March in Fort Wayne: normal high 48°F, low 29°F
The winter gas bill
Your winter gas bill usually peaks in January. NIPSCO projected $171.38 that month for 2025-26. BudgetPlan spreads the cost, and Energy Assistance helps households that qualify.
A photo essay from the people at Warm in January, Cool in July. Updated .
What makes up a NIPSCO winter bill?
A large share is the gas itself. The Indiana OUCC says gas supply makes up 40-60% of a NIPSCO bill. That part moves, because NIPSCO's gas cost adjustment changes every three months. Base rates were set by a July 31, 2024 state order. Use climbs with the cold. January normally logs 1,224 heating degree days at Fort Wayne's airport, more than any other month, and that is what drives the chart below.
Source: NIPSCO filing to the IURC
How much should a winter month cost?
Use the chart as a yardstick and expect your own bill to differ. These are NIPSCO's own projections, filed with the state regulator for 2025-26: from 59.8 therms in November to 163.8 in January, $665.37 in all, or an average of $133.07 a month. Your house, your thermostat and the weather will move it. This site's division of that projection comes to about $1.06 per therm all-in. That is not a tariff rate, and this site could not get NIPSCO's current per-therm rate.
Can a budget plan smooth it out?
Yes, for the size of the monthly bill. NIPSCO's BudgetPlan costs nothing extra, and the OUCC says it fixes the monthly bill, not the price. You still pay for all the gas you use over the year. A March 2026 NIPSCO presentation also showed a "Budget Plus" option for customers carrying a past-due balance who had paid at least 80% of bills on time. It may no longer apply, so ask NIPSCO.
Who can get Energy Assistance in Allen County?
Households at or under 60% of state median income, based on the last three months of income. IHCDA says applications run from October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027, online through its new LITT portal, by mail or in person. Allen County's provider is Community Action of Northeast Indiana, known as Brightpoint. Providers can take 55 days to decide, and the utility up to 30 more. A heating crisis, such as a disconnection notice, gets action within 48 hours. Benefits depend on federal funding and aren't guaranteed.
Can NIPSCO shut off gas in winter?
Not from December 1 through March 15, if you are eligible and have applied for Energy Assistance. IHCDA quotes the rule as covering a customer "eligible for and who has applied." The OUCC adds written proof to the utility, so tell NIPSCO in writing. You still owe the bill. Service can still be cut for an emergency, fraud, meter tampering or at your request. A 2026 Indiana law, HEA 1002, lists a change to the moratorium, and this site could not read its terms. Confirm the current rules with the OUCC or NIPSCO.
What lowers next winter's bill?
Use less heat, then lose less of it. DOE says you can save as much as 10% a year by turning the thermostat back 7-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Programmable models have generally not been recommended for heat pumps unless they were made for them. Change or check your filter and seal air leaks. Rebates are in the September essay.
| What | The figure | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Five-month projection, Nov to Mar 2025-26 | $665.37 for 625.0 therms | NIPSCO filing to the IURC |
| All-in cost per therm (this site's division of that projection, not a tariff) | about $1.06 | Derived from the NIPSCO filing |
| Gas supply's share of a NIPSCO bill | 40-60% | Indiana OUCC |
| Energy Assistance application window | Oct 1, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027 | IHCDA |
| Energy Assistance 12-month income limit | $33,556 for 1 person, $64,533 for 4 | IHCDA |
| Mitigating action in a heating crisis | within 48 hours | IHCDA |
| Winter disconnect moratorium, if you applied for Energy Assistance | Dec 1 to Mar 15 | Indiana OUCC |
What to do
Right now
- Find therms used on your bill and compare them with the chart
- Apply for Energy Assistance by April 30, 2027 if you may qualify
- Tell NIPSCO in writing that you applied
- Ask NIPSCO about BudgetPlan
Before next winter
- Apply early: this year's window opened October 1
- Set a thermostat schedule you can live with
- Seal air leaks and check the filter monthly
Call a pro when
- Therms jump with no change in weather or habits: ask for a furnace check
- You smell gas: leave first, use no switches, phones or flames inside, and call 911 and NIPSCO from outside (NIPSCO's December 2025 safety release gives 1-800-634-3524)
What neighbors ask
Is $1.06 a therm what NIPSCO charges?
No. It is this site's division of NIPSCO's own 2025-26 bill projection, and it blends every charge together. The gas cost changes every three months, so read the figures on your own bill.
Does the moratorium erase what I owe?
No. The OUCC says customers still owe the bill. The moratorium only stops disconnection during the covered dates, for households that qualify.
Does the winter rule cover propane?
The OUCC says it does not apply to propane or other bulk fuels, or to water, sewer or telecom. It covers investor-owned, municipal and REMC electric and gas utilities. Energy Assistance's crisis rule does count a fuel tank at or below 25%.
Does BudgetPlan lower what I pay over the year?
No. The OUCC says it fixes the monthly bill, not the price. It evens out the swing between a November bill and a January one.
Is the chart what I should expect this coming winter?
It is the 2025-26 projection, the one this site could read. Gas costs change every three months, so a 2026-27 bill will differ even in an identical winter.
Where this came from
This essay rests on NIPSCO's filing with the IURC, the Indiana OUCC, IHCDA and DOE, all checked November 3, 2026. NIPSCO's own site could not be opened when this was checked. The terms of HEA 1002 were seen only as a heading in a law firm summary, so confirm the moratorium rules before relying on them.