Why does my bill amount change every month?
There are many factors that go into how your bill is calculated. Some of the factors that may change your bill each month include:
- The weather and seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) - Colder days mean you may be using more natural gas to keep your home warm with your furnace, or you may use more electricity on hot days to cool your home with air conditioning
- Days in your billing cycle
- A change in lifestyle where you may be using more or less gas compared to previous months
Click the link below to login to our My Account portal and view the My Usage page to compare your usage, the weather and more to prior months.
Login to View Your Usage
Get help to understand your NIPSCO bill
Our bill was designed with you in mind. The interactive bill below allows you to get a better understanding of the features and charges on your bill so you know you're getting the value you deserve out of your NIPSCO service.
Click or tap on the bill sections below for details
Why is your account number important?
Your account number is one of the most important pieces of information on your bill. Having your account number handy when you contact us makes it easier to verify your account and identity for security reasons.
You can also use your account
number to create a self-service account in our My Account portal where you can manage your service and account. You can do things like:
- Make a payment
- View your usage history
- Enroll in Paperless billing, AutoPay, or Budget Plan
- Manage your billing & payment and outage alerts
- Manage your email preferences
- Start, Stop or Move service
We're here for you
Contact us immediately for gas leaks or odors of gas. We're available 24/7 for emergencies. Get to a safe place and call 1-800-634-3524 to report a natural gas emergency or 1-800-464-7726 to report electric lines down or a power outage.
Visit us online at NIPSCO.com to make payments and access your account.
Mail payments to:
NIPSCO
P.O. BOX 13007
Merrillville, IN 46411-3007
There are also authorized payment locations throughout our service territory where you can pay your bill. Find an authorized payment location.
Report a power outage
To report an electric power outage, call us at
How to detect natural gas
If you smell a rotten-egg-like odor, you could have a gas leak. Natural gas is naturally colorless and odorless. We add an odorant called mercaptan to natural gas, which gives it a distinctive smell, similar to rotten eggs or sulfur.
In some cases, you can also identify natural gas by sight or sound. If you see blowing dirt, bubbling water or dead vegetation, or hear a hissing or roaring sound, that could be caused by natural gas.
Follow these tips if you detect natural gas:
1. Stop what you’re doing
Don't smoke or light a match. Don't open the windows. Don’t use anything that could cause a spark, like a phone, light switch, appliance or flashlight. Don’t start your car or use your garage door to leave.
2. Leave the area immediately
If you're inside, get out immediately. If you're outside, leave the area quickly.
3. Call 911 and us
From a safe location, away from the building, call 911 and our emergency number at
Always call 8-1-1 before you dig
If you're planning a home or landscaping project, call Indiana 811 at 8-1-1 at least two business days before digging. A representative will mark the approximate location of underground utility lines for free.
Account profile
The Account Profile section of your bill will show you the name of the primary account holder, Account Number, Service/Mailing Address, and Type of Customer.
The Type of Customer section is an easy place to see what billing & payment programs you are currently enrolled in, such as CHOICE, Paperless billing, AutoPay or Budget Plan.
Login to our My Account portal to make a payment or manage your enrollments in our billing & payment programs (AutoPay, Paperless, Budget, Payment Plans, etc).
Account summary
The Account summary section of your bill gives you information on:
- Previous amount due from your last bill
- Recent payments received
- Budget plan amount (if applicable)
- Current balance
- Charges for gas service this period
- Current charges due with due date
This bill section will also tell you your AutoPay payment and payment date, budget plan information (if applicable), and payment plan information (if applicable) along with other financial information related to your bill.
Stay in the know
The message board on your bill is helpful to stay in the loop with special programs, programs and offerings at NIPSCO. The message board will also let you know if there may be any important changes coming to your account or at NIPSCO. This message board may change each month, so it's important to read it for every bill you get.
Ways to pay your bill
We offer a variety of payment methods for you to pay your bill. You can pay your bill using the following options:
- Website
- Mobile App
- Over the phone at 1-800-464-7726
If you need to mail in your check, fold the bill at the perforation, detach and return the coupon with your payment to:
NIPSCO
P.O. Box 13007
Merrillville, IN 46411-3007
Why is your account number important?
Your account number is one of the most important pieces of information on your bill. Having your account number handy when you contact us makes it easier to verify your account and identity for security reasons.
You can also use your account number to create a self-service account in our My Account portal where you can manage your service and account. You can do things like:
- Make a payment
- View your usage history
- Enroll in Paperless billing, AutoPay, or Budget Plan
- Manage your billing & payment and outage alerts
- Manage your email preferences
- Start, Stop or Move service
Helpful definitions
We want to ensure you know what you are paying for on you monthly bill statement. Check out the glossary of terms below to help you understand the detailed charges on your bill.
