economic development
Rick Calinski, NIPSCO, Director of Public Affairs and Economic Development
Heather Ennis, Northwest Indiana Forum, President & CEO
Seth Spencer, Sera Group, CEO
***Dec 3, 2025:Donald Babcock said he was officially “retired” for about four months after a 43-year stint at NIPSCO. He now works for PNW as director of economic development and community relations. https://nwindianabusiness.com/article/next-acts-2025-12/
**Gov. Mike Braun hired Washington-based FTI Consulting Inc. to conduct a forensic audit of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. after Indiana Legislative Insight reported allegations of self-dealing among the agency and its affiliates….The big picture: The audit reported no criminal findings but dozens of instances of “gaps in governance and inadequate policies and procedures.” Forty-six donors, including Rolls-Royce, NIPSCO, AES and Pure Development, which is heavily involved in the IEDC-led LEAP development in Boone County, received either payments or tax credits from the IEDC.https://www.axios.com/local/indianapolis/2025/10/06/what-to-know-about-the-iedc-investigation
Good morning all you bloggers and friends of bloggers!
Yesterday was an awesome day for harvesting the garden. Lots of fresh ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and green beans! Gardening is rather therapeutic when your thoughts overwhelm and create anxiety, a problem that hasn’t released itself from me in more than 15 years post trauma.
In a way, trauma has given me more reason to play in the garden. A solution to both mental health and filling that hunger pain in the muscular sac of the digestive system. Helps with that ever increasing cost of store bought food along with sky high electricity.
Many fail to understand why electricity has jumped in price. In Northwest Indiana, rates are the highest in the state at 19¢ per kwH plus Fees! The reason? Data centers owned by Internet companies/telecommunications companies. They take large amounts of electricity to run their operations. Electric companies have to produce more electricity because of the excessive drain. Do you think the company is going to foot the bill for electricity generation? Heck no. That’s passed on to the consumer. Let’s not even get into the export of electricity that supplements rate increase.
We’ve decided to increase our production of heat on the local politicians who give the Okeydokey for electric companies to increase their rates. Been busy with letters to the Governor, utility commission, etc. The only way to stop a utility company is through government contact. Find the appropriate responsible parties in your area to send them a stern message.
Back to the real life of homesteading, we are working on a new bed for the queen, DooBee Do. She tossed and turns a bit at night so it’s time for her to go back to sleeping in her own bed. Her old one was taken by the new kid on the block, Rocko.
Good morning! Happy Friday. Happy August! Happy New day. Thank you, Lord, for opening our eyes to a beautiful sunrise.
My day started off with a pleasant smile as I walked outside with the dogs to check out the weather. Not only is the temperature a bearable 70 degrees, the butterflies we hovering around the luscious fragrant lilies as if they contained a new drug.
The drug problem in the USA has hit the back burner as what seems to be a temporary solution, Naloxone, has prevent thousands of deaths. It’s a bandaid applied with the use of a form of antibiotic, pressure on Chinese and Mexican drug cartels, to suppress some of the fentanyl activity.
The new problem- data centers. This is one of those problems that effects everyone. From water pollution to exorbitant electric rate increases, data centers are wreaking havoc on the family budget oftentimes causing citizens to choose between food and heat/air conditioners. of course, my writing skills were put to use by sending a pointed letter to the Governor.
My little world continues on fighting against big pharma and unqualified foreign doctors from my thought provoking garden and today’s trip on the 7 mile garage sale.
Bill: Provides that a “clean energy project” includes a project to construct or repower, after July 1, 2011, a natural gas facility to displace electricity generation from an existing coal fired generation facility. (2) Provides that an “eligible business” for purposes of eligibility for incentives authorized under the statute includes a joint agency created under the Indiana Code chapter authorizing municipal electric utility programs. (3) Provides (through an amendment to a cross-referenced definition in the Indiana Code chapter governing the Indiana voluntary clean energy portfolio standard program) that for purposes of a clean energy project involving a renewable energy resource project, a “renewable energy resource” includes gas that is derived from the decomposition of organic matter and that: ….. Contd at link https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1421/
THOSE OPPOSED
“HB1417 will significantly reduce IURC authority to protect Hoosiers from monopoly greed.
HB1420 will further undermine competition against monopoly utilities by blocking competitive bidding on highly expensive transmission projects.
HB1421 will grant Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) to the electric utilities for expensive, dirty fossil gas plants. CWIP allows utilities to charge customers for power plants before they produce ANY electricity, and even if they NEVER produce any electricity.” Written by Citizens Action Commission an environmental advocacy organization
THE PROS
“There will never be a wind- and solar-only world. There will be wind and solar, plus some kind of backup for when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining,” Soliday said, adding that “we definitely need peaker plants “ — natural gas power plants that operate when there’s high demand for electricity — “and we need to get them as affordably as we possibly can.” More discussion may be found at this link https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/02/07/lawmakers-advance-bill-to-let-utilities-charge-consumers-earlier-for-new-building-projects
If you want to change the direction of our country, start with positive action by contacting your Representatives. Indiana citizens may find Representative contact information here. https://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/
Some families may think that becoming totally independent from the grid with the use of solar panels is a good idea. A backup plan like a fireplace might be a good idea.
Checking into the good and bad of solar panels, our enthusiasm began to wane after reading SolarSow.com
“It is essential to note that the output of a solar panel will decrease as the temperature gets colder. That is because the cells in a solar panel are designed to work best at temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius…. ice and snow may need to be cleared off of solar panels in order to ensure optimal performance.”
Ok, well then we will just wait for that electricity to kick in.
Well, the snow wasn’t melting at 0 degree temperatures in Alaska after installing hundreds of thousands of dollars of solar panels to supply the Municipality of Anchorage. Read more here.
I’ll be back in my nice warm house in a few hours after clearing my heat source of snow and also in front of my windows so I can see the outside world!
Rooster Crows 
