Power Outages Persist for Over 20,000 Residents in Northwest Indiana Two Weeks After Storm

More than 20,000 residents in northwest Indiana are still without power nearly two weeks after a severe weather event on Aug. 11 that produced wind gusts up to 100 mph. The outage affects homes in Gary, Portage, Lake Station and Munster, according to local utility NIPSCO. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said at least 17,000 customers in the city remained without electricity on Saturday, and NIPSCO expects power to be restored there by the end of the day on Aug. 25.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun activated the National Guard to support restoration efforts, and a federal emergency declaration was issued to allow FEMA assistance. Braun urged NIPSCO to accelerate repairs, writing on social media, "Bring in more crews. Put every available resource into the field. Get creative. Get the job done."

NiSource Inc., the parent company of NIPSCO, announced a $140 million dividend payout to shareholders shortly before the outage began. NiSource executive vice president Melody Birmingham described the damage as one of the "most extensive and complex" situations the company's crews have faced, noting that repairs typically take weeks or months but are being attempted in days or weeks.

Civil-rights leaders have criticized the response, highlighting that Gary’s population is nearly 80% Black. Bernice King, a civil-rights activist, said the outage reflects a broader pattern of neglect in Black communities and called for more than mere survival.

Local shelters and food distribution centers continue to serve affected residents, while schools in the area remain closed.