Gas service detail charges
Interstate Pipeline - This component is the cost that NIPSCO pays to transport natural gas through the interstate pipelines to NIPSCO's own system.
Storage Charge - This component is the cost that NIPSCO pays interstate pipeline carriers to store customer’s gas supply purchased from suppliers to NIPSCO’s own system of delivery service pipelines or storage facilities.
Gas Delivery Charge - The natural gas delivery charge is the price NIPSCO charges customers to deliver natural gas, through its distribution system to your home or business.
Gas Commodity Charge - The portion of your bill based on your energy consumption.
Indiana Utility Tax Receipts - This tax is imposed on the taxable gross receipts of an entity providing the retail sale of utility services for the taxable year. Utility services are defined as providing electrical energy; natural gas (other than propane or liquefied petroleum gas) used for heat, light, cooling, or power; water; steam; sewage; or telecommunications. In addition, Indiana State Sales Tax will apply to your bill. On March 16, 2022, House Enrolled Act 1002 was signed into law, removing the Utility Receipts Tax from utility bills for usage beginning July 1, 2022. This removal is approximately a 1.46% reduction in your monthly gas bill. For a typical gas residential customer utilizing 69 therms per month, this means an approximate savings of $16.76 per year.
Electric service detail charges
Electric Customer Charges - The Customer Charges covers basic costs associated with providing service.
Electric Energy Use Charges - These charges are calculated based on your monthly usage. Fuel Charges incurred in the generation and acquisition of electricity are passed through to customers without markup.
Indiana Utility Tax Receipts - This tax is imposed on the taxable gross receipts of an entity providing the retail sale of utility services for the taxable year. Utility services are defined as providing electrical energy; natural gas (other than propane or liquefied petroleum gas) used for heat, light, cooling, or power; water; steam; sewage; or telecommunications. On March 16, 2022, House Enrolled Act 1002 was signed into law, removing the Utility Receipts Tax from utility bills for usage beginning July 1, 2022. This removal is approximately a 1.46% reduction in your monthly electric bill. For a typical electric residential customer utilizing 700kWh per month, this means an approximate savings of $20.36 per year.
Legal information
As a NIPSCO customer, legal information is available upon request at 1-800-464-7726 or online at nipsco.com.
View your energy usage
This section shows you the 13 month usage history at your service address. Your usage will change throughout the year based on your general activity at home and seasonal weather.
You can also login to the My Account portal to view your energy use online.
View your energy usage
This section of your bill will show you the meter readings, number of days you were billed for, and a three month usage comparison. The weather typically impacts how much energy you use, so we include the monthly average temperature to help you understand why you used the energy you were charged for.
View your energy usage
This section shows you the 13 month usage history at your service address. Your usage will change throughout the year based on your general activity at home and seasonal weather.
You can also login to the My Account portal to view your energy use online.
Gas service detail charges
We want to ensure you know what you are paying for on you monthly bill statement. Check out the glossary of terms below to help you understand the detailed charges on your bill
Interstate Pipeline - This component is the cost that NIPSCO pays to transport natural gas through the interstate pipelines to NIPSCO's own system.
Storage Charge - This component is the cost that NIPSCO pays interstate pipeline carriers to store customer’s gas supply purchased from suppliers to NIPSCO’s own system of delivery service pipelines or storage facilities.
Gas Delivery Charge - The natural gas delivery charge is the price NIPSCO charges customers to deliver natural gas, through its distribution system to your home or business.
Gas Commodity Charge - The portion of your bill based on your energy consumption.
Indiana Utility Tax Receipts - This tax is imposed on the taxable gross receipts of an entity providing the retail sale of utility services for the taxable year. Utility services are defined as providing electrical energy; natural gas (other than propane or liquefied petroleum gas) used for heat, light, cooling, or power; water; steam; sewage; or telecommunications. In addition, Indiana State Sales Tax will apply to your bill. On March 16, 2022, House Enrolled Act 1002 was signed into law, removing the Utility Receipts Tax from utility bills for usage beginning July 1, 2022. This removal is approximately a 1.46% reduction in your monthly gas bill. For a typical gas residential customer utilizing 69 therms per month, this means an approximate savings of $16.76 per year.
Electric service detail charges
We want to ensure you know what you are paying for on you monthly bill statement. Check out the glossary of terms below to help you understand the detailed charges on your bill
Electric Customer Charges - The Customer Charges covers basic costs associated with providing service.
Electric Energy Use Charges - These charges are calculated based on your monthly usage. Fuel Charges incurred in the generation and acquisition of electricity are passed through to customers without markup.
Indiana Utility Tax Receipts - This tax is imposed on the taxable gross receipts of an entity providing the retail sale of utility services for the taxable year. Utility services are defined as providing electrical energy; natural gas (other than propane or liquefied petroleum gas) used for heat, light, cooling, or power; water; steam; sewage; or telecommunications. On March 16, 2022, House Enrolled Act 1002 was signed into law, removing the Utility Receipts Tax from utility bills for usage beginning July 1, 2022. This removal is approximately a 1.46% reduction in your monthly electric bill. For a typical electric residential customer utilizing 700kWh per month, this means an approximate savings of $20.36 per year.
Keep your contact information updated
Keeping your contact information updated is really important. By providing NIPSCO a telephone number, it enables us to call you about your utility service, future service appointments and other important information related to your account. By providing your phone number, you're agreeing to receive autodialed and prerecorded voice calls. Please notify us if you wish to opt out or if you no longer use this number.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a guide with general information for NIPSCO customers?
We understand that you may have questions about your service, billing or home safety. Read our customer handbook to learn more about being a NIPSCO customer.
Thank you for your response.
Do I need to make a deposit to open an account?
Depending on your credit report, you may be required to pay a security deposit to get service in your name. The deposit is security that the final bill will be paid. It can’t be used to pay current or delinquent bills. The deposit will be applied to your account after you establish a good payment history for 12 months or when you receive a final bill after you stop service.
Thank you for your response.
How do I establish a landlord and tenant relationship?
We can set up a relationship to automatically transfer service into a landlord's name when a tenant requests termination. Learn more on our Landlord Services page.
Thank you for your response.
Does NIPSCO offer programs to help low-income customers?
Yes. Programs such as budget plans, summer cooling assistance, credit arrangements and income-qualified weatherization are currently available.
Customers experiencing difficulty with their bill – regardless of their income – are encouraged to contact us to determine what help might be available to them.
Thank you for your response.
Does NIPSCO offer incentives for customers to be more energy efficient?
Yes. NIPSCO promotes a variety of programs and incentives designed to help all customers be more energy efficient, including free in-home energy assessments, equipment rebates, weatherization and more.
Thank you for your response.
How do I change the last name on my account?
If you need to update the last name listed on your NIPSCO account, please call us at 1-800-4NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726).
Thank you for your response.
Can I save money through the Budget Plan?
The Budget Plan is a great tool for spreading your winter heating and/or summer cooling costs more evenly across an entire year, although it’s not designed to reduce your total costs. It will allow you to know what you can expect to pay each month, and should allow you to have more spending money available. It’s easy to sign up, and it’s free.
Thank you for your response.
Why is my bill so high?
Your gas and/or electric bill will fluctuate depending on the weather, season of year, change in lifestyle or addition of family members. To understand your usage and learn how to save on your energy bill:
- Sign into your account.
- Select the My Usage option in the menu.
- Compare your usage by month, year, average temperature and number of billing days.
Thank you for your response.
Have additional questions about your bill?
Call us at 1-800-4NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726) for other billing questions.
Thank you for your response.
Can I lock in the cost of my bill?
You can guarantee your bill amount for the year with DependaBill. Learn more.
Thank you for your response.
Can I join the Budget Plan anytime?
Yes, you can enroll at any time. However, the budget season starts in May and the fewer months you have to spread the costs may result in a higher budget amount.
Thank you for your response.
When will my budget account be reviewed next?
The next budget year begins in May. We review your account in May to establish a budget payment amount for the next 12 months. We review it again in December to see if any adjustments are needed based on the current budget balance and projected cost and usage. Settle Up occurs in May and the new Budget year begins in June.
Thank you for your response.
What is Budget Plan?
Budget Plan is a free service that allows you to balance your monthly gas and/or electric bill and avoid the seasonal highs and lows. Enroll today.
Thank you for your response.
Where can I find a bill overview?
Watch this short video to get a better understanding of your bill.
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What if I decide I don’t want to be on Budget Plan anymore?
If you decide you want to be removed from Budget Plan, you can remove your enrollment in your web account at any time. If you cancel your Budget Plan, your full account balance will be due on your next statement rather than your Budget amount.
Thank you for your response.
Can I download copies of my old bills?
To download a copy of your old bills, sign in to your account and select Bills & Payments from the navigation.
Thank you for your response.
Why did my Budget Plan amount change?
We’ll review your Budget Plan amount and adjust your payment if necessary to keep you from having a large settle-up amount at the end of the Budget year.
Thank you for your response.
What are the distribution charges on my bill?
The distribution charges are the service charges for the delivery service to a retail customer from the point of receipt into our distribution system.
Thank you for your response.
What is the difference between budget billing and my actual billing?
Budget billing is our Budget Plan program. It calculates your Budget payment amount based on the history of usage at your address, square footage of your home or building, the projected cost of service, and rates for service and delivery. Your actual billing is based on our regular rates and the actual energy you use.
Thank you for your response.
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A video about what you can learn from your bill.
A fully regulated energy provider
We’re regulated by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other state and federal agencies. These organizations approve rate schedules and terms governing our operations.
