NIPSCO says Hoosiers should expect higher heating bills this winter.

According to the utility’s latest forecast, natural gas residential customers will likely see bills rise about 16% compared to last year.

That means the average customer using 625 therms from November through March could pay around $665, about $90 more than last winter.

NIPSCO says the increase is driven mainly by higher market prices for natural gas, which the company passes on to customers without markup.

NIPSCO also says they purchase and store gas throughout the year to help stabilize prices and reduce volatility during the winter heating season.