Indiana’s Republican candidates for governor weigh in on the future of coal plants in Indiana. Photo by Michigan Advance.

By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — Indiana’s Republican gubernatorial candidates overwhelmingly promised a renewed focus on coal — and pushback to federal restrictions — in a survey from a fossil fuels-oriented advocacy group.

Some said they’d also reshape the powerful Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, which oversees more than 600 utilities operating in Indiana, per its website.

Five of the six candidates — U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, former Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former Commerce Secretary Eric Doden and conservative activist Jamie Reitenour — offered responses to the questionnaire from Reliable Energy, Inc. Former Attorney General Curtis Hill didn’t participate.

The trade association describes itself as advocating primarily for coal, gas and nuclear power.

Candidates Go For Coal

A regional transmission provider — whose territory includes most of Indiana — has repeatedly sounded the alarm: electricity generation is changing faster than expected.

“There is a looming mismatch on the horizon between the speed at which renewable generation (wind and solar) is coming online and conventional generation (coal and gas) is retiring,” the Midcontinent Independent System Operator said in introducing its 2024 “Reliability Imperative” report.

When Reliable Energy asked the candidates how they’d handle rising demand and anticipated supply challenges, several said they’d keep coal-powered plants open.

Crouch said she’d support a moratorium on such closures “until … we have addressed the reliability and resiliency challenges of the future.”

Chambers similarly said he’d resist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “pressure for premature closure of Indiana’s coal-fired power plants,” while Doden knocked the agency for “coerc(ing) states nationwide into shutting down local power plants.”

Braun said he didn’t believe renewable energy sources were “consistent” enough to replace closing coal plants, while Reitenour pushed to “rene(w) Indiana’s commitment to the coal industry.”

The candidates also highlighted coal in answers to a survey question about lowering energy costs. Braun, Chambers, Crouch and Doden additionally promised new energy production plans or strategies.

Some went further, promising changes to the state’s regulatory apparatus.

“We’ll appoint new commissioners to the IURC with a clear mission to push for additional base supply and lower costs, cracking down on the repetitive and unnecessary rate increases utilities have been placing on Hoosiers,” Chambers said.

Chambers also pledged to “bolster” the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor — which represents Hoosier utility customers — “to ensure that Hoosiers have a strong and dedicated team of advocates at the table to fight for them.”

The IURC is “an advocate of neither the public nor the utilities,” according to its mission statement. Instead, it seeks to make sure utilities can provide reliable service at “reasonable rates.”

Braun said that, as seats on the IURC “become open,” he’d add appointees that “hold my views on the future of energy in Indiana.”

Indiana Primary Election Day is May 7, 2024. Early voting has begun.