Indiana Gov. Braun: NIPSCO has failed 21,000 residents still without power
ComEd sends crews to NW Indiana as thousands remain without power
People living without power in Northwest Indiana nearly two weeks after major storms are getting some help by ComEd repair crews.
CHICAGO - Nearly two weeks after devastating storms knocked out power for thousands of residents across northern Indiana, and as nearly 22,000 people remain in the dark, Gov. Mike Braun called out the region’s utility company to restore power "NOW."
What they're saying:
Braun said in a post on X that the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) had "ample resources" to "get the job done" but "they continue to fail Hoosiers."
As of 11 a.m. on Sunday, there were 21,816 NIPSCO customers without power due to the storms that ripped through the area on Aug. 11. The utility company said it’s restored power for more than 352,000 customers since then.
The governor added: "NIPSCO is a monopoly with a responsibility to ratepayers. Residents are forced to rely on them for their safety and comfort and they must get the power back on NOW. I have mobilized the Indiana National Guard and sent teams from Indiana State Police, Department of Natural Resources & Department of Correction to literally clear the way for NIPSCO utility crews. There is no excuse for these delays."
NIPSCO said it estimates power to be restored in Lake Station by the end of Sunday, in Munster by the end of Monday, and Gary and Portage by the end of Tuesday.
The other side:
When asked to respond to the governor’s comments, NIPSCO released the following statement:
"We have engaged additional contractor crews throughout our service territory and continue to bring in support from neighboring utilities and mutual assistance partners from across the country. Our teams are assigned to outages large and small, and we remain committed to reaching every affected customer in all of our communities. No outage is being overlooked, and no customer will be left behind as we continue this restoration effort."
The company said its employees have been "working around the clock" to restore power across the region and acknowledged that "the past several days have brought significant challenges for many of our customers and communities. We are deeply grateful for their patience as restoration and recovery efforts continue."
Just this weekend, ComEd, the utility company that covers much of northern Illinois, sent several crews to Northwest Indiana to assist NIPSCO in its power restoration efforts.
For information in NIPSCO's latest power restoration progress, visit nipsco.com/out.