Welcome to the website of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC).
Our most recent Annual Report offers an overview of our activities, with updates through our monthly newsletter.
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please contact us.
Mission Statement
To represent all Indiana consumers to ensure quality, reliable utility services at the most reasonable prices possible through dedicated advocacy, consumer education and creative problem solving.
What We Do
Our job is to give all Indiana consumers a voice when decisions are made that could affect utility rates and services.
The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) represents the interests of residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in cases before the:
- Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC).
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),
- Indiana Court of Appeals, and Indiana Supreme Court
Our attorneys and technical experts are involved in electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water and sewer matters.
The OUCC and IURC are separate state government agencies, with the IURC designated under Indiana law to make decisions in cases involving regulated public utilities and the OUCC serving as the consumers’ legal and technical representative in those cases. Simply put, the OUCC represents the public and the IURC serves as the impartial fact finder and decision maker in cases that come before it.
For additional information, please see our introductory fact sheet.
Our History
The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor is one of the oldest state agencies of its type in the United States. Created in 1933 by the Indiana General Assembly, the agency was initially the Office of Public Counselor.
In 1981 the General Assembly replaced the Public Counselor's Office with the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor. Appointed by the Governor, the Consumer Counselor serves a four-year term.
Since the appointment of Sherman Minton of New Albany in 1933, there have been a total of 24 people serving as the Utility Consumer Counselor from towns and cities throughout the state.
About the Utility Consumer Counselor
William I. Fine was appointed the 24th Utility Consumer Counselor for the State of Indiana by Governor Eric Holcomb, effective January 9, 2017 and was reappointed in December 2020. Bill brings over 45 years of experience as a practicing attorney to his role as Indiana’s Utility Consumer Counselor. He oversees a dedicated staff of more than 50 professionals including attorneys, analysts, engineers, and additional employees who represent Indiana’s residential, commercial, and industrial ratepayer interests in state and federal utility regulatory proceedings.
Before joining the OUCC, Bill served in the Indiana House of Representatives and was a member of the Lake County Election and Voter Registration Board, the Indiana Public Defender Commission and the Board of Managers for the Lake County Bar Association.
He is a former Vice President and Treasurer of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) and currently serves on its Executive Committee. Bill was a member of Indiana’s 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force (2019-22) and was on the Critical Consumer Issues Forum (CCIF) Advisory Committee.
A Lake County native, he holds degrees from the Maurer School of Law (JD), Purdue University (MA), and Indiana University (AB).