Gov. Mike Braun announced his appointment of Anthony Swinger as chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) on June 22, replacing Andy Zay.
This announcement comes after the IURC approved a rate increase for AES Indiana on June 17. Zay, who presided over the AES rate increase approval, will remain on the commission.
“Effective immediately, I am naming Anthony Swinger the new chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission,” Braun said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Affordability is my top priority and I am confident Chairman Swinger will deliver on that priority for Hoosiers.”
In a statement released to the public about the AES base rate approval, Braun disapproved of the rate increase to Hoosiers.
“Yesterday’s decision by the IURC to allow another rate increase by AES is unacceptable. When I appointed Abby Gray as the ratepayer advocate at the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, I knew she would help me fight for Hoosiers. I am calling on the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor to petition for a reconsideration and rehearing of this case. My priority is improving affordability for Hoosiers,” Braun said.
Zay was appointed to the Commission on Jan. 12, 2026, by Governor Mike Braun.
Previously, Zay represented Indiana Senate District 17 starting in 2016, which included all of Grant, Huntington, and Wabash counties. During his time in the Senate, Zay was a ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environmental Affairs who also served on the Senate Committees on Commerce and Technology; Pensions and Labor; and Utilities.
Anthony Swinger was also appointed to the Commission on Jan. 12, 2026.Before joining the commission, Chairman Swinger spent 25 years with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC). From 2022 until early 2026, he served as the OUCC’s executive director of Technical Operations, overseeing the agency’s electric, external affairs, natural gas, and water/wastewater divisions.
State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) criticized the leadership change, saying it would not affect the newly approved AES rate increase.
“Unfortunately, replacing the chairman of the IURC won’t reverse the rate hike approval. Gov. Braun is simply distracting voters from his own appointment of former Chairman Zay, who supported the increase,” Pryor said. “This problem will only get worse if BlackRock, an international investment management corporation, is allowed to go through with its buyout of AES. Governor Braun must urge Indiana’s congressional delegation to stop the sale of AES to BlackRock and protect Hoosiers from further utility price gouging.”
For more information visit in.gov/iurc.
Contact Staff Writer Malik Simon at 317-762-7847.
Malik Simon is a Staff Writer for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies concentrating on journalism. Before joining the Recorder, he wrote for the Devil’s Gazette newspaper at MVSU and served as a freelance content and video editor. He seeks to use media to help communities flourish through literacy and factual reporting.
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