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About the OUCC

Welcome to the Website of the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor.

All Indiana consumers - residential and business consumers alike - expect and deserve safe, reliable utility services at the most reasonable prices. As Indiana’s 23rd Utility Consumer Counselor, I pledge to uphold the strong tradition of my agency’s commitment to fairly represent consumer interests in matters related to public utilities.

The ways we use some utilities, like electric and water, have changed little over the years. Others, like the telephone industry, have experienced enormous change because of rapid advances in technology. As a result, some utilities may be moving more rapidly than others to a more competitive environment that requires less regulation. At times, a business and a residential consumer may not share the same interests. It is plain to see the many challenges that await us as we move forward in this century.

Different times may require different rules. The OUCC works hard to ensure that as regulations may change, your interests, as a business or residential utility customer, are heard and protected. From heating and cooling your home or workplace to paying fair rates for water and ensuring dependable telecommunications services, the OUCC is your consumer advocate.

I invite you to contact us with your comments, questions and concerns.

Sincerely,
A. David Stippler
Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor

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:

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. Simply put, the OUCC represents the public and the IURC is the "court."

For additional information, please see our introductory brochure.

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 22 Utility Consumer Counselors from towns and cities throughout the state.

About the Utility Consumer Counselor

Dave Stippler brings 35 years of experience as a practicing Indiana attorney to his new role as the state’s Utility Consumer Counselor. Appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels in February 2008, Stippler has specialized in public utility law throughout most of his career.

In his current role, Stippler oversees a 50-member staff of attorneys, technical experts and additional employees who represent Indiana’s residential, commercial and industrial ratepayers in state and federal regulatory proceedings.

Before joining the OUCC, Stippler spent six years with the Indianapolis law firm of Bingham McHale, LLP where he represented clients before regulatory agencies, as well as trial and appellate courts. He also served for 17 years as an in-house corporate counsel with Ameritech Corporation and SBC Communications. Before his corporate experience, Stippler engaged in an extensive general corporate law and civil litigation practice in Indianapolis for more than 10 years.

Stippler is a 1973 cum laude graduate of the Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis. He is also an alumnus of Saint Meinrad College and the University of Evansville.

An Evansville native, Stippler has served on the Saint Meinrad Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and in a leadership role in Saint Meinrad’s recent capital campaign. He is a Director Emeritus and past president of the Lawrence Township School Foundation in Marion County. He has also served on the boards of Marian College and the Arts Council of Indianapolis.