Chesterton Tribune

67,000 NIPSCO customers lost power in powerful storm; repairs expected to extend through the week

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From the Northern Indiana Public Service Company:

Most damaging storm event in last five years

A substantial number of broken poles and trees, branches and wires down have resulted from what initial assessments indicate is the largest storm this year and in recent years. Currently, 62,000 customers are without power.  Lake and Porter counties were hardest hit by the damaging winds and rain that crossed northern Indiana early this morning.

Assessment work is ongoing, but initial reports indicate that repair work will last over the next few days. More information on the extent of the damage and restoration times will be available after these assessments are complete.

Crews are working to clear away debris and damage in many areas before repair work can begin. 

Additional outside contractors and support have been called in to aid in repairs.

NIPSCO continues to monitor for additional storm activity forecasted for the area.

Please stay tuned for additional updates throughout the day.

We recognize that any service outage is an inconvenience to you – especially given the hot temperatures – and we thank you for your patience and understanding during the storm restoration effort.

For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines and crews working in your area. You can continue to receive power restoration updates from a mobile device by visiting m.nipsco.com, viewing nipsco.com/outagecenter or calling 1-800-4-NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726) 24-hours a day.

Cooling Centers
As restoration efforts continue, please contact 211 or your local municipal office for the latest information on the nearest cooling centers available to you.

Restoration Process
In any storm event, the safety of the public as well as those working on the lines is the top priority. Before restoring service, NIPSCO must locate downed power lines, clear trees and other debris and make sure electricity is no longer flowing through the wires.

NIPSCO’s restoration process begins with repairing large transmission and distribution lines that supply electricity to large numbers of customers in large geographic areas - including critical customers such as hospitals and emergency response. Repairs to other lines that serve smaller groups of customers can’t be made until the larger lines feeding electricity to those areas are repaired.

Report an Electric Power Outage

On-line: Report an outage on-line

Mobile Phone: m.nipsco.com

Phone: Call 1-800-4-NIPSCO (or 1-800-464-7726) 24 hours a day to report an electrical power outage:

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Select option 2 from the main menu

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Select option 2 from the next menu

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Then option 2 and follow the prompts

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You may request a call back once power has been restored.

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If you have electricity in some parts of your home but not others, please check to see if you have a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker.

Prepare Your Home For A Potential Storm-Related Outage

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Life support equipment – If someone in your family requires life support equipment, make prior arrangements for a back-up power supply.

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Stay informed – know what kind of weather is expected

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Clean drains – Remove any debris from storm drains around your home or yard.

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Automatic garage door – Learn how to open and close your door manually without power.

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Emergency kit – Prepare a simple emergency kit to include flash lights, first aid kit, supply of non-perishable food items, three-day supply of bottled water, and a cellular phone.

Stay Safe

Lightning, wind and fallen tree limbs can interrupt electric service. For your safety, please stay away from any downed power lines. Always presume the downed power line is live and extremely dangerous. DO NOT TOUCH THE LINES.

Restoration Process

In any storm event, the safety of the public as well as those working on the lines is the top priority. Before restoring service, NIPSCO must locate downed power lines and make sure electricity is no longer flowing through the wires. 

NIPSCO’s restoration process begins with repairing large transmission and distribution lines that supply electricity to large numbers of customers in large geographic areas - including critical customers such as hospitals and emergency response. Repairs to other lines that serve smaller groups of customers can’t be made until the larger lines feeding electricity to those areas are repaired.