The 2026 Annual Meeting was the first for Hoosier Energy in two years after last year’s event was canceled due to severe storms and tornado threats.
As with most anything in the energy industry, a lot has changed in two years. But Hoosier Energy’s mission of providing reliable and affordable energy has not, even as steps are taken to adapt and evolve. With that said, the fitting theme of the meeting and the 2025 Annual Report was Bold Moves, Cooperative Priorities.
Hoosier Energy President and CEO Donna Walker acknowledged both sides of that coin in her opening remarks.
“We’re going to share with you some of the bold steps that we’re taking to shape our energy future here at Hoosier Energy,” she said. “But I also understand these sessions are set against a really challenging backdrop. Consumers are more and more concerned about reliability these days. With aging infrastructure, insufficient firm generating resources, more severe weather events, and cyber and physical security threats to the grid – all of that comes together to pose greater concerns and risk about power outages.”
“We also know that many in our communities are struggling financially these days,” said Walker. “It’s a difficult time out there with surging gas prices at the pump on top of already higher food and housing costs. And we understand that nobody wants to see their electricity bill also increased during this time.”
She went on to note state and national concerns with affordability that are playing out politically with the issue of data centers creating a divide between the desire for economic growth and the prevention of rate increases.
Walker then emphasized the differences between investor-owned utilities (IOUs), who are under intense scrutiny, and cooperatives.
“We consider the decisions we’re making in the context of trying to provide a better future for the communities we serve, now and for generations to come,” Walker said. “We literally live and work with those people in the community every day.
Hoosier Energy CEO & President Donna Walker addresses attendees at the 2026 Hoosier Energy Annual Meeting.
“But I hope that as you leave here today, you’re confident that Hoosier Energy is doing everything possible to ensure our supply to you remains reliable and affordable.”
Industry Snapshots
Walker then passed the baton to Jim McMahon of Charles River Associates. His presentation, entitled Wired for Change: Industry Trends and Implications, covered everything from industry headlines dominating the news to graphs charting trends and changes in the world of energy. In the process, he discussed data centers, energy affordability and the energy transition.
Among the interesting sets of data and points of discussion was his takeaway on data centers’ impact on rates.
“Conclusions from the study are that utilities are generally doing a good job managing controllable costs,” McMahon said. “Policy decisions are more impactful on rates, with external factors driving cost increases. There’s really no single narrative.”
McMahon also highlighted the impact of changing presidential administrations with the pendulum swinging one way, then the other and back the first way again in terms of energy priorities.
Getting Political
Following a short break, the first panel discussion of the day featured NRECA’s Hill Thomas, who works on federal government initiatives, Indiana Electric Cooperatives CEO John Cassady, and Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives CEO Craig Sondgeroth on Navigating Federal & State Energy Dynamics, A Policy Discussion.
Asked to highlight the top two or three issues, Thomas said that data centers and affordability were undoubtedly at the top of the list.
“Are those two issues related? Congress thinks they are,” Thomas said. “They may be, they may not be. Jim (McMahon) sort of suggested maybe they aren’t in most of the country, but Congress thinks they are.”
For Sondgeroth, data centers are also at the top of mind in Illinois, followed by integrated resource plans and then the goals of Governor J.B. Pritzker, who may be making decisions with ambitions of a national/presidential run looming.
Cassady picked up where Sondgeroth left off in discussing Indiana’s new governor, Mike Braun. He noted that his focal point shifted from property taxes to utility rates, bringing affordability to the forefront of energy debates in the state of Indiana.
This kicked off a lengthy discussion on the impacts of politics and the opportunities that are opened and closed depending on the administration at the state and national level. Affordability was often at the center of the discussion.
“(Politicians) want to have the silver bullet, they want the easy answer,” Thomas said. “This is one of those things where just isn’t an easy answer.”
But he did note that efforts to reduce the red tape via permitting reform could actually be a significant factor in improving affordability.
At the state levels, promoting cooperatives and the advantages of being a part of the community helps distinguish the potential for moving ahead of IOUs.
Executive Team Perspective
The second panel discussion of the day followed with Hoosier Executive Staff members Chris Blunk, Rob Horton, Jon Jackson and Scott Bowers talking on the day’s theme – Bold Moves, Cooperative Priorities.
They discussed supply portfolio performance, transmission costs, the impact of the DOE GRIP award, digital reliability, large loads/data centers and managing affordability.
After lunch, the door prize of an electric grill went to Terry Chapman of Daviess-Martin County REMC.
Palisades Restart Nearing Finish Line
The final session of the day was with Holtec International President, Kelly Trice. He provided some history and behind the scenes information on the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, as well as a glimpse into the future of small modular reactors (SMRs).
He concluded with a Q&A session with Walker, describing the reopening of Palisades as 90 percent of the way there with operations set to commence later this year, ahead of the original target of March 2027.
It’s a bold move driven by cooperative priorities.