INDIANAPOLIS – A 15-member task force will meet this summer and next to craft a comprehensive energy strategy for the state.

Legislators ordered the creation of the task force to make sure the state maintains a dependable and affordable supply of energy. Bedford Senator Eric Koch (R), the panel’s co-chairman with Valparaiso Representative Ed Soliday (R), says the panel will dig into a host of issues, including the power grid and the role of Indiana’s Utility Regulatory Commission beyond overseeing rates and reviewing proposed new facilities.

Koch says affordable power isn’t just a concern for your household budget, but a key component of economic development.

Denver Representative Ethan Manning (R) says he expects the panel to examine issues with the proper mix of energy sources to support electricity generation, and whether there’s risk in overcommitting to one form of energy or another, from wind and solar to natural gas and coal.

The task force will include eight legislators and seven industry specialists. Its final report is due in December 2020.

